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Stay Ahead of the Curve: The Advantages of Remote Patient Monitoring for Modern Healthcare

In today’s world, where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, it’s not surprising that healthcare delivery is also evolving rapidly. One of the latest and most innovative ways providers are improving patient outcomes is through Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM).

RPM is a game-changer technology that allows the monitoring of patients’ vitals remotely, reducing the need for hospital visits, saving time and money. It can even be lifesaving as well, as it allows timely identification of sudden changes in patient vitals.

There has never been a more crucial time to adopt RPM. Medicare (Part B) now covers RPM services for patients with chronic (or acute) conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc. This only underlines the usefulness of the remote monitoring.

Stay Ahead of the Curve: Start Using RPM Today

It is definitely the right time to adopt RPM, as the technology is only bound to grow as new and more powerful remote monitoring equipment and sensors will be introduced in the coming years. Our software is “future-proof” in the sense that it is device agnostic, and will allow implementation of these new devices as they arrive onto the market.

RPM offers several benefits to both patients and healthcare providers. Firstly, RPM enables patients to manage their health conditions more effectively by providing regular health data to their healthcare providers. This enables healthcare providers to identify potential health problems early and provide timely interventions, improving patient outcomes.

Secondly, RPM reduces the need for patients to visit hospitals or clinics, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming. Additionally, “Hospital-at-home” models rely on remote monitoring solutions. This allows patients to monitor their health status from the comfort of their homes, saving time and money and reducing the risk of exposure to infectious diseases.

And finally, as we said, it may even be lifesaving in some cases. It can save lives by providing timely information about changes in vitals to the healthcare provider. Moreover, the ability of the system to identify medical emergencies will keep improving with the introduction of other sensors and software or algorithm enhancements.

Evidence in Favor of RPM

There are numerous studies confirming that at-home monitoring and care are better than in-hospital care. Therefore, RPM can improve health outcomes. Research into the topic has been ongoing for the last several decades. Moreover, there is firm evidence that RPM benefits patients.

In 2021, a meta-analysis was published in the journal JAMA which analyzed data from 9 randomized clinical trial studies. It found that RPM may help reduce hospital readmission rates by a whopping 26% or even more.

RPM is especially good for monitoring those living with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are now the leading cause of death and disability, hence the importance of improving outcomes in those with chronic health issues. It appears that RPM improves outcomes in many ways, like providing consistent data, improving patient treatment compliance, and more. Thus, for example, a study found that RPM results in improved outcomes in those living with type 2 diabetes.

Joint disorders are another common health disorder causing significant pain and disability. Many people with joint disorders must undergo knee or hip replacement surgery. Researchers at Penn Medicine found that RPM may help reduce rehospitalization rates by fourfold.

RPM Use Case Scenarios

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) can be used in a variety of healthcare scenarios, especially for patients living with chronic conditions. Here are a few use-case scenarios for RPM:

  • Chronic disease management: RPM can be used to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Patients can remotely monitor their vital signs, blood sugar levels, and other health metrics and share the data with healthcare providers. This allows healthcare providers to monitor the patient’s health status and provide timely interventions if necessary.
  • Post-surgical care: RPM can be used to monitor patients after surgery. Patients can use digital devices to track their recovery progress, and healthcare providers can monitor the patient’s vital signs remotely. This can reduce the need for hospital visits and help patients recover faster.
  • Elderly care: RPM can be used to monitor elderly patients living alone or in assisted living facilities. Patients can use digital devices to track their health metrics, and healthcare providers can monitor their health status remotely. This can help prevent hospitalizations and improve overall health outcomes.
  • Mental health management: RPM can also be used to monitor patients with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Patients can track their mood and behavior patterns, and healthcare providers can monitor their progress remotely. This can help identify potential problems early and provide timely interventions.
  • Rehabilitation: RPM can be used to monitor patients undergoing rehabilitation. Patients can use digital devices to track their progress and share the data with healthcare providers. This can help healthcare providers monitor the patient’s progress remotely and provide timely feedback.

Here it is vital to understand that possibilities or use-case scenarios are endless, and RPM has a role in monitoring different kinds of patients. At present, some of the RPM devices available are blood glucose monitors, blood pressure cuffs, pulse oximeters, and digital weighing machines. These options might extend to include more complex RPM instruments in the future.

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