Intelligent monitoring of chronic illness for the ageing rural population: Opportunities and cautions

Globally there are an increasing number of older people who require care for a range of health concerns, the most significant of which for our health systems are those with chronic illnesses, or multiple chronic or complex conditions. Even in countries with the best rated healthcare systems, this change in demographics and health care needs poses a significant challenge. Many older people, particularly those in non-urban locations, currently experience a range of vulnerabilities which can impact on their health status. Technological solutions are required to support health systems to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. In this context, socially accountable care needs to empower older people to make choices which align with their values, while also taking into account professional and familial care-givers, equitable care provision in what are often large and disjointed systems, and resource constraints. Intelligent technologies offer the potential to reduce some of the burden on health care systems, while simultaneously providing person-centered care, enabling improvements to older people’s wellbeing. Through the findings of a relatively simple technology-based health intervention we explore how these benefits will only be realized if such technologies are designed and implemented with exceptional social accountability in place.