Perks of remote patient monitoring (RPM) for physicians are many: ease of access to patient data, ability to provide higher quality care to more people with a lower risk of burnout – and for healthcare providers – higher efficiency and lower costs, to name just a few. But what are the advantages of RPM for chronic patients?
It is a question with a very encouraging number of answers. And as telemedicine companies continue to develop new and better technology solutions, more benefits are likely to emerge in the coming years. But, in short, the main benefits of Remote Health Monitoring for patients in 2017 include:
1. Improved access to health care
2. Improvement of the quality of care
3. Tranquility and daily security
4. Improved support, education, and feedback
RPM offers patients Better Access to healthcare
In a nation where a dramatic increase in the number of policyholders has made it more difficult for some people to access caregivers, remote patient monitoring increases the ability of doctors to treat more people. The prospect of more healthcare organizations adopting RPM technology opens the door to extended access to patient care at the national level.
RPM Improvement of quality care for patients
Besides improving the quantity of health care, Remote Patient Monitoring also has the ability to improve the quality of care. Because RPM connects physicians more directly (and virtually instantaneously) with relevant patient data, it makes their daily activities more efficient and facilitates the possibility of burnout – resulting in obvious benefits for health care.
Even better, Remote Health Monitoring improves patient behavior by creating a system where people are more involved and responsible for their health. Effective RPM programs offer technology that, far from being the cold, clinical and intimidating medical technology that comes to mind for many consumers, is very convenient and familiar to patients.
A Remote Patient Monitoring program created by Care Innovations for a congestive heart failure program has given:
1. 80% patient engagement rate, with 24 average uses per patient per month
2. 94% of patients reported having found the technology easy to use
3. 93% of patients were willing to recommend it to others
Telehealth study for people with diabetes mellitus showed an even more remarkable engagement rate, including:
1. 97% satisfaction with the availability of nurses
2. 100% satisfaction with the quality of care of the nurse
3. 97% satisfaction with patients’ ability to improve and manage their own health needs
4. Overall satisfaction rate of 100% with the RPM service
Benefits of RPM to patients: Assurance
As important as patient comfort and commitment, the benefits of remote health monitoring go beyond that, providing people with the invaluable assurance that someone looks after their health and well-being on a daily basis.