Remote Monitoring in Care Homes Reduces Hospital Admissions Finds Study

A study funded by Health Data Research UK and conducted by multiple universities assessed the impact of Health Call’s Digital Care Home on care home residents over three years. The study linked Digital Care Home data with NHS records to analyze treatment journeys. Digital Care Home, supported by Durham County Council, enables remote monitoring and observation submissions by staff to NHS clinical teams. The study found significant reductions in unplanned secondary care usage, including an 11% decrease in emergency department attendances, a 28% drop in readmissions within 28 days, and an 11% reduction in emergency admission length of stay. Financial savings were also evident, with a per-resident reduction of £113 in 2021. Principal investigator Suzanne Mason highlighted the innovative data linkage, while Ian Dove, managing director at NHS Health Call, emphasized the transformative potential of digital technology in care homes, reducing unplanned hospital admissions and improving patient care quality. Similar remote monitoring programs are expanding across the country, such as Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care Systems rolling out proactive monitoring to 4,000 high-risk patients.