Developed as part of the HeartMan project (http://heartman-project.eu/), this is a highly innovative and advanced disease management support system for HF patients, integrating a number of different intervention modalities. It is a user-friendly mobile application that connects to various health devices, such as a wristband for unobtrusive monitoring of vital signs, wireless blood-pressure monitor and scales. It also connects to a computer cloud, where patient data will be stored under strict security and accessible to authorized physicians.
The application provides the best advice modern medicine can offer, with two special features:
– Use of predictive models: mathematical models that can predict under which conditions the patient’s health or wellbeing is likely to get worse. When such conditions are detected, the application searchs for actions the patient can take in order to prevent the worsening.
– Cognitive behavioural therapy, which helps the patient improve his or her lifestyle. Since changing life-long habits is hard, people often need some push, which is what cognitive behavioural therapy does: it is a series of thought exercises and simple practical exercises that can change one’s mindset. In the HeartMan system, this is delivered through the application with some help from a friend or relative.