Catalan firm shows potential of telehealth during coronavirus lockdown

A Catalan company specializing in innovative medical devices to help chronic patients monitor their conditions from home has seen the number of people using one of its services multiply by 20 since the coronavirus quarantine restrictions came into effect.

Devicare, whose HQ is in the UAB Research Park, in Cerdanyola del Vallès, near Barcelona, is offering its Tao-control service that allows patients to manage their treatment of oral anticoagulants from home for free while the home confinement lasts.

According to the company's founder and CEO, Rosendo Garganta, the rise in interest in its service is not just because it is currently free, but also because clients "are nervous and do not want to take the risk of going to a primary care center and getting infected."

Service removes need to visit hospital

Tao-control lets patients on oral anticoagulants monitor their blood clotting levels remotely with a special device under the supervision of their doctor, thereby removing the need for them to visit the hospital, usually about once a month, to have their dosage checked.

According to Garganta, the company has seen the number of people using the service, most of whom are "70 to 80 years of age and a group that is at risk from covid-19," multiply by 20, and the CEO predicts that the number could go up to as much as 30.

Tao-control is an example of telehealth, which is the use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers or mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and, at least in part, manage health care from home.

Telehealth services already offered in other countries

Garganta says some health services, such as in Germany or in the Netherlands, already allow patients to monitor their anticoagulant treatment remotely, and that the Catalan health service should do the same, especially as it works out cheaper in the long run.

The Devicare CEO says the technology for such services already exists and that the only thing stopping telehealth being offered to patients in Catalonia - not only during the current crisis but in general - is a lack of "willingness" on behalf of the authorities.

"What's the problem?" asks Garganta, "that to do remote self-management in the public health service means changing systems of organization, health budgets, and making a lot of complicated changes that require a long-term vision."