Implementing a connected health intervention for remote patient monitoring in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan: explaining 'the what' and 'the how'

• Published in: Globalization and health Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 20
• Main Authors: Aldahmash, Abdullah M, Ahmed, Zakiuddin, Qadri, Fatima R, Thapa, Subash, AlMuammar, Abdulrahman Mohammed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 08-03-2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Cellular telephones; Chronic illnesses; Connected health; Debate; Diabetes; Health care; Health care policy; Health education; Health literacy; Health promotion; Health services; Hospitals; Implementation science; Internet; Intervention; Long term; Medical care; Medical treatment; Pakistan; Patient education; Patient monitoring equipment; Patients; Remote monitoring; Remote patient monitoring; Saudi Arabia; Services; Systematic review; Technology; Saudi Arabia; Pakistan; Saudi Arabia; Connected health; Pakistan; Remote patient monitoring; Implementation science
• ISSN: 1744-8603; 1744-8603
• DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0462-1

Recent developments in connected health technology provide an opportunity to remotely monitor and provide health care to the patient needing long-term medical care. However, information about how any connected health interventions should be implemented for remote patient monitoring, and how patients should be educated and enabled for active participation in treatment is still not available to a sufficient degree.
In this paper, we discussed what the components of a connected health intervention, entitled Remotely Accessible Health Care at Home (RAHAH), are, and how this intervention has been implemented in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The aim of this intervention is to remotely monitor, treat and educate patients needing long-term medical care. The description of the intervention is presented based on the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist for the transparent, comprehensive and explicit reporting.
We believe, successful implementation of RAHAH would be crucial to monitor and manage growing chronic care populations more effectively and efficiently in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.