Remote Patient Monitoring

as a Key to Reducing Hospital
Readmissions

Hospital overcrowding is a growing yet unresolved issue in healthcare. Since the 1980s, health experts have identified it as a problem that limits access to timely critical care for millions of patients worldwide ⁽¹⁾. In fact, overcrowding often leads to longer wait times, treatment delays, bed shortages, staff burnout, and financial losses.

One possible solution to this problem is remote patient monitoring (RPM). With the use of digital technology, remote patient monitoring devices let providers manage patients from their homes, reducing the need for hospital readmissions and lengthy hospital stays.

Remote patient monitoring is a rapidly growing segment of the healthcare ecosystem. It touches nearly every medical specialty and has the potential to vastly improve the quality of patient care. According to Insider Intelligence, this year alone, about 60.6 million US patients will use remote patient monitoring systems; by 2027, their global market is expected to reach $1.7 billion ⁽²⁾.

This article takes a closer look at the impact of remote patient monitoring on hospital readmission.

What is Remote Patient Monitoring?

Remote patient monitoring is a form of telemedicine, also called telehealth, that allows clinicians to monitor certain aspects of patients’ conditions outside of hospitals and clinics. While in the program, patients also regularly receive education on how to best manage their health.

Remote monitoring uses digital medical devices, such as blood pressure monitors, heart monitors, glucose meters, and pulse oximeters, to collect and transmit data on vital signs and symptoms in real time to the medical team. This enables the team to continuously monitor the patient and intervene as soon as any abnormalities appear ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾.

Remote monitoring has historically been used to manage patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, sleep apnea, and asthma. In recent years, however, its use has widened and now covers various acute conditions as well as post-surgical recovery ⁽⁴⁾.

Remote Patient Monitoring Benefits

How Remote Patient Monitoring Reduces Hospital Readmissions

1. Early Detection of Health Deterioration

Remote monitoring allows medical teams to get early warning signs of a patient’s worsening condition. By constantly providing real-time data to medical teams, remote patient monitoring software helps flag abnormalities in health metrics that may indicate a decline. This enables the team to intervene promptly before minor health issues escalate into severe complications.

For example, a recent study showed that COVID-19 patients who participated in the Mayo Clinic’s remote monitoring program had a much lower need for hospital readmissions and stays due to early detection of changes in oxygen levels ⁽⁵⁾.

2. Improved Medication Adherence

Medication errors are one of the common reasons why patients with chronic conditions get readmitted to hospitals. This often happens due to poor adherence to the prescription. Remote patient monitoring devices can help these patients by tracking whether they are taking their medications as prescribed, using reminders, and listening to notifications. Alerts are sent to medical teams if a patient misses a dose, enabling them to intervene in a timely manner before the patient’s condition worsens ⁽⁶⁾.

3. Customized Care Plans and Post-Discharge Monitoring

Since remote patient monitoring systems continuously collect and send data in real-time, they allow clinicians to make personalized care plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Doctors can also easily adjust these plans as needed, depending on whether the patient’s condition improves or worsens.

Remote monitoring can benefit patients and providers in both situations. As soon as a patient starts feeling better, the clinician can either remove or taper down certain medications, and if their condition deteriorates, this telehealth technology can help them get the right intervention at the right time. In both cases, its use reduces the risk of complications and readmissions ^(3)(4)(5)(6).

Additionally, remote patient monitoring offers continuous support and tracking during the critical post-discharge period. This can help ensure that patients are adhering to their care plans and receiving timely follow-up care ⁽⁷⁾.

4. Enhanced Chronic Disease Management

Patients with chronic conditions need ongoing medical care and support. Remote monitoring offers them a cost-effective way to manage their health from home. It allows continuous tracking of vital signs and other health parameters, enabling early detection of problems and timely interventions. This helps prevent hospital readmissions.

Studies have shown that remote patient monitoring can greatly reduce readmissions to hospitals for chronic conditions like heart disease, COPD, diabetes, and asthma. In fact, a recent study demonstrated a 78% decrease in the likelihood of 45-day readmissions for heart failure patients using a hybrid mHealth model ⁽⁸⁾. The American Heart Association also recommends remote monitoring for cardiac patients, citing strong scientific evidence of its benefits.

Optimize Your Healthcare with IT Medical’s RPM Service

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Partner with IT Medical for top-class remote patient monitoring service. Don’t let overcrowding impact your care delivery. Our dedicated teams of experts will evaluate your current IT setup, recommend the best remote patient monitoring software for your needs, and create strategic plans to enhance your healthcare environment.

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Book your free consultation today. See how IT Medical’s remote monitoring solutions can transform your healthcare delivery and patient management. Let’s improve healthcare together.

References

1. Sartini, M., Carbone, A., Demartini, A., Giribone, L., Oliva, M., Spagnolo, A. M., … & Cristina, M. L. (2022). Overcrowding in emergency department: causes, consequences, and solutions—a narrative review. In Healthcare (Vol. 10, No. 9, p. 1625). MDPI. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10091625.

2. Insider Intelligence. (2023). Remote patient monitoring trends & health devices in 2023. eMarketer. Available from: https://www.emarketer.com/insights/remote-patient-monitoring-industry-explained/

3. Boikanyo, K., Zungeru, A. M., Sigweni, B., Yahya, A., & Lebekwe, C. (2023). Remote patient monitoring systems: Applications, architecture, and challenges. Scientific African, 20, e01638. doi: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01638.

4. Serrano, L. P., Maita, K. C., Avila, F. R., Torres-Guzman, R. A., Garcia, J. P., Eldaly, A. S., … & Forte, A. J. (2023). Benefits and challenges of remote patient monitoring as perceived by health care practitioners: a systematic review. The Permanente Journal, 27(4), 100-110. doi: 10.7812/TPP/23.022.

5. Coffey, J. D., Christopherson, L. A., Williams, R. D., Gathje, S. R., Bell, S. J., Pahl, D. F., … & Haddad, T. C. (2022). Development and implementation of a nurse-based remote patient monitoring program for ambulatory disease management. Frontiers in digital health, 4, 1052408. doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.1052408.

6. Tan, S. Y., Sumner, J., Wang, Y., & Wenjun Yip, A. (2024). A systematic review of the impacts of remote patient monitoring (RPM) interventions on safety, adherence, quality-of-life and cost-related outcomes. NPJ Digital Medicine, 7(1), 192. doi: 10.1038/s41746-024-01182-w.

7. Gordon, W. J., Henderson, D., DeSharone, A., Fisher, H. N., Judge, J., Levine, D. M., … & Boxer, R. (2020). Remote patient monitoring program for hospital discharged COVID-19 patients. Applied clinical informatics, 11(05), 792-801. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721039.

8. Gjeka, R., Patel, K., Reddy, C., & Zetsche, N. (2021). Patient engagement with digital disease management and readmission rates: The case of congestive heart failure. Health Informatics Journal, 27. doi: 10.1177/14604582211030959.