The telemedicine initiative at Cityhälsan Centrum, Primary Care Center in Norrköping, Sweden, is centered on Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) for patients with heart failure. The Digital Heart Failure Clinic was a program implemented to reduce hospitalization in congestive heart failure patients. Its objectives included enhancing patient engagement, improving clinical outcomes and optimizing healthcare resource utilization. This program enables patients to track key health parameters from their homes, allowing medical professionals to intervene proactively when necessary.

Initial results from the program indicated an increase in satisfied patients, significant improvement in symptom management and a clear reduction in hospital admissions.

Nonetheless, the program faced some challenges in patient recruitment, largely attributable to the limited technical proficiency among the intended demographic, predominantly comprising individuals born in the 1930s and 1940s. While many of the connected patients were between 75 and 95 years of age, the platform was navigated with ease by those who adopted it.

A key finding from the program is that RPM is an important and hospital-avoiding tool that cannot be interrupted without risk for patient safety.

For a comprehensive overview of the program’s design, implementation and results, the whitepaper offers insights into the innovative approach to remote patient monitoring.