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2008
Survey of the need for new telemedicine solutions for use at home by patients with kidney failure
Background
Forecasts in Norway and several other countries show an increase in the number of patients who will need dialysis. For patients who end up with chronic kidney failure, two forms of treatment are available: dialysis or transplantation. About 1000 patients in Norway receive dialysis treatment.
During the past 10 years, the number of patients receiving dialysis has doubled. It must be assumed that the number of people in Norway who will be offered lifelong treatment for end-stage kidney disease will increase by about 10% (5-15%) per year during the period from 2005 to 2015.
Dialysis can be provided either as haemodialysis (HD - dialysis of the blood) or as peritoneal dialysis (PD - using a bag). In Norway, the most common form of treatment is hospital-based haemodialysis (84 %) while peritoneal dialysis at home accounts for 16 %.
At the end of 2007, the Department of Nephrology at the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) with associated satellite centres (units without a specialist) had 34 % of patients established in home dialysis (of which 1 patient in home HD); for the other 66 %, the form of treatment was hospital-based haemodialysis.
The Department of Nephrology at UNN aims to offer 50 % of all patients a home-based treatment programme.
Project Description
The purpose of the project is to improve the home-based dialysis programme offered to patients, thus making it possible to offer this form of treatment to even more patients. The specialist health service also wants to analyse measures that it could take so that more patients choose home-based dialysis.
The objective of the project is to describe the needs of patients with kidney failure for support and guidance from the specialist health service and to prepare a basis for decisions with regard to a principal project.
The Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine and the Department of Nephrology at UNN aim to survey current solutions and technology used by dialysis patients at home. In addition, we aim to survey the need for electronic communication between patients and the specialist health service.
On this basis, we will create a requirements specification for a new telemedicine solution at the patient's home and establish collaboration with one or more suppliers for a principal project.
Financing
The project is financed by the project partners, InnoMed (a national network for need-driven innovation in health care, established by the Directorate for Health and Social Affairs) and Innovation Norway.
Project partners
The owner of the project is UNN HF, department of Nephrology by head of clinic Markus Rumpsfeld. The project is a collaboration between UNN, department of Nephrology, NST and InnoMed.
Project period
August 2008 - December 2008
Contact person at NST
Project Manager Eli Arild, direct telephone +47 971 70 908 and email eli.arild@telemed.no
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