Nearly every aspect of a human’s life has become influenced by some form of technology. One industry in particular has greatly benefited from this adaptation: healthcare. As technology has evolved, so too has the quality of care healthcare providers are able to offer their patients. A practice that would otherwise be impossible without this evolution is known as telemedicine. This post will serve as an overview and the benefits of remote patient monitoring, a process under the telemedicine umbrella.
This might not be the first you’ve heard of remote patient monitoring, as it has been around for some time. Remote patient monitoring uses visual technology to allow healthcare professionals to oversee their patient’s health from outside their primary care facility. With the help of other technological devices, all of the important health vitals of a patient can be tracked and safely transmitted to their doctor. This data is then stored in their health care facility’s electronic health records where they can be referenced with ease.
Just which devices are capable of connecting to these remote patient monitoring systems, though? Blood pressure cuffs, blood glucose monitors, spirometers for lung health and even water retention scales for heart disease patients are just some of the devices that are administered to patients. With the help of their doctors, patients get a better understanding of how these devices work and their relation to their health. They must also become responsible for making sure the data these devices collect are safely transmitted back to their health care facilities.
The use of remote patient monitoring is likely to continue to expand. Why? First, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the desire for telemedicine and remote care. Second, the number of people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure also continues to grow. Third, physicians like the fact that they can monitor patients’ health in real time, and patients like the fact they can make fewer visits to their doctors’ offices.
This practice wouldn’t be nearly as necessary if it were ineffective. On the contrary, remote patient monitoring is only going to become more effective. As it stands, research indicates that patients with high blood pressure saw a greater reduction through remote monitoring rather than patients self-monitoring. Patients have also seen an improvement in asthma control in addition to a decrease in the use of rescue medication.
Another important aspect worth nothing is the number of insurance companies offering coverage for remote patient monitoring. With the number of physicians able to service patients decreasing since the outbreak of COVID-19, remote patient monitoring has proven to be able to make a serious difference. Not only for the sake of physicians, but also for the sake of patients with chronic diseases. Any practice capable of improving the quality of life for both patients and healthcare professionals is vital to the industry. If you’re in search of additional information regarding this practice, take a moment to review the infographic featured alongside this post. Courtesy of Pivot Point Consulting.
