Home and Mobile Health Monitoring Evaluation – Economic case studies

We are delighted to announce another exciting publication, “HMHM Economic Case Studies 2019” by Digital Health & Care Scotland, who have previously published their National 3-year evaluation “Towards Scaling Up Home and Mobile Health Monitoring 2015-2018”.

This report provides us with a detailed analysis of the considerable cost savings across three varying locations in Scotland; Ayrshire and Arran, Lanarkshire and the Western Isles, where the substantial outcomes were fundamental in the decision to Scale Up with Flo.

The aim of this report was to look at the return on investment when using HMHM (Flo) to support patients with Hypertension and COPD, and explore the “monetary equivalent of capacity released, the monetary equivalent of reduction in resource demands, the cost of HMHM compared to baseline costs, and the number of cases that would need to be implemented to break-even.”

When looking at COPD patients supported by HMHM (Flo) key findings were

• HMHM is cost effective – Using Net Present Value, savings over a 10 year period per 100 patients
• Ayrshire & Arran £26 – £28 million West Dunbartonshire £496k – £1.4 million
• Highland approximately £23 million
• Fewer NHS24, ambulance call outs and emergency admission bed days.
• The number of items prescribed increased (due to more appropriate prescribing).

Key findings when using HMHM (Flo) to support patients with Hypertension:

HMHM is cost effective – Using Net Present Value, savings over a 10 year period per 100 patients:

• Ayrshire & Arran £52 – £73k
• Lanarkshire £15 – £67k
• Western Isles £62 – £85k
• Capacity is released

Comparing costs and benefits shows that to break even:

• Ayrshire & Arran need 56-76 patients to use HMHM (Flo)
• Lanarkshire need 42-68 patients to use HMHM (Flo)
• Western Isles need 13-18 patients to use HMHM (Flo)
• Patient travelling time is avoided, 33 – 50 hours were saved per 100 patients.
• Productivity is increased – estimated that £1,800 in loss of earning is avoided per 100 patients by having their BP monitored remotely.
• Savings can be increased by recycling of BP monitors.

“ Despite considerable local variation between the partners providing data for these case studies, all of the scenarios modelled were shown to be cost effective over a 10 year period. Although most of the benefits are non-cash releasing, aspects such as avoided appointments do create additional capacity for staff working across primary and secondary care, many of whom work under considerable pressure. “

You can read the full report and evidence towards these savings – Towards Scaling Up Home and Mobile Health Monitoring 2015-2018.

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