Remote Patient Monitoring Platform

A remote patient monitoring platform is a specific type of medical IoT platform. This platform acts as a central hub for a fleet of remote patient monitoring devices (including weight monitors, spirometer, and blood glucose meters) that continuously collect health data from patients at home, work, school, or any other location. It then compiles and analyzes this data to present users with meaningful insights on a patient’s overall health trajectory. This allows healthcare providers to keep a close eye on patients’ health data outside of clinical settings. 

Why Use Remote Patient Monitoring? 

The data that RPM platforms provide is extremely valuable for multiple reasons.  

• It reflects patients’ progress in real-world settings, not just in controlled hospital or clinic environments.  
• Healthcare providers can use it to build in-depth health profiles of their patients, improving their understanding of each patient’s individual physiology. 
• It gives patients the tools they need to manage their own health. 

Remote Patient Monitoring Use Cases 

Remote patient monitoring can be used to assist patients in managing a wide variety of health conditions, both acute and chronic.  

For instance, patients leaving the hospital after long periods of illness are often prone to dangerous relapses. Patients who have just had surgery may develop complications such as infection, embolisms, or organ rejection. Monitoring the health data of these patients during their transition back into their homes helps healthcare providers identify early signs of trouble, intervene before a serious medical emergency can occur, and avoid re-admissions. 

In contrast, some patients need additional monitoring and support on a permanent basis, especially if they are managing one or more chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, and COPD. Healthcare providers can use RPM data from these patients to assess the severity of their disease, how well their prescribed treatments are working, and even if the patient is adhering to their treatment plan at all. If the patient is not meeting their health goals, this information helps healthcare providers identify specific ways to tailor the treatment to their needs. 

Another use case would be Hospital at Home. These telehealth programs enable patients to receive hospital-level care, telehealth, and RPM services in the comfort of their own homes.

Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring 

Once RPM programs are in place, they bring a range of benefits to patients. These include: 

• Better access to care. 5.7M Americans leave in rural areas with limited access to medical services, hospitals, or other locations where they can receive medical care. RPM platforms provide extensive visibility into patients’ health, making it easy for healthcare providers to provide faraway patients with quality care.
  
  
• Fewer clinical visits and avoiding unnecessary ER visits. Collecting health data remotely eliminates the need for many in-person clinic visits, which can be inconvenient and expensive for patients. When patients and healthcare providers need to communicate, this can be done through video conferencing or over the phone. 
  
  
• Improved patient health knowledge. Achieving sustainable improvements in health requires a partnership between patient and physician. RPM platforms keep patients informed about their own health, allowing them to participate in this partnership in a meaningful way. Besides, they improve adherence to treatment protocol and reduce healthcare services costs (due to fewer re-admissions, increased physicians capacity, improved care, and patient outcomes).
  
  
• Increased sense of control over their health. RPM platforms allow patients to observe the impact of their health-related lifestyle changes almost immediately. Even when improvements are small, they are unquestionably real and can help motivate patients to continue on the right track.  

Remote Patient Monitoring Requirements 

Healthcare providers who are interested in implementing a remote patient monitoring program for their patients should look for the following features when selecting an RPM platform partner. 

A Role-Based, User-Friendly Interface

From patients to payers, many different stakeholders will potentially access an RPM platform. The software’s interface should be designed to accommodate all of these different users, offering appropriate functions, displays, and navigation to suit the needs of each. 

Pre-Made Patient Engagement Tools

RPM platforms should be able to track and optimize patient engagement using ready-made tools. Automatic alerts for non-adherence can set patients back on the right track while adherence analytics identify patients in need of more involved intervention. 

Integration with EHRs and Other Software 

Health data can be used to power a number of different software and record-keeping solutions that enhance patient health. An RPM platform should be easy to integrate with these external solutions to extend the utility of the IoMT network and achieve even better outcomes for patients. 

Features for Easy Billing

Remote patient monitoring reimbursement is a key concern for healthcare providers starting a new RPM program. Many RPM platforms automatically track the time healthcare providers spend tending to patients on a remote basis, greatly simplifying the process of obtaining remote patient monitoring services. 

Security and Compliance 

RPM platforms must conform to the specifications of many different regulations, including HIPAA, the GDPR, and the FDA’s guidelines for medical devices. Only platforms which meet these stringent safety and cybersecurity requirements can legally be used to provide medical care.