Technological development of a telemonitoring system (TELSY) for patients with heart failure

Resumen

Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in older adults, generating high burden on healthcare systems and negative impact in quality of life. Telemonitoring is a method that has shown effectiveness in reducing hospital readmissions and manage HF. Current systems face challenges related to usability, unfriendly interfaces, and unreliable data. To address these issues, Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia developed TELSY based in design thinking methodology, a user-centered telemonitoring system. The aim of this article is to describe the technological development of the TELSY program, from its creation to its validation in laboratory environments. TELSY integrates three subsystems: TELSY Home, vital signs monitor that records biometric and self-reported data; TELSY Web, a platform for monitoring and clinical follow-up; and TELSY App, a mobile application that enables interaction between patients and healthcare professionals. Usability evaluations were conducted combining patient testing, healthcare professional assessments, and expert heuristic reviews. Results showed that while some tasks presented higher error incidence, overall satisfaction was high. TELSY App achieved strong acceptance and highly useful by participants. TELSY demonstrates potential as a scalable and sustainable solution to improve remote care and reduce hospitalizations in HF.