Remote Patient Monitoring is a healthcare delivery system that is beneficial to patients and their caregivers. As well as the healthcare system as a whole using the latest technology advancements. It collects a huge amount of patient information and data in addition to traditional healthcare delivery systems for increasing the accessibility to virtual healthcare. Improving communication between healthcare providers and patients, enhancing the participation of patients in self-management. And, reducing the total cost of healthcare. With the rise of technology and the onset of telehealth. Remote patient monitoring is becoming crucial in healthcare. With the right systems, it will become the way of the future. You should be prepared to invest in these solutions if you want to ensure the health of your patients and provide greater service quality.
If you’re a health care provider, it is important that you know how this new technology is being utilized. Read on to learn more about the various benefits of remote patient monitoring. And, how they can benefit your healthcare practice.
Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring:
Higher Convenience and Mobility
RPM or remote patient monitoring lets doctors meet patients where they are and where they’d like to be with ease. It takes away the stress of hospital visits or hospital stays and allows patients to receive effective and secure care within the safety of their homes. Similarly, physicians can also reduce the need to visit their patients as they can monitor and track their patient’s vitals through remote monitoring solutions. The use of RPM in the home environment is also more convenient for the patients as it makes it easier for them to monitor and manage their chronic medical conditions.
Improves Doctor-patient Relationship
Remote monitoring of patients benefits both the patient and the clinician by offering greater opportunities for interaction. Which in turn strengthens the patient-provider relationship as well as improves the level of satisfaction and loyalty of patients. It gives patients the assurance that their physician is always checking on them. Both of them can communicate easily through applications through text messaging or video calls to discuss matters.
Data-Driven Decisions
In addition to being convenient, remote patient monitoring helps doctors better analyze patient data, which is vital for successful compliance. It benefits health professionals by giving them a better understanding of the condition of patients during office visits. By providing tools that can inform the delivery of care in a proactive manner. With RPM the doctor can observe the changes in symptoms of a patient with time, which allows the physician to recognize patterns or modify the patient’s treatment plan in line with the patterns.
Reduces Cost of Healthcare
As healthcare costs continue to rise, remote monitoring is a great way to provide more comprehensive care. Remote patient monitoring has demonstrated a significant impact in reducing potentially avoidable emergency services as well as a reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions and readmission. It enables emergency department diversion and earlier acute discharge, resulting in shorter lengths of stay and lower cost of care. RPM enables the movement of appropriate levels of acute care and chronic care monitoring into the home, reducing the high costs of inpatient services. This technology is also a cost-effective option for rural healthcare organizations. If they are looking to save money, they can benefit from the convenience of this technology as this technology will increase access to top-quality care even in remote areas.
Precautionary Aid
These devices and systems can detect the symptoms of illnesses early on, which can help patients or their doctors manage their health conditions. It enables both patients to monitor their own health and take necessary actions accordingly and timely. For example, certain wearable devices can detect a sign of Alzheimer’s early on, or monitor the heart for dysrhythmia prior to a stroke, etc. which can help a person monitor their medical condition or even save them from worst-case scenarios.
Reduces Burden on Healthcare Providers
The number of chronic medical conditions is rising. And, there are already several technologies that can help manage these conditions. The Association of American Medical Colleges has projected a shortage of up to 55,000 primary care providers in the United States by 2020. With an expected population growth of 10 percent, the number of people over 65 is increasing by 45%. The benefits of remote patient monitoring can greatly ease this burden on clinicians and increase access to and quality of care. In addition, it also reduces anxiety and burnout which is a common problem healthcare professionals are facing nowadays. Due to the rising requirement for medical help.
Time Saver
Time is one of the most valuable aspects of any kind of treatment. With these remote monitoring devices and applications. Physicians will be able to focus more on diagnosing patients rather than spending time traveling. And, gathering medical data of existing or new patients. Remote patient monitoring solutions can efficiently monitor. And, collect patients’ medical information for caregivers and aid them in making more accurate and quick decisions. It also allows doctors to save time by focusing on more urgent patients. And spend less time managing low-risk patients. With remote patient monitoring, physicians can also reduce the need to visit their patients unnecessarily. Which will improve the productivity of the facility, and ultimately improve the patient’s overall health.
Increased Medical Facility’s Revenue
The cost of care for patients virtually is lower than the physical service expenses. Thanks to increased workflow efficiency and productivity of the staff. And, reduced administrative costs the net revenue can rise as an organization adopts Remote monitoring solutions. RPM can also provide opportunities for reimbursement. As well as a competitive advantage as it increases the capacity for physicians to treat more patients within a period of time efficiently and smoothly.
Increased Patient Participation and Quality of Care
Remote monitoring for patients is a great patient engagement method since it provides patients with tools for understanding their medical condition. If a patient is aware of their health condition, their personal treatment plan, and what they are responsible for in improving their health and wellbeing. They participate more actively in their treatment. This leads more likely to have positive health results. This access to health-related information increases their involvement in the treatment. Patients feel more obliged to their care or maintenance plan. As every failure will be visible on the patient’s record. RPM improves the accountability of patients because they are aware that their doctors are informed of any failure to adhere to their health program or treatment.
However, the use of RPM will also require clinicians to instruct their patients on how to take care of themselves in between virtual appointments in order to provide proactive care.
Increases Referral Opportunities and Patient Loyalty
The provision of RPM programs from hospitals and specialists can result in more referrals and increased revenue. The ability to access innovative healthcare by the means of technology gives you a competitive advantage. Attracts new patients, and increases the retention of existing patients. The consumer demand data states that patients increasingly place a high value on convenience. They will remain loyal to whoever provides such service. As we have explained in the points above. Remote patient monitoring is highly convenient and beneficial for patients. Utilizing remote patient monitoring solutions can prove to be a growth booster for medical professionals and hospitals.
Conclusion
With all these benefits of remote monitoring of patients. It’s only a matter of time before RPM is a standard procedure for the majority of practices. Therefore the sooner you adopt it the better. RPM solutions are available for both hospitals and individual medical practitioners. Be sure to implement a remote patient monitoring system that can cater to all of your needs in one place and give your patients positive health benefits and growth to both of you.
