Design and implementation of Home Automated Telemanagement system for patients with multiple sclerosis.

We developed a Home Automated Telemanagement (HAT) system for the computer-guided management of patients with multiple sclerosis(MS) to monitor patient symptoms, educate patients on their disease, and to instruct and monitor an exercise regimen tailored to the patient's specific needs. The home unit runs on a laptop computer connected to a phone line in the patient's home. The system questions the patient on their condition, gives detailed step by step exercise instructions, records their exercise compliance, then informs and quizzes the patient on their knowledge of multiple sclerosis. Their exercise regimen is determined by their physical therapist and integrated into the system, keeping a personalized approach to disease management while taking advantage of the convenience the technology supplies. This telemanagement system has been successfully designed and implemented to optimize the care of patients with multiple sclerosis.