Home healthcare: Air Liquide rolls out its first “Chronic Care Connect™” e-health solution

Depending on the medical monitoring protocol prescribed by the physician, patients use one or more connected systems (blood pressure monitor, scale, pulse oximetry, glucose meter or ventilator, for example). Each device is connected to a digital tablet that allows patients to access their monitoring. Patient medical data is sent to and analyzed by the nurses who serve the Air Liquide center, which exchanges information regularly with patients and their physicians.

Patients benefit from personalized support, which helps to improve their quality of life, staying at home. As for their physicians, they have access to an operational solution that allows for preventive management of patient condition evolution. By avoiding hospitalization, the Air Liquide connected solution for the remote monitoring of patients also meets the challenges of healthcare costs control.

A study in Germany involving patients with chronic heart failure who benefit from this kind of monitoring revealed a likelihood of survival increased by nearly 50% one year out¹.

Air Liquide’s connected solution is currently being rolled out in France and in Spain, currently available for selected patients suffering from chronic heart failure and diabetes. In the months ahead, it will also be made available to patients care with chronic respiratory failure.

François Jackow, member of the Air Liquide group’s Executive Committee, supervising Healthcare activities, said: “The rapid adoption of digital technologies, coupled with human healthcare support, opens up new opportunities to provide innovative services to patients, physicians, and healthcare systems. With its first e-health solution, Air Liquide is able to support patients in their homes and respond to the challenges facing health authorities.”

_{¹ Herold R, et al. Telemedical Care and Monitoring for Patients with Heart Failure has a positive Effect on Survival.  Health Services Research, 2017 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28138988}

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Air Liquide provides medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipment, and specialty ingredients. In 2016, it served more than 15 000 hospitals and clinics and more than 1.4 million home healthcare patients around the world. In 2016, Air Liquide’s Healthcare business generated revenue of €3,111 million euros with the support of its 15 000 people.

Air Liquide, European leader in home healthcare, provides home healthcare services in compliance with medical prescription for patients suffering from chronic diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), sleep apnea and diabetes. These home healthcare services are being developed in addition to hospital care, enabling patients to enjoy better quality of life and local authorities to reduce costs. Home healthcare represents 50% of Air Liquide’s revenue in Healthcare in 2016.