Information and communication technology for home care in the future

AIM: This paper discusses how nurses can utilize information and communication technology (ICT) to provide care to patients with chronic diseases who are receiving home care, with particular focus on the development, basic principles, research trends, recent evidence, and future direction of telenursing and telehealth in Japan and overseas. METHODS: This review was based on a published work database search. RESULTS: Telenursing and telehealth use telecommunications technology to provide nursing care to patients living at a distance from healthcare facilities. This system is based on patient-nurse interaction and can provide timely health guidance to patients in any area of residence. Because of the increase in the rate of non-communicable diseases, the World Health Organization established and adopted a resolution (WHA58.28) to promote the e-health program, which uses ICT. This strategy, which was introduced throughout the world from the 1990s up to 2000, was used for the healthcare of patients with chronic diseases and pregnant women and was implemented through cooperation with various professionals. A telenursing practice model has been reported along with the principles involved in its implementation. CONCLUSION: Telenursing and telehealth are effective in decreasing the costs borne by patients, decreasing the number of outpatient and emergency room visits, shortening hospital stays, improving health-related quality of life, and decreasing the cost of health care.