Insight Telemonitoring Collaborative

Why we think this project should take place?

Hounslow suffers from lack of community support for COPD patients including lack of pulmonary rehabilitation services. Data suggests that West Middlesex hospital has the highest number of emergency COPD admissions per 100 patients on the GP COPD QOF register in North West London. In 2009 readmissions rates for COPD within 14 and 28 days were also higher than for any other medical condition.

What are we trying to accomplish?

The aim of this project would be to help reduce hospital admissions and GP visits due to COPD by detecting an exacerbation at an earlier stage, thus allowing earlier intervention through an agreed management protocol. This will reduce resource utilisation by this group of patients. It will also improve patient quality of life, self management and compliance with medication.

How we will know that a change is an improvement?

Data collection is important in order to show that any change results in improvements. The primary outcome measure will be time to first admission. Secondary outcome measures that will be monitored will include the number of GP and A&E visits, measures of health related quality of life and compliance. These will be assessed at baseline and 6 months after intervention. 

What changes can we make that will result in an improvement?

The project will need an initial process mapping exercise to see how the current telemonitoring service in Hounslow operates, in conjunction with the community matron team. We will then see how this service can be improved for respiratory patients in Hounslow. This will require close collaboration between primary and secondary care teams and the development of protocols and pathways.