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Does Telecare have an Economic Effect when Used by Patients with Chronic Diseases in the Long Run?

Authors:
Masatsugu Tsuji
Yuji Akematsu

Keywords: telecare; medical expenditure; days of treatment; System GMM; chronic diseases

Abstract:
This study aims to demonstrate that telecare (e-Health) is one essential measure for coping with increases in medical expenditure related to chronic diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetics, and stroke. To do so, the long-term effects of telecare use by residents of Nishi-aizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, between 2002 and 2010 is examined by comparing medical expenditure and days of treatment between telecare users (treatment group) and non-users (control group) based on receipt data obtained from the National Health Insurance. Our previous studies used receipt data obtained for the years 2002 to 2006. This study expands the period of analysis for four more years with respect to respondents who were included in previous analyses. 90 users and 118 non-users were included in both analyses. Using rigorous statistical methods, including system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), which deals with the endogeneity problem, this paper demonstrates that telecare users require fewer days of treatment and smaller medical expenditures than non-users with respect to chronic diseases, even in the long run. To date, there have been no studies examining the long-term economic effects of telemedicine use, and thus the current study presents a new facet of research in this field. In particular, the economic foundation for the sustainability of the telecare (e-Health) project will be supported by this study.

Pages: 224 to 229

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2014

Publication date: March 23, 2014

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4359

ISBN: 978-1-61208-327-8

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Dates: from March 23, 2014 to March 27, 2014