U-Health: An example of a high-quality individualized healthcare service
Journal
Personalized Medicine
Journal Volume
7
Journal Issue
6
Pages
677-687
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
National Taiwan University Hospital (Taipei, Taiwan), which is one of the largest hospitals in Taiwan, is undergoing healthcare service reforms: it is combining the home healthcare service network and sensors network into a new service known as the Ubiquitous Healthcare (U-Health) service system in order to continually provide a personalized healthcare service to patients who live in remote areas. The U-Health service system is comprised of six service components that are introduced in an integrated manner: tele-education, telediagnosis, telemonitoring, teleconsultation, teletherapy and lifetime health. The target patient segments are postdischarge patients, patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, patients suffering from chronic diseases and patients in hospice care. Since its launch in October 2009, the U-Health service system has effectively reduced the rehospitalization rate from 12% in October 2009 to 6% in May 2010 and the rate of visiting the emergency room from 21% in October 2009 to 9% in May 2010, during the 14-day postdischarge follow-up period. ? 2010 Future Medicine Ltd.
SDGs
Other Subjects
article; cardiovascular disease; emergency ward; follow up; health care policy; health care quality; health care system; health service; hospice care; hospital readmission; human; lifespan; priority journal; teleconsultation; telehealth; telemonitoring; teletherapy; ubiquitous healthcare
Type
journal article