Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is the monitoring of patients remotely. Using digital technologies, health and medical data are captured from patients. The remote healthcare monitoring system electronically transmits the data, and the data is received, assessed, and converted into information and actionable insights by healthcare providers. Healthcare providers such as doctors and medical practitioners then provide necessary recommendations, prescriptions, and medications.
In times of the pandemic, the value of remote patient monitoring has become even more relevant. A service that was revolutionizing healthcare delivery is now not an option anymore. At the fundamental level, remote patient monitoring remains the same. But its use cases have far-reaching impacts. The potential of this healthcare delivery methodology is vast and evolving.
RPM for value-driven care
Value-based healthcare model using remote patient monitoring solutions is a shift from the traditional healthcare model. Traditionally, patients paid for the number of services received from the healthcare service. This model was not acceptable for patients as they felt they were paying for service quantity over service quality.
In value-based healthcare delivery, patients pay based on outcomes – a remote monitoring system in healthcare provides coding and billing support. This leads to compensating healthcare providers for quality of service. Unlike the Fee for Service (FFS) healthcare model, value-based healthcare is patient-centric.
Remote patient monitoring services can help healthcare providers implement value-based care. RPM helps healthcare practitioners get better visibility into patient healthcare statuses and progress. When data is generated, it is compiled, assessed, and shared. Timely treatment is given, which helps improve patient outcomes. It reduces diagnostic, and healthcare services cost because of the proactive nature of healthcare delivery facilitated.
How is RPM related to Telehealth?
Telehealth is a broader discipline of which a remote patient monitoring system is a part. RPM uses digital technologies to help clinicians and physicians interact with patients remotely. So, one can say that RPM is a specific type of telehealth delivery.
On the other hand, Telehealth can refer to remote patient monitoring, but it can also refer to several other technologies and disciplines. Some of them are videoconferencing, tele-IVR, and telephone consultation.
Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. RPM is currently the most significant type of Telehealth, and it has a higher use of technology in digital devices, applications, analytics software, monitoring systems, etc.
Components of RPM telehealth systems
Various types of software and hardware are used for remote monitoring in healthcare. All of them facilitate a workflow to achieve the end object of RPM. These are the components of an RPM system.
Personal monitoring system
A remote monitoring system in healthcare focuses on personal monitoring devices to capture patient data at specific intervals or based on any physiological changes.
Transmitting technology
The data is transmitted to the healthcare provider by a mobile app or equivalent technology.
Health provider application
An app that complies with HIPAA standards receives data and processes it with the hospital’s Electronic Healthcare Records using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources APIs.
Decision support
Analytics, reporting, and notification technologies derive insights and communicate the results.
Benefits of an RPM application
Improved quality of care
Clinicians, physicians, and medical practitioners have instantaneous access to data as and when it is generated. Patients receive efficacious preventive treatment.
Reduced costs for providers
Healthcare providers can act on data if it warrants immediate preventive intervention. This reduces any future application of unnecessary healthcare services on patients if the provider uses value-based healthcare delivery.
Improves productivity
When patient visitations stop because of effective preventive healthcare, the overall productivity of a hospital, clinic, daycare center increases.
Increase in patient satisfaction
Quality healthcare improves patient outcomes. Patients are likely to comply with medical treatment requirements when they see improvements in their health.
RPM devices
RPM devices monitor patients, record data, and transmit data to a wearable or cloud-based app.
BP cuff
Blood pressure monitor cuffs measure a patient’s heart rate and blood flow changes. It sends real-time data to clinicians. Clinicians use the data to determine symptoms of high blood pressure or hypertension.
Glucometer
Patients can use glucometers to check their blood glucose levels several times daily. The blood glucose data is sent to clinicians in real-time by the device.
Pulse Oximeter
Attached to the finger or earlobe, this device determines the level of oxygen circulating within a patient and the patient’s pulse.
How are the ways RPM is used?
Dementia
Remotely monitoring dementia patients using mobility and sensor devices helps doctors track their movements. The devices can be embedded in canes and walkers. They could be equipped with GPS so that caregivers can track senior citizens.
Heart disease
Heart monitors of the wearable type wirelessly transmit data to smartphone apps. A patient’s sleeping, waking, and exercising patterns are tracked. The electrical activity in a patient’s heart is tracked throughout the day.
Post-operative tracking
Post an important operation, when a patient is resting at home, it is critical to identify symptoms that need immediate medical care. A patient monitoring system allows healthcare practitioners to monitor the physiological changes which have undergone an operation closely.
Choosing an RPM system
A healthcare services provider can choose an RPM system based on the following determinations:
The type of remote monitoring services to offer
A healthcare provider could provide multiple or only a specific set of RPM services.
Setting up the remote monitoring program
If the healthcare provider does not have a framework to set up an RPM program, the remote patient monitoring system vendor should assist.
Type of RPM devices to use
A determination of the types of devices used in the RPM program helps define implementation roadmaps.
Coding and billing support
Check if the RPM system from the remote patient monitoring services vendor supports coding and billing.
Measuring effectiveness of an RPM program
Patient outcomes:
Decreased visits to the hospitals are the primary indicator of the effectiveness of a patient monitoring system. Decreased use of medication, improvement in patient health, decreased patient treatment expenses, and healthcare provider operational expenses.
Device efficiency:
If the IoT, embedded, or wearable devices function effectively, then data integrity is accurate. Malfunctioning devices, errors, and other technical snags can impede RPM data accuracy.
Why choose a Remote Monitoring System?
The technology-enabled RPM system from a healthcare industry solutions provider is the leading solution in this space. Out-of-the-box, the solution comprises multiple modules, and each module addresses a specific stratum of an RPM healthcare delivery ecosystem.
Remote patient monitoring, chronic care management, telemedicine software, patient engagement software, data management, data security, reporting, and notifications – all of these modules are part of the suite of solutions.
The solutions provider can work to create a customized RPM delivery. Additionally, they can create new solutions in the remote patient monitoring system space for a healthcare provider’s specific patient care strategic needs.