Over the past five years, rehabilitation care providers have monitored the course of a group of patients with a muscle disease such as ALS using an online healthcare platform. PhD student Jochem Helleman of the UMC Utrecht Brain Center investigated what patients think of this digital care. His conclusion: patients find remote care more pleasant than traditional care, with relatively many appointments on location. They also feel safer because they feel that their treatment team is constantly keeping an eye on things. This is reported by the UMC Utrecht.
Muscle diseases such as ALS have a huge impact on the lives of patients. The muscles of these people slowly fall out, making them less and less independent and need more and more help. Good care, provided by a specialized rehabilitation team, is very important.
Intensive
“Unfortunately, many patients find traditional care quite intensive and burdensome, especially as the physical limitations become more severe,” says researcher Jochem Helleman of UMC Utrecht. “People have to travel regularly to their hospital or treatment center, where they have multiple examinations and appointments: for example with a rehabilitation doctor, occupational therapist and physiotherapist. Because the disease progresses very differently in one person than in another, those appointments are not always necessary.”
By: National Care Guide