Remote patient monitoring, or RPM, allows patients to use technology and mobile medical devices to collect patient-generated health data and send it to health professionals for them to analyze. RPM programs collect psychological data, including blood pressure, weight, vital signs, and heart rates. The patient’s data is sent to the doctor’s office through a special telehealth software application or computer system.
Remote patient monitoring is often used for patients who require post-discharge, chronic, or senior care. The software can help notify physical when high-risk patients have potential health issues and keep track of their vital data between visits.
How Does Remote Patient Monitoring Work?
Remote patient techniques can vary based on the devices used or the condition being monitored. However, most RPM services have similar components. Patients have a wireless device with an enabled sensor that helps measure different physiological parameters and then stores the data it collects.
In some cases, the storage may also be connected to other sensors on the health provider database, among other related applications. These applications provide users with an interface to analyze or track the data collected and display treatment recommendations that doctors can use to make an informed treatment decision.
Data from the RPM devices are then sent to the proper location and stored in a relational database. It allows health organizations with information from wireless telecommunication data to be analyzed as individual instances or in the patient’s health history context. The mobile medical devices can also alert the patient once a healthcare provider goes over the data and detects an issue requiring them to come in for an onsite visit.
What Are The Benefits Of Patient Monitoring?
- Improved patient engagement: Remote patient monitoring allows patients to understand and manage their healthcare conditions.
- Better access to healthcare: Remote patient monitoring allows patients to complete basic health testing independently. This way, healthcare professionals can pay attention to more patients.
- Better quality of care: Remote patient monitoring gives patients and their healthcare providers access to more relevant patient data, improving the quality of care.
- Patient assurance: Regular patient monitoring gives patients the peace of mind that they will be detected on time if any issues arise with their condition.
- Improved level of education and support: Remote patient monitoring gives patients feedback on their conditions and educates them on better care for themselves to improve their health.
What Are Some Examples Of Remote Patient Monitoring Devices?
There are many remote patient monitoring devices on the market. The type of device largely depends on the medical condition and the type of health vitals your health physician wants to track. Here is a look at the most common RPM devices used:
- Blood pressure monitor: Patients wear blood pressure monitors on their cuffs to improve hypertension management. It helps with remote cardiac monitoring and helps reduce patient blood pressure.
- Weight monitors are used to monitoring patients who want to lose weight. It is especially valuable to support patients that have undergone bariatric surgery. Health organizations use remote weight monitoring using a scale that has multiple purposes.
- Blood glucose monitor: Monitoring blood glucose is critical for diabetic patients. Diabetic patients are the most aware of digital health, and glucose monitoring is one of the most effective RPM applications. Patients do not feel the effects of high or low blood sugar, hence the importance of a remote monitor to help them distinguish between the two.
- Spirometer: A spirometer is used to measure pulmonary function and lung function. It measures the volume, flow, or speed of air a person exhales and inhales. It is important in diagnosing lung disease and monitoring and assessing conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Spirometry grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The wide adoption of digital health in the USA has popularized remote patient monitoring. Healthcare companies are inventing new devices to help track patient vitals from the comfort of their home. With new devices emerging, patients will need the help of their care providers to choose the best technology that works for them.
