A guide to vendors offering remote patient monitoring and connected health devices.

It only makes logical sense that the healthcare sector is witnessing a lot of connected health equipment and remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology in an era where practically everyone is connected to a network in some way, indeed many senior folks who are frequently classified as technophobic.

The range of connected health devices includes Fitbits, wearable heart monitors, Bluetooth-enabled scales, and more. To enable medical decisions to be made remotely, they offer health measurements of patients and communicate them back to physicians – or, in certain situations, they are reported to providers. Technologies for remote patient surveillance are similar to telemedicine because they automatically track and report on patients, frequently those with chronic illnesses, allowing caretakers to monitor patients from a distance.

Understanding remote patient monitoring

The rising use of digital medical care and delivery systems is among the most intriguing trends in today’s healthcare landscape. Remote patient monitoring (RPM), also known as remote physiology monitoring, is one example of this. Before the year 2020, RPM was largely unknown. There has been a slow shift toward widespread adoption of this service from both patients and doctors.

RPM Devices

How do RPM and connected health devices work?                  

You might still need to be more particular about how RPM functions, even after learning what it means. Although it appears simple at first glance, a closer look is required.

Let’s examine several RPM process features that are frequently known:

• A provider decides which condition(s) should be managed remotely and starts a remote patient monitoring system to supply patients with an RPM service. Providers can gather a variety of patient medical data through remote patient monitoring. This covers weight, blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, and vital signs.
• A healthcare professional decides that a patient will benefit from remote physiologic monitoring for one or more of the different categories of health information that RPM can collect. RPM is prescribed or ordered by the practitioner with the patient’s permission.
• An instrument for gathering health information is given to the patient. Devices for remote patient monitoring must be electrically connected, typically done through Bluetooth or cellular networking. Blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, weight scales, and spirometers are among the most popular RPM devices. Pulse oximeters and ECG devices are two other categories where RPM use is growing.
• And once a device is configured correctly, health information is recorded by the device and sent, typically digitally, from patient to provider.
• Based on the evaluation of this data, the practitioner provides the patient with recommendations and instructions for their health and wellness.

To provide remote patient monitoring services, suppliers must also finish several other tasks, such as deciding coverage (if supplying RPM to recipients who are not Medicare beneficiaries is being considered), trying to establish a patient base, selecting a device or devices, creating policies and procedures, constructing a patient intake program, and instructing staff.

Note: By working with a reputable RPM program vendor, providers can avoid some of these tasks and get help from others.

To conclude,

The ease with which patients can receive remote patient monitoring will be determined primarily by the design and sophistication of the Health devices provided to them. In addition, patients could need assistance (in-person or virtual) to use the technology properly.