[Development and implementation of a heart failure telemonitoring system: the single centre experience]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Digital Health
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Chronic heart failure (CHF) management requires consistent patient self-monitoring.
• Adherence to body weight control and medication is crucial for CHF patients.
• Telemonitoring offers a potential solution for improving outpatient CHF care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a telemonitoring (TM) program using specialized software.
• To evaluate patient compliance with body weight control and drug therapy in CHF.
• To determine the impact of TM on clinical outcomes and physician workload.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 79 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and NYHA II-IV CHF were enrolled in an outpatient TM program.
• The study duration was approximately 965 days, with data collected from 2018-2020.
• Compliance with body weight monitoring and medication adherence were tracked using a dedicated software module.

Main Results:

• Patient compliance with body weight control significantly improved from 73.3% at baseline to 86.7% by month 31.
• The proportion of patients monitoring weight at least 6 times weekly increased from 8.9% to 58.1%.
• A statistically significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction was observed, alongside a reduction in physician-reported therapy adjustments.

Conclusions:

• Structured telemonitoring programs enhance patient adherence to self-care practices for chronic heart failure.
• Remote monitoring facilitates improved body weight management and medication compliance in dilated cardiomyopathy patients.
• Telemonitoring can optimize CHF management by improving patient engagement and reducing clinical burden.