How Remote Patient Monitoring can add Accessibility & Convenience to the Healthcare Industry?
Medical and other health information from patients is monitored and captured by a remote patient monitoring system, also known as a remote physiologic monitoring system. The information is transmitted electronically so that healthcare providers can assess patients and provide them with instructions and recommendations if necessary.
Remote patient monitoring services became even more valuable when the pandemic hit, as patients reduced travel and direct contact. Additionally, the federal government has expanded Medicare coverage for RPMs for chronic conditions.
As the healthcare industry evolves, a number of interesting trends are emerging. One of these trends is the increasing adoption of virtual healthcare services. Physiological monitoring, or remote patient monitoring, falls into this category. In the years leading up to 2020, RPM was a foreign concept to many, but it has been increasingly adopted by providers and prescribed to patients. Remote patient monitoring is still largely unknown to many people.
The concept of remote patient management involves moving healthcare closer to people and their homes and places of work, play, and living.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) allows healthcare providers to monitor, report remotely, and analyze their patients’ acute and chronic conditions. Physicians are able to make proactive clinical decisions when they have real-time information about a patient’s disease state. With remote monitoring, patients can gain a better understanding of their health daily.
Patients’ overall health is displayed on the Remote patient monitoring dashboard. The health summary dashboard allows viewers to answer the following questions:
RPM provides healthcare providers and medical practitioners with real-time data, making it easier for them to monitor and analyze their Patient’s medical records.
It also reduced the risk of exposure to illnesses and travel expenses for caregivers and patients since they no longer had to go for walk-in visits. Globally, the RPM market is expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2027, which is almost 128% more than it is now.
As a result, remote patient monitoring technology is also in high demand in the healthcare industry. India is not the only country implementing medical monitoring; nearly 20% of hospitals and clinics in America have done so as well.
Patients’ overall health can be analyzed in real-time using RPM an easy-to-use application that is accessible across a variety of devices. The app allows patients to incorporate small adjustments into their daily lifestyles to improve their weak points. Thus, healthcare providers are able to provide patients with better care by gaining more comprehensive and accurate information about their health conditions.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) allows healthcare providers to monitor, report remotely, and analyze the acute and chronic conditions of their patients. Physicians can make proactive clinical decisions when they have real-time information about a patient’s disease state.
Health can be monitored remotely by patients daily, and their health can be better understood. Engagement in their health daily will increase their chances of seeing health improvements.
The market today is filled with a variety of remote patient monitoring devices. Here are seven remote monitoring devices we commonly see used in the healthcare system.
Blood pressure cuffs measure the motion of arteries to calculate a patient’s heart rate and blood flow. Bluetooth blood pressure cuffs work similarly to those used at the doctor’s office. However, the key difference is that the clinician can see the data in real-time.
A blood pressure monitor can help manage many conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease. It is beneficial to monitor blood pressure at home if you have a condition associated with hypertension or high blood pressure.
Glucometers measure blood sugar using a small drop of blood on a strip attached to the device. On the test strip, a drop of blood is placed to measure glucose. Real-time readings are sent to the provider for review.
The use of glucometers in daily blood sugar monitoring is common among diabetics with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Diabetic symptoms and blood sugar levels can be monitored using glucose meters.
Pulse oximeters use light wavelengths to measure blood oxygen levels in the red blood cells of patients by clipping a clip to their finger (or earlobe). Pulse oximeters also record the pulse of a patient. Patients with chronic illnesses like COPD and heart failure use pulse oximeters. Patients with asthma and pneumonia also use them.
The ECG measures heart function, while the stethoscope measures heart and lung sounds. Patients with cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias or coronary artery disease commonly undergo ECGs.
Patients can use an activity tracker to monitor their steps, heart rate, fall risk, and even sleep. A provider can gain insight into the Patient’s daily activities, which helps them understand how they affect his or her health and symptoms. The activity data can be used to inform a patient’s treatment plan by providers. Apple Watch and Fitbit are two popular activity trackers.
Providers can get an accurate picture of a patient’s fever (body temperature) with the help of a Bluetooth thermometer.
Thermometers with Bluetooth technology can be found in a variety of forms today, including non-touch digital thermometers that scan the forehead (temporal artery) and contact thermometers that can be placed under the tongue to obtain an accurate temperature reading.
When patients switch to RPM, their vital signs and patterns are detected so they can adjust their care regimen or adopt lifestyle changes that can significantly improve their health. Furthermore, doctors are able to detect a patient’s needs well before they reach a risky stage, thus providing better care.
As part of the National Broadband Plan, the FCC estimates the healthcare industry could save $700 billion within two decades by combining remote patient monitoring technology and electronic health records (EHRs).
In chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, RPM can provide doctors and patients with valuable information on hemodynamic parameters such as blood glucose and blood pressure.
There are many patients who may benefit from remote patient monitoring, such as those who suffer from chronic comorbidities, COVID-19 infection, post-surgical recovery, maternal and child care needs, malignant neoplasms, and more.
Using RPM, patients can monitor their health without having to go to the hospital for regular checkups, which saves them time and money.
Through remote monitoring, patients can receive care when and where they need it, regardless of where they are. Patients in rural areas can be reached through it, and they can be connected to specialists they otherwise wouldn’t be able to see.
Monitoring a patient remotely provides tools that aid the Patient in understanding their health, which is a fantastic patient engagement strategy.
RPM will reduce healthcare costs by improving care management and by reducing ER visits and hospital admissions. With all these benefits, remote patient monitoring will only take a short time to become a standard service.
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