A Framework for Designing Home Telecare : Using technology to support new models of healthcare delivery

Communications and information technology are enablers for new models of healthcare delivery in the home. Existing methods do not systematically account for the overall process of implementing home telecare. The specific structural and process aspects of utilising home telecare in healthcare delivery have largely been overlooked. This study proposes a framework that divides the design of home telecare into six stages. The framework is shown to be a valid structure in terms of the broad objectives of each of the design stages and its applicability in implementing a model for cystic fibrosis. The framework is generic, the specific instances of which will vary according to the home telecare model in question.