Remote Patient Monitoring

What is Remote patient monitoring?

Remote patient monitoring is the collection, storage, and evaluation of health information (patient’s vital signs, blood sugar levels, etc.) through live monitoring via devices that transmit information from the home or care facility to a provider. 

How does it work?

Physiologic data such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, weight, blood sugar  and subjective patient data are collected by sensors on peripheral devices. The data are transmitted to healthcare providers or third parties via wireless telecommunication devices. The data are evaluated for potential problems by a healthcare professional or via a clinical decision support algorithm, and patient, caregivers, and health providers are immediately alerted if a problem is detected.^[3] As a result, timely intervention ensures positive patient outcomes. 

Examples of remote patient monitoring technology 

RPM technology can range from handheld medical devices to online platforms that allow patients to input data. A few examples include: 

• Glucose meters for patients with diabetes. 
• Heart rate or blood pressure monitors. 
• Oxygen sensors 
• Weighing scales 
• Continuous surveillance monitors that can locate patients with conditions like dementia and alert healthcare professionals of an event like a fall. 
• Remote infertility treatment and monitoring. 
• Caloric intake or diet logging programs.

Benefits of remote patient monitoring

• Increased quality and quantity of relevant data (obtained in an ongoing longitudinal fashion at home, work, during travel, etc rather than one time in a traditional office visit) = better clinical decisions + adapt them as frequently as needed 
• Improved primary prevention = decrease in late stage complications such as heart attacks, strokes, hospitalizations, readmissions 
• Leverage AI (artificial intelligence) and predictive analytics to identify worrisome trends and institute early interventions 
• Improved access to care (patients can be evaluated even when they are unable to make it into a doctor’s office) 
• Increased convenience and comfort by avoiding unnecessary visits to a doctor’s office 
• Improved patient quality of life especially in chronic disease management 
• Decreased patient stress = improved healing 
• Improved patient support and education 
• Increased patient empowerment and engagement 
• Increased peace of mind for patients and families that their health is being monitored by their trusted team led by their own doctor 
• Improved value based care 
• Decreased and optimized overall healthcare costs and utilization on an individual and population level 

THE APOLLO ADVANTAGE

We firmly believe in harnessing the power of technology in our lives to improve our health. RPM not only makes sense, it is absolutely essential for us to remain healthy in our busy connected lives. It is an essential bedrock of our practice. It is the future and the future is now. We are committed to building and scaling up RPM in our community to empower and engage patients and their families as well as drive the most dramatic health improvements seen in our populations.