Page 105 - Comprehensive treatment of patients with glucocorticoid-dependent severe asthma
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                                For asthma, no single recipe for a telemanagement approach exists. However, known key components of management of asthma in the individual patient, such as education, self-monitoring, goal setting, written action plans and regular medical review [21] can easily be translated into a telemanagement approach including several modules with functionality corresponding to each of the key components of asthma management (See figure 1).
Figure 1. Schematic depiction of telemanagement in asthma
Legend figure 1. This figure represents key components of a telemanagement approach in asthma, a continuous process that is jointly shaped by the patient and professional. Patient and professional set goals, which are translated into a predefined treatment plan. Depending on self-monitoring goals, patients receive medical and motivational feedback that might also include self-treatment advice. The ICT system can be integrated with the personal health record (PHR) and the electronic medical record (EMR) of the professional. Communication is facilitated by e-consult or traditional methods. Automated reminders will alert patients to conduct self-monitoring activities or to schedule a consultation with their professional.
By providing self-monitoring tools such as easy to use handheld electronic monitoring devices or symptom questionnaires, patients can gain insight into their level of asthma control which gives them suggestions for subsequent treatment adjustment. Furthermore, telemanagement could incorporate a treatment algorithm which provides patients with instant treatment advice to maintain step-down, step-up (and/or contact a health care professional) their medication based on their history and current level of asthma control.
Telemanagement in asthma
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