The quality of care in which healthcare providers are able to offer to their patients has been increased with constant evolution of technology. Without the help of technology, advanced care methods such as telemedicine would never be able to be offered to patients. As a number of healthcare professionals have come to understand, this would be an extreme detriment to patients around the world; as telemedicine has become a staple in the healthcare industry, namely due to remote patient monitoring.
While it’s true that remote patient monitoring has been around for some time, only recently has it been entirely polished as patient care method. Remote patient monitoring uses visual technology to allow healthcare professionals to oversee their patient’s health from outside their primary care facility. With the help of other technological devices, all of the important health elements of a patient can be tracked and safely transmitted to their health care provider. This data is then stored in a health care facility’s electronic health records where they can be referenced with ease.
Just how far has remote patient monitoring come, though? Well, as more and more devices have been able to be supported, it’s come a long way. For example, blood pressure cuffs, blood glucose monitors, spirometers, scales and many more devices are now supported from the home. As patients become more comfortable with these devices and the applications they have to use to transmit the data the devices collect, they’re better able to understand their conditions and the precursors for indicating they’re not in good health.
Remote patient monitoring shows no signs of slowing down, either. Namely because the impact that COVID-19 has had over health care facilities. The demand for quality care has only increased as a result of the recent pandemic, meaning new avenues had to open up for health care professionals to be able provide help to everyone in need. In addition to this, more and more people are being diagnosed with chronic conditions like diabetes, or heart disease that require full-time monitoring and plenty of doctor’s visits. In order to alleviate the time these patients would have to sacrifice for these visits, remote monitoring makes all the difference.
Remote patient monitoring wouldn’t even be a considered method if it weren’t effective. Recent research has indicated just how effective remote patient monitoring can be, though. Those with high blood pressure, for example, saw decreases while being remotely monitored. The same way that asthma patients also saw an increase in their condition as a result of remote patient monitoring. Another benefit has come in the way of reduced reliance on rescue medications as well.
Most importantly, however, is the amount of insurance companies that have begun offering coverage for remote patient monitoring. As the number of physicians able to service patients has begun to decrease as a result of COVID-19, remote patient monitoring makes all the difference. Not only for the sake of physicians, but also for the sake of patients with chronic diseases. Increasing the quality of life for both of these parties is paramount, and it is accomplished through remote patient monitoring. For more information regarding this method of care, be sure to review the infographic coupled alongside this post. Courtesy of Pivot Point Consulting.
