About Home Telehealth for Chronic Disease Management

Chronic disease is an increasingly important issue for individuals and government organizations across Canada.  It has been suggested that telehealth applications can enhance the health outcomes of individuals living with chronic disease management by addressing issues of access related to factors such as geographic distance.   A collaborative of researchers and knowledge users undertook a CIHR-funded knowledge synthesis that offers an in-depth examination of the evidence base of home-based telehealth for chronic disease management. This knowledge synthesis focuses on six major chronic diseases in British Columbia: cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and renal disease.

Telehealth: “… the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to deliver health services and transmit health information over both long and short distances.” – Canadian Society of Telehealth

An innovative aspect of this project is its ongoing engagement of knowledge users in defining the scope of evidence and types of information required for practical, informed decision-making.