Nursing Research and Innovation: Award to TINCARE for the INTERCOACH project

An award for the INTEROCOACH project: an innovative teleassistance model for patients with heart failure.   

The research team of TINCARE's Research Module 1 received an important recognition at the 5th Congress ''Healthcare Professions in the Cardiovascular Field: Assistance, Research and Training''. Dr. Ines Basso presented the INTERCOACH study, conducted under the guidance of Prof. Alberto Dal Molin, and was awarded the “Best Oral Abstract” prize in the competition held in memory of Elaine Gillian Laws.

The study involved 45 patients discha5rged from the AOU Major of the Charity of Novara, after hospitalization for heart failure. The aim is to enhance their ability care for themselves thorugh a six-months nurse-led educational program delivered by phone, integrated with a telemonitoring system for vital signs. 

To date, over 120 follow-up phone calls have been conducted and the telemonitoring system has generated more than 200 alarms. 

In 44 cases, nursign intervention was necessary, which involved the reinforcement of self-management measures, a more intensive monitoring or the coordination of care by referring the patient to the family doctor of hospital specialist, according to the severity of the situation. 

Participant acceptance of the intervention has generally been positive: patients are cooperative and motivated, despite some initial difficulties related to the use of technology, overcome thanks to the active support of the operators.