@Article{info:doi/10.2196/jmir.2361,
author="Isetta, Valentina
and Lopez-Agustina, Carme
and Lopez-Bernal, Esther
and Amat, Maribel
and Vila, Montserrat
and Valls, Carme
and Navajas, Daniel
and Farre, Ramon",
title="Cost-Effectiveness of a New Internet-Based Monitoring Tool for Neonatal Post-Discharge Home Care",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2013",
month="Feb",
day="18",
volume="15",
number="2",
pages="e38",
keywords="Telemedicine; telenursing; Internet; neonatology; cost-effectiveness",
abstract="Background: The application of information and communication technologies in nursing care is becoming more widespread, but few applications have been reported in neonatal care. A close monitoring of newborns within the first weeks of life is crucial to evaluating correct feeding, growth, and health status. Conventional hospital-based postdischarge monitoring could be improved in terms of costs and clinical effectiveness by using a telemedicine approach. Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a new Internet-based system for monitoring low-risk newborns after discharge compared to the standard hospital-based follow-up, with specific attention to prevention of emergency department (ED) visits in the first month of life. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of two low-risk newborn patient groups. One group, born between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2011, received the standard hospital-based follow-up visit within 48 hours after discharge. After implementing an Internet-based monitoring system, another group, born between July 19, 2011, and January 19, 2012, received their follow-up with this system. Results: A total of 18 (15.8{\%}) out of 114 newborns who received the standard hospital-based follow-up had an ED visit in the first month of life compared with 5 (5.6{\%}; P=.026) out of 90 infants who were monitored by the Internet-based system. The cost of the hospital-based follow-up was 182.1{\texteuro} per patient, compared with 86.1{\texteuro} for the Internet-based follow-up. Conclusion: Our Internet-based monitoring approach proved to be both more effective and less costly than the conventional hospital-based follow-up, particularly through reducing subsequent ED visits. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/jmir.2361",
url="http://www.jmir.org/2013/2/e38/",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2361",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23419609"
}