GER-e-TEC Study: An Innovative Geriatric Risk Remote Monitoring Project

Abstract

Telemedicine can help in the management of patients suffering from chronic pathologies, particularly elderly patients with numerous comorbidities. Elderly residents in nursing homes usually have multiple comorbidities, including cognitive and psycho-behavioral pathologies, cardiac disorders, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease, and use multiple medications. This implies the need for regular monitoring, and a high level of medical and multidisciplinary expertise for the healthcare team. The GER-e-TEC (GERIATRICS and e-TECHNOLOGY) project aims to provide these fragile elderly patients with telemedicine tools, more specifically telemonitoring, backed by a well-defined and personalized protocol. The tools use non-invasive communication sensors and artificial intelligence techniques, allowing daily monitoring with the ability to detect any abnormal changes in the patient’s condition promptly. The GER-e-TEC project specifically considers the challenges of aging residents, especially those who are in nursing homes, with a major focus on falls, malnutrition, cognitive-behavioral disorders, and iatrogenic conditions.