A vast majority of hospitals and health systems i.e. 88 percent have invested in or plan to invest in remote patient monitoring (RPM) technologies. This is due to the transition that they are making to a value-based care model.
A report by Spyglass Consulting Group revealed the above findings from more than 100 interviews with clinical informatics and health IT thought leaders. Survey respondents say RPM solutions will be used to help care managers monitor and manage high-risk patients with chronic conditions who are considered unstable and at-risk for hospital readmissions.
According to the Spyglass study, nearly nine in 10 providers surveyed are in the process of developing, or have already begun development of engagement strategies to encourage patients, family members, and caregivers to take a proactive role in managing their chronic conditions.
Many types of RPM solutions enable risk-bearing organizations to remotely monitor and manage high-risk patients with chronic conditions, which includes diabetes or hypertension to improve care quality and outcomes to help control healthcare costs.
Among the mobile technologies, smartphones and tablets are in focus. They can be combined with telehealth video conferencing services and emerging healthcare wearables, as well as the deployment of electronic health record-based patient portals.
Healthcare providers face major RPM deployment challenges due to limited budgets and resources that adversely affect the efforts to expand care management programs.
The report notes that currently RPM tools and data aren’t well integrated with existing clinical information systems and workflow. It lacks the tools to make the most of CPT codes that provide reimbursement for RPM equipment and monitoring services.
A survey from health IT software provider ResMed indicated online tools have helped patients improve their relationship with their primary care provider, and nearly half (47 percent) said they would prefer improved options for communication through online chat.