Evaluation of compliance to telehomecare (THC) in a group of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in a period of 2 years

Objectives. In the present study, we examined data related to adherence to telemonitoring in our CF patients followed at home for a period of 2 years, in the aim to improve the follow-up in terms of efficiency and appropriateness. Materials and Methods. We kept electronic records of transmissions, in spreadsheet format. For each transmission, the main parameters and any action taken were collected. We carried out automatically a monthly summary of activities, a monthly average percentage of adherence to prescribed frequency of transmissions, monitored the contacts and phone calls. Results. We received in the period from February 15, 2010 to February 15, 2012 overall 1364 transmissions in 515 days (1817 spirometry, 414 nocturnal pulse-oximetry and 398 questionnaires on symptoms) The average compliance in the reporting period was 10,16%, with an increasing trend. Conclusions. The improvement of outcome in FC necessarily passes through an improvement of the adherence to treatment. More psychological and behavioural studies are needed in order to gradually remove the obstacles which still prevent a further improvement in long-term outcome.