Tele-monitoring of ventilator-dependent patients: a European Respiratory Society Statement

The estimated prevalence of ventilator-dependent individuals in Europe is 6.6 per 100 000 people. The increasing number and costs of these complex patients make present health organisations largely insufficient to face their needs. As a consequence, their burden lays mostly over families. The need to reduce healthcare costs and to increase safety has prompted the development of tele-monitoring for home ventilatory assistance. A European Respiratory Society Task Force produced a literature research based statement on commonly accepted clinical criteria for indications, follow-up, equipment, facilities, legal and economic issues of tele-monitoring of these patients. Many remote health monitoring systems are available, ensuring safety, feasibility, effectiveness, sustainability and flexibility to face different patients' needs. The legal problems associated with tele-monitoring are still controversial. National and European Union (EU) governments should develop guidelines and ethical, legal, regulatory, technical, administrative standards for remote medicine. The economic advantages, if any, of this new approach must be compared to a gold standard of home care that is very variable among different European countries and within each European country. Much more research is needed before considering tele-monitoring a real improvement in the management of these patients.