TTA Archives 2005-2012

Of the 1153 people who now receive the twice-a-week alerts emails, 15% (172) have been receiving them since before 20 July 2006. So they may recall one of the first telehealth videos posted on Telecare Aware on that date: called Telemedicine: Helping supply meet need, it showed the use of telehealth at the general practice in Chorleywood, just to the north west of London. You can still watch it here (17 mins). Led by GP Russell Jones, and like an oasis of modern practice among its more traditional neighbours, Chorleywood Health Centre continues to explore new telehealth developments, including a number of research projects, such as the Hydra project, which investigates the use of smart electricity meters to communicate vital signs monitoring data to practice staff; the inCasa project, which is investigating ways to assist frail elderly patients at home, and the 4-year European Union-funded REACTION project which started this year and is designed to improve long term management of diabetes “based on wearable, continuous blood glucose monitoring sensors and automated closed-loop delivery of insulin.” If you know anyone who has to manage their diabetes closely, you will appreciate the significance of being able to vary the insulin dose precisely and continuously. There is information about the project on its website and there is a feature about the Chorleywood participation in the REACTION project’s first newsletter. (Scroll down to The complexity of diabetes management).