RAND Europe and Oxford University to evaluate remote monitoring tech

RAND Europe and Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences have jointly launched the DECIDE initiative to swiftly evaluate technology-enabled remote monitoring solutions, aiming to revolutionise healthcare. The Digitally Enabled Care in Diverse Environments (DECIDE) initiative focuses on assessing the quality of technology and ensuring equitable access to innovations. Collaborating with evidence users such as NHS England, DECIDE aims to respond rapidly to priority areas for evaluation, generating evidence to inform decisions about the development and adoption of remote monitoring interventions.

Addressing the current lack of understanding about the effectiveness and implementation of remote monitoring technology, DECIDE will play a pivotal role in exploring equitable access. As the potential beneficiaries of these interventions often include the elderly, who may face challenges accessing technology, the initiative aims to ensure availability for anyone in need. Sara Shaw, director of DECIDE and professor of health policy and practice, emphasised the initiative's goal of harnessing technology's potential to support health and social care effectively.

Over a three-year period, DECIDE plans to conduct multiple evaluations of remote monitoring technologies. The objective is to identify the most effective approaches, their beneficiaries, and the circumstances under which they prove most successful. By doing so, DECIDE aims to provide policymakers, practitioners, and service users with insights into designing and delivering optimal remote monitoring services.

The initiative comes at a time when the efficacy of remote monitoring technology has been validated, showing a significant reduction in unplanned hospital admissions. A recent independent study by the University of Sheffield, Durham University, University of Lancaster, and Newcastle University linked care home data to NHS records, affirming the positive impact of remote monitoring.

Dr. Sonja Marjanovic, DECIDE lead and director of healthcare innovation, industry, and policy at RAND Europe, expressed optimism that the initiative's multidisciplinary expertise would offer timely evidence and insights on implementation and success criteria. Funded by a £2 million award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), DECIDE aims to contribute to the transformation of healthcare delivery and enhance patient outcomes.