Scottish government funds telecare and IT research

University of Edinburgh is to receive a share of £4m funding from the Scottish government to research telemetric supported self-monitoring of long-term conditions.

The project is one of four to have received government funding for research programmes over the next five years, aiming to help improve healthcare for patients in Scotland.

Edinburgh’s research programme will focus on home healthcare monitoring, investigating patients views on telecare and how effective this type of technologically advanced care is in managing their condition.

The others will evaluate patient safety, looking at how best to prescribe particular combinations of drugs and finding methods of detecting adverse drug reactions in children at an early stage.

Health and wellbeing secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “Helping people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities and ensuring better, local and faster access to healthcare are key priorities for the Scottish government.

“That is why I am delighted to announce funding that will see specialist research take place into how best we can ensure patient safety as well as improving services and the long term health of the people of Scotland.”

Another study of IT will be held by the University of Dundee. The study will be looking at data-driven quality improvement in primary care. In particular their focus will be on integrating better quality measures and better information technology with aligned incentives and support for change.

At the end of the research streams, the government will look at the evidence found and use it for future announcements on the value of care packages and service improvements.

A government spokesperson told EHI: “Patients with chronic conditions who live in deprived areas will benefit from research into how primary care is delivered. This will include looking at the effectiveness of longer consultations and the provision of additional support for self management.”

Other projects to receive funding are a study by the University of Glasgow looking at living well with multiple morbidity and researchers at the University of Aberdeen will be studying pharmacovigilance for children.

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