%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I Gunther Eysenbach
%V 15
%N 2
%P e38
%T Cost-Effectiveness of a New Internet-Based Monitoring Tool for Neonatal Post-Discharge Home Care
%A Isetta,Valentina
%A Lopez-Agustina,Carme
%A Lopez-Bernal,Esther
%A Amat,Maribel
%A Vila,Montserrat
%A Valls,Carme
%A Navajas,Daniel
%A Farre,Ramon
%+ Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Casanova 143, Barcelona, 08036, Spain, 34 934024515, rfarre@ub.edu
%K Telemedicine
%K telenursing
%K Internet
%K neonatology
%K cost-effectiveness
%D 2013
%7 18.02.2013
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X 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€ per patient, compared with 86.1€ 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. 
%M 23419609
%R 10.2196/jmir.2361
%U http://www.jmir.org/2013/2/e38/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2361
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23419609