Abstract:

The main purpose of this study is to develop a telecare management system using the technology of 3-tiers framework for elderly population with chronic diseases in a county in Taiwan. This telecare system integrates a telephone Call Out function to communicate with the target cases. 120 participants’ health profiles have been established in the system for the tele-carers’ reference. Individualised medical care and health education are conducted for the patients’ needs.

Three interfaces for this telecare platform are designed: personal profiles; physical assessments; and telecare needs. The tele-carers utilised the management system to perform three major functions. First, personal profiles of the elderly people who were identified by the hospitals and agreed to participate in this project were created. Second, these elders were then arranged to receive various physical assessments, and the results were stored into this platform through the input work of the community nurses. Third, telecare interventions such as medical treatment, consultation, or health education were identified, suggested, proceeded, and recorded by the tele-carers or community nurses. For those special and emergency cases, tele-carers or community nurses may also do further actions such as visit their families, transfer patients to proper medical organisations, or report to the social workers and so on according to the alert function.

Finally, this system offers statistic data for the analyses of efficiency and effectiveness of the telecare project. It can not only integrate the health information for elderly residents living in far-off locations but also supply alert and feedback information. For tele-carers and community nurses who are responsible for caring these elders in a wide area, this platform provides a prospective and feasible solution.

Keywords:

Health education, telecare, chronic disease, community nurse.