Bosch Healthcare Statement on Initial WSD Report in the BMJ

LONDON, June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

UK telehealth experts provide additional insight into findings of the inaugural report of the Whole System Demonstrator

Robert Bosch Healthcare welcomes the findings in the recent WSD report, which reaffirms telehealth's successful contribution to improving outcomes for patients with long term conditions.

In more than 30 international studies, including several in the UK, Bosch Healthcare has provided evidence that telehealth enabled integrated care produces significant cost savings in addition to quality and clinical improvement.  

However, this initial report has also stated that the cost efficiencies are not as significant as has been hoped.  

According to Ileana Welte, UK Divisional Director at Bosch Healthcare, which currently participates in one of the largest telehealth programmes in the world, the findings are encouraging and should drive increased adoption of telehealth and telecare.

She said: "It is a good start and shows that telehealth services could provide the NHS with improved clinical and efficiency outcomes that other health systems in the UK and the world benefit from.

"Whilst this is a breakthrough study for telehealth in the UK, there are several mitigating factors that do need to be considered with regard to cost savings findings.

"For example, telehealth devices and monitoring solutions varied amongst the study sites. These differences could lead to significant variations in implementation and operations cost which could impact cost savings data. We expect that the next release of findings will address these variances and how they impacted cost data.

"In addition, our experience with similar populations also shows that optimal impact of a telehealth program is observed between 18 months and two years whilst this study looked at follow up time of only one year.

"The overall findings are positive and it is now important that the full results are published as quickly as possible to provide Government, health professionals, industry and, most importantly, patients with conclusive proof that telehealth-enabled integrated care works while delivering better patient outcomes at lower cost."

Robert Bosch Healthcare offers a wide ranging portfolio of care products for chronically ill patients and the elderly which helps to bring significant quality, efficiency and financial gains to the UK healthcare sector.  Our aim is to help people with long term conditions remain in their own homes and out of hospital wherever possible.    

Bosch's telehealth spectrum ranges from patient terminals to comprehensive evaluation software allowing healthcare professionals to efficiently evaluate the data coming from the patient terminals and other connected devices. Bosch Telehealth strives to improve diagnosis and treatment through systematic patient monitoring and involvement. The result is that health professionals are able to provide a higher quality of care for patients with chronic conditions, patients lead happier and healthier lives, and the cost of healthcare is reduced for funders. Robert Bosch Healthcare, Inc. is a fully-owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, more than 300,000 associates generated sales of 51.5 billion euros in fiscal 2011. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 350 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spent some 4.2 billion euros for research and development in 2011, and applied for over 4,100 patents worldwide. With all its products and services, Bosch enhances the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial.

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering." The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Further information is available online at  http://www.bosch.com  and http://www.bosch-press.com

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Sarah Rice, JBP Public Relations
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