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From Docobo Ltd

9 April 2001. Docobo Ltd, of Tallinn, Estonia and Tartu University Clinics commence a medical trial today with 50 hypertension patients, with a goal to test original health monitoring program doc@HOME.

“One of the most important problems in today’s healthcare is increasing gap between care services and those patients that have higher than average need for constant health monitoring and counseling”, explained Docobo CEO Ardo Reinsalu. “As part of doc@HOME project, patients will be given additional tools for self control and treatment without leaving home, therefore lowering the cost of care.”

The first period of the trial will last for 2.5 months. Important symptoms and other health parameters of 50 hypertension patients will be monitored and delivered to doctors using doc@HOME system during the trial. A unique terminal called Docobo will be used to transfer data and to be in connection with a care provider through regular telephone lines. For example, measurements for blood pressure, ECG and bodyweight are among the monitored data. In addition, the device makes it possible to ask for subjective information such as sleep quality, everyday stress, etc.

According to Head of Cardiology Department of TU Clinic Dr Margus Viigimaa, the new system gives daily overview of the patient’s symptoms and therefore makes it possible to apply better treatment. “We have serious interest in the current research project because of opportunities and the potential of telemedicine”, said Dr. Viigimaa. Clinic of Tartu University is the biggest healthcare organisation in Estonia where the treatment, educational and scientific work are integrated.

The biggest advantage of home healthcare programmes is patients involvement in their treatment process, emphasizes Ardo Reinsalu. Low cost, easy to use and simply understandable interactive monitoring will teach the patients how to regulate themselves. That ability to get feedback from the doctor concerning everyday measurement opens up entirely new quality in disease management. “Regular symptom monitoring will give the patient a sense of control and allow medical personnel to stay ahead of acute heart failure or other critical conditions”, he said.

The medical trial will last 6–12 months depending on the results, but the first conclusions will be available within four months. The Doc@HOME telemedicine project has been fostered and financed also by the European Commission. Additional medical trials will be held in three countries of the European Union. Results from those trials will help to complete the system to the level where it can be implemented in several countries as an innovative healthcare solution. In January 2000 Docobo signed an agreement with the European Commission that would support the system with €1m. There are nine partners in four countries that are involved with the project, therefore making it easily adaptable into other regions. The project is additionally financed by Docobo Ltd and partners.

Cardiac diseases are the leading cause of death among the elderly population. Employers spend billions of dollars yearly due to temporary work disability caused by those diseases. The European Union has recognised the threat of rapidly increasing healthcare costs and has indicated doc@HOME as a way to make disease management more efficient.

About Docobo

Docobo Ltd is a telemedicine company started by a leading research company Curonia Research with the goal to take better care of citizens while greatly lowering the cost of healthcare. Docobo uses the unique doc@HOME concept to allow people to take an active role in the medical treatment process. For more information about Docobo Ltd, visit www.docobo.com

Contacts:

Ardo Reinsalu, CEO
Docobo Ltd
Phone: +372 6308 915
Fax: +372 6308 917
Email: ardo@docobo.com

Margus Viigimaa
Head of Cardiology Department of Tartu University
Phone: +372 7 318 467