[Home visits to patients with severe COPD - a health technology assessment]

Hvenegaard A, Albaek J, Nielsen ML, Hansen J, Ringbaek T, Sorensen TH, Wurgler MW
Record ID 32010001781
Danish
Authors' recommendations: Overall, the results show that home visits have several positive consequences and can be considered a good service. Nevertheless, stronger evidence is needed, especially concerning the economic aspects. Hospitals offering home visits carry out check-ups on a large number of patients, including severely ill patients that would normally require horizontal transport. This is one of the main reasons for arranging home visits to check oxygen consumption. The technology for oxygen-related home visits is available and applicable as a relevant service to COPD patients and other patient groups. The results of 4 subanalyses suggest that general developments in establishing advanced services are especially relevant in this case. The hospital-based approach (reported in all cases) is attributed to the need of hospital management to maintain an overview of oxygen consumption and the patient's situation. This suggests improved communications and greater coordination of services between the parties involved in planning different types of care for this patient group. Hence, the technology involved in arranging home visits represents the beginning of a sound trend towards "shared care" between the specialized hospital-based service, the oxygen suppliers, the home nursing system, and the general practitioner.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2009
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Denmark
MeSH Terms
  • Continuity of Patient Care
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
  • Home Care Services
Contact
Organisation Name: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment
Contact Address: National Board of Health, PO Box 1881, Islands Brygge 67, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Tel: 45 72 22 74 48; Fax: 45 72 22 74 07/67
Contact Name: dacehta@sst.dk
Contact Email: dacehta@sst.dk
Copyright: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.