CONGRESS ABSTRACT

Background: Optimized therapy, self-monitoring, and appropriate lifestyle choices can reduce or delay the deterioration of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and type II diabetes (T2DM). Telemedicine can play a crucial role in early symptom detection through medical devices and applications. Our aim was to evaluate the applicability, usability, and satisfaction of patients with CHF and T2DM regarding these interventions. Methods: In a randomized controlled study, patients in the Intervention Group received teleassistance from a nurse and were provided with a telemonitoring kit. This kit included: – a single-track electrocardiograph (Hi, CGM); – a FitBit tracker to record steps; – an app (TreC, FBK) for collecting clinical information, communicating with healthcare personnel, and receiving reminders for healthcare actions; – a smartphone with a smart card and pre-installed apps to manage the devices. We measured the usability and acceptability of the kit using the System Usability Scale (SUS), while satisfaction was assessed with a six-item questionnaire. Results. 82 patients  (mean age 71±8 years) were enrolled in the intervention group. 74 patients used the devices (mean age 72±8 years), while eight (mean age 70±11 years) returned the devices because they chose not to use them. 95% of patients utilized the AppTREC to record information for nursing management and perform videoconferences. 81% of patients used the CGM App and the Hi device to record and transmit electrocardiographic traces, and 82% used Fitbit to track their daily steps. SUS was collected from 72 patients who returned for their final outpatient visit. 18 patients (25%, mean age 68 ± 8 years) rated the system as excellent, six of whom (33%) were supported by a caregiver. 15 patients (21%, mean age 72±7 years) rated their experience as good, with five (33%) also receiving caregiver support. 28 patients (39%, mean age 72±8 years) considered their experience fair; a caregiver supported nine. Finally, eleven patients (15%, mean age 76±8 years) rated their experience as poor. This last group was significantly older (p = 0.040) than those who rated the system excellent. The overall patient satisfaction rating for the service was 3.3 ± 0.9. Conclusion: This study provided evidence that technology, which can assist in managing patients at home, faces challenges in its implementation based on the patient’s age and their understanding of its benefits for themselves and their families.