Estimating the monetary benefits of telerehabilitation in the countryside - Case of introduction of tele-homecare

Abstract

Digitalization provides new solutions for health and welfare services. In cases where the customer has a long distance to reach the face-to-face services or has other limitations related to mobility, telerehabilitation can be used to provide the needed services for the customer. This study presents a tele-homecare service introduced in a municipal health and welfare services provider for the elderly. The cost saving potential of tele-homecare service as compared to traditional homecare service is a key interest. A categorization of costs in cases of traditional and tele-homecare is presented and further effects of tele-homecare in terms of costs are discussed. The case study is a part of an on-going project, the aim of which is to provide information that can be utilized in making well-grounded decisions on introducing telerehabilitation services that take into account the special needs and characteristics of rural areas.