The hospital will provide telemonitoring equipment to some of its most needy Medicare patients with heart conditions at no cost. Each machine connects to a patient's home telephone and periodically reminds them to use it to test blood pressure, weight and several other health indicators.

The data then are sent to a Web site constantly monitored by Mercy nurses at a hospital terminal. Patients' physicians and relatives also can access the site.

Mercy will rotate the devices to allow an estimated 300 patients to use them within the next 10 months. Terianne Cerep, office manager for Mercy's Home Health and Hospice departments, said the program could expand to treat patients with other chronic conditions by mid-2008.

Mercy's parent company, Catholic Healthcare Partners, has provided a $25,000 grant that will cover equipment for the program's first year. The hospital plans to apply for more grants to continue the program.

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