There is a lot of evidence that in the future, patients will be able to do more and more self-care, for example taking blood pressure and checking their health on their own at home. A pilot project is currently underway in the Jämtland/Härjedalen region where patients are offered so-called self-monitoring. The hope is that in the future this will relieve the health care system.
– Only the imagination sets limits to what patients can do on their own in the future, says nurse Henrik Modin.
73-year-old Maggie Abrahamsson in the small village of Lien in eastern Jämtland suffers from heart failure and is one of the patients participating in the project. Every morning she takes her blood pressure and weighs herself.
– This is a security for me to know that immediately when I measure my values, the result goes directly to the health centre. In the past, I could sometimes have death anxiety, but I don’t anymore, says Maggie Abrahamsson.
Heart attacks have decreased
Region Jämtland Härjedalen is the first in the country with so-called self-monitoring. The project has so far been successful, according to the healthcare system. Among the test subjects, a reduced number of heart attacks and fewer ambulance trips and hospitalizations have been seen.
– It is easier for us to keep track of patients’ values when they do checks on their own from home. The result is then registered digitally directly with us at the health centres, says Henrik Modin, nurse.
Can be expanded
Today, people with heart failure, COPD and diabetes can do self-monitoring, and according to the healthcare system, it is possible to add significantly more diagnoses and patient groups in the future. Today, 12 healthcare providers around Jämtland offer self-monitoring, but more health centers are being added continuously and more and more patients are being connected daily.
– The population is getting older, so I think the healthcare system must find new, smarter ways of working so that everyone can receive the best care possible. I think this with self-monitoring is one of the ways we will work going forward, says nurse Henrik Modin.