Health Care Revolution? Computer system SMART could help long-term sick to manage their condition
Last updated 9/1/2010 4:01:27 PM
Computer system SMART could help long-term sick to manage their condition
An innovative computer system which allows the long-term sick to manage their condition, without health professionals, could revolutionise primary health care in Britain.
Devised by the University of Sheffield, the SMART system acts as the user´s `personal therapist´, providing the advice and health checks that usually require a visit to a doctor´s surgery.
This pioneering technology could potentially save the NHS millions by flagging up serious deterioration before an emergency hospital admission is required.
SMART stands for Self Management Supported by Assistive, Rehabilitation and Telecare Technologies. It works by using smart phone technology to record the user´s activity and amends their daily schedules depending on the users own assessment of their progress.
A separate computer also tracks key health indicators, such as weight change and blood pressure, while also providing advice and information on the user´s condition. Three versions of the system are currently being developed to cover victims of strokes, heart failure patients and sufferers of chronic pain.
Almost 200,000 people in Britain suffer a stroke or heart failure each year, with a cost to the NHS of almost £3bn. While around eight million suffer from chronic pain, with back pain alone costing the exchequer an estimated £6bn a year. SMART could provide a vital source of information for health care professionals who can tap into the stored data and observe fluctuations in patients´ conditions.
Dr Annette Haywood, from the University´s School of Health and Related Research, said: "SMART will give patients the opportunity to improve their physical fitness remotely from health professionals. They will be encouraged to manage their own care independently and learn more about their condition as they use the system. It is an innovative system which will complement their existing care and have the potential to recognise when additional professional assistance is needed."