Cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring for high-risk pregnant women

PURPOSE Cost-minimization is a main topic in present-day health care. Clinicians are urged to keep hospital stays as short as possible, also in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments. At present stabilized high-risk pregnant women stay in hospital for the sole purpose of being monitored. METHOD In this retrospective study the cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring of such high-risk pregnant women was calculated by analyzing the data of 456 episodes originating from 415 patients of the Ghent University Hospital. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS It was determined that telemonitoring made a cost-reduction of euro 145,822 per year possible. However, variables such as educational level, psychosocial situation, time-travel distance from home to the hospital, reimbursement system and actual clinical status were not included. Furthermore, the Belgian health authorities does not provide for a specific code to allow the billing of teleinterpretation of transmitted results.