Cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring for high-risk pregnant women.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE:
Cost-minimization is a main topic in present-day health care. Clinicians are urged to keep hospital stays as short as possible, also in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments. At present stabilized high-risk pregnant women stay in hospital for the sole purpose of being monitored.

METHOD:
In this retrospective study the cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring of such high-risk pregnant women was calculated by analyzing the data of 456 episodes originating from 415 patients of the Ghent University Hospital.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:
It was determined that telemonitoring made a cost-reduction of euro 145,822 per year possible. However, variables such as educational level, psychosocial situation, time-travel distance from home to the hospital, reimbursement system and actual clinical status were not included. Furthermore, the Belgian health authorities does not provide for a specific code to allow the billing of teleinterpretation of transmitted results.

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Author information

Author/s: Buysse, Heidi (H); De Moor, Georges (G); Van Maele, Georges (G); Baert, Erik (E); Thienpont, Geert (G); Temmerman, Marleen (M);

Affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics and Statistics, Ghent University, Buysse Heidi, 5K3-De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Heidi.Buysse(-atsign-)UGent.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: International journal of medical informatics (Int J Med Inform), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jul; vol 77 (issue 7) : pp 470-6

Dates: Created 2008/05/26; Completed 2008/06/27;

PMID: 17923433, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Belgium - epidemiology
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Female
Humans
Monitoring, Physiologic - economics; statistics & numerical data

Monitoring, Physiologic - economics; statistics & numerical data
Pregnancy - statistics & numerical data
Pregnancy Complications - diagnosis; economics; epidemiology
Risk Factors
Telemedicine - economics; statistics & numerical data

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