5 Ways Next-Gen RPM Can Solve Healthcare Problems in 2022

COVID-19’s consequences are still being experienced in 2021. Leaders recognize the importance of boosting healthcare services using collaborating technology such as telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and now next-gen RPM increasing usage. However, as more patients start to warm up to remote patient monitoring, healthcare problems continue to arise as we move forward in the post-COVID world.

What are the problems in healthcare in 2022?

1. Missed appointments

Missed appointments cause delays in the clinic’s operations and deplete resources while depriving patients of essential care. A research study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Disease Prevention^[1] found that missed appointments and no-shows cost the healthcare system more than $150 billion every year.

2. Physician and staff shortages

The care providers’ concern of infecting family members, along with the discovery of new COVID-19 variants, and fatigue in the workplace are all factors contributing to physician and staff shortages.

3. Increased need for technology-driven management

With access to reliable health information, providers can begin analysis and decision-making and initiate early interventions. However, it is dependent on the information provided by the patient and the manner in which it is collected.

4. Cybersecurity attacks

The growing usage of telehealth platforms and remote patient monitoring has not made healthcare practitioners more at ease with technology, as evidenced by the 52 percent of health care clinicians^[2] who are unwilling to adopt telehealth due to cybersecurity concerns.

5. Ageing crisis

According to WHO, by 2030, 1 in 6 people worldwide will be 60 or older. At this point, the population aged 60 and up will rise from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the world’s population of adults aged 60 and up will be doubled (2.1 billion).^[5] Ageing leads to a gradual decrease in physical and mental health, leading to diseases and death. This adds financial burdens on their families, governments, and health systems.

How does the next-gen RPM solve health care problems in 2022?

1. Next-Gen RPM Shortens Waiting Times

Old practices have had to go beyond a reminder phone call to patients. By using RPM, healthcare providers can now get in touch with their patients in multiple ways. With incorporation of telehealth, remote patient monitoring also allows providers to send reminders and confirm that patients will attend their appointment, whether face-to-face or via virtual consultation. Providers can send information to patients seamlessly and automate messages to motivate them to honor their booking.

2. Next-Gen RPM Solves Physician Shortages

With new variants of COVID-19^[3] being discovered, priority attention has turned to patients with chronic conditions to ensure they can continue to receive the care they need without being exposed to the virus. Telehealth services are one potential solution. However, remote patient monitoring is a better one.

RPM allows providers to keep track of their patient’s vital signs and symptoms anytime and anywhere and can quickly implement a treatment plan using the data collected. It means patients can continue to receive utmost care from home instead of sitting in a waiting room where it might be challenging to practice social distancing.

3. Next-Gen RPM Improves Tracking of Vital Signs

RPM can easily collect data from wearable devices at any time. It can then be analyzed and evaluated to determine the best course of action. Specialists can even monitor individuals via telehealth services over the phone or video while reviewing vital signs via remote patient monitoring.

4. Next-Gen RPM Safeguards Cybersecurity Attacks

The healthcare industry will continue to be a major target for hackers due to the prevalence of cyberattacks. Healthcare must merge with tech companies not only to aid in automation but also to manage risks involving cybersecurity in healthcare. DrKumo continues to be the leader of next-gen RPM as its health platform integrates HIPAA compliance along with other cybersecurity features.

5. Next-Gen RPM Boosts Provider-Patient Experience

More remote patient monitoring platforms enable real-time access and coordinated care, especially benefitting the ageing population. By tailoring patient-centric workflow, the provider-patient experience can boost connections that help with improving care services.

RPM’s Impact on Providers

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the demands on the healthcare system and its supply chain. It showed how vital it is for health systems to have immediate access to beds, clinicians, transportation, and scarce resources, including protective equipment, ventilators, and drugs. As a result, health systems quickly developed home transition and care services—an example of which is the Acute Hospital Care at Home program announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)^[4] to revolutionize the safety of recoveries and acute management of diseases at home. This resulted in trending usage of clinical-grade wearables, remote patient monitoring, and AI-based predictive analytics and machine learning.

DrKumo can Help

While technology and collaborations continue to improve healthcare problems, it’s undeniable how the next-gen RPM has the potential to solve healthcare problems in 2022. DrKumo’s data-driven platform helps more providers by shortening waiting times, solving physician shortages, improving vital signs tracking, safeguarding cybersecurity attacks, and boosting provider-patient experience.

Conclusion

As the pandemic continues, it’s essential to find solutions to problems that avoid compromising care for non-COVID patients. Thankfully, telehealth and remote patient monitoring resolve many issues, including patient non-compliance and appointment no-shows. As more of these problems are resolved, and additional benefits are discovered, you can expect to see an increase in health providers implementing RPM in 2022 and beyond.