Home Telemedicine in Heart Failure: A Pilot Study of Integrated Telemonitoring and Virtual Provider Appointments.

Congestive heart failure is a significant cause of hospitalization, rehospitalization, and death. Reducing hospital readmission rates is a national priority. Various telemonitoring devices and programs have been developed to help meet this goal. The Health Connect system incorporates monitoring of physiologic data with regular virtual provider appointments. The Health Connect system integrates traditional telemedicine with virtual provider appointments. Virtual appointments empower patients to advocate for their own health by providing numerous opportunities for education and feedback. In addition to early identification of impending decompensation, virtual appointments allow providers to address noncompliance, which is a major factor driving poor outcomes. Further research is required to confirm the benefit of the Health Connect system.