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More than 80% of consumers believe that home electronic medical devices could improve their
healthcare and save them money, according to a survey by Accenture. In the survey, 81% of
respondents said they believe that home electronic medical devices would eliminate unnecessary
hospital stays or emergency department visits. The same percentage said the devices would help
them ensure a loved one is well, and 82% said they would save money by using the devices. More
than 60% of respondents over age 65 said they would upgrade their communication services and
consumer electronic devices to function with medical devices, while 51% said they would pay for
additional services for home medical device applications.
More than half of the 8,000 home-care agencies in the U.S. that provide services to Medicare
patients now use some form of remote telemonitoring, according to the National Association for
Home Care and Hospice. Telemonitoring is also part of a broader study on support for people with
chronic illness by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
eMedonline is an effective telemonitoring tool. It helps patients easily monitor their conditions,
symptoms, treatment-associated side effects, and overall well-being. Patients in NIH-sponsored
studies report that the system makes them feel more confident that they will be able to manage their
illnesses. Recent usability tests at the User-Centered Informatics Research Lab (UCIRL) of the
National Cancer Institute further demonstrated that patients highly value eMedonline and find it to
be very easy to use. They reported that the system was reassuring, kept them aware and in touch,
and prevented them from disregarding important symptoms.
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