*4.4.3 Hospital admission*

The same meta-analysis [47] shows that use of telehealth to monitor for exacerbation in COPD can reduce the number of emergency room (ER) visits (**Figure 14**), however the number of hospitalisations was not significantly reduced (**Figure 15**)

#### **Figure 14.**

*Forest plot for the effectiveness of telemonitoring for decreasing the number of ER visits due to severe COPD exacerbations [47].*

#### **Figure 15.**

*Forest plot of the effectiveness of telemonitoring for decreasing the number of hospitalisations due to severe COPD exacerbations. [47].*

and thus there was no effect on the number of exacerbations. Similar results were reported in a study on cost-effectiveness [48], however the length of stay was reduced and thus there may be benefit from the earlier intervention permitted by telehealth.
