Study will examine new technologies to help heart patients in rural areas better monitor their health

About 150 people in Montana and Wyoming are being recruited for a three-year study of new technologies to help heart patients in rural areas better monitor their health.

The Northwest Research & Education Institute is coordinating the $1.5 million study, in collaboration with St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky.

The study, which is being funded with a grant through the National Institutes of Health, will examine the effectiveness of what’s called remote technology disease management equipment.

Participants in the study will monitor their weight, blood pressure and glucose levels at home using a machine that sends the results through a modem to their doctor’s office, said Cindy Leenknecht, the study’s clinical research coordinator.

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2005/10/25/montana/a08102505_03.txt