3 Chronic Diseases that Need Remote Patient Monitoring During the Pandemic in 2022

Each year, the number of people diagnosed with chronic diseases continues to rise in the United States. Therefore, how can medical professionals manage these chronic conditions in a cost-effective manner that balances patient care and medical resource availability? Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is the solution.

When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted global lockdowns, healthcare providers were forced to develop new methods of care delivery. This crisis quickly transformed into an opportunity to leverage advancements in RPM technologies, which quickly became critical in enabling people with chronic conditions to maintain contact with their care teams from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

RPM technologies include platforms, devices, and tools that are primarily used to collect data about medication use or patient behaviors from patients or devices. Let's take a quick look at chronic diseases that needs RPM and how it contributes to long-term chronic disease management.

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

RPM solutions are primarily used to monitor, report, and analyze clinical indicators (e.g., self-monitored blood glucose SMBG readings), insulin injections, and other patient behaviors such as medication use, physical activity, and food intake for people with diabetes. Providers can then use this data to initiate individualized, just-in-time interventions such as treatment plan adjustments, telehealth coaching, or other forms of patient engagement.

RPM platforms also enable the sharing of data from multiple sources – including EHRs, insulin delivery devices, and patients' health/fitness devices – among physicians, clinicians, payers, and patients, in order to optimize care. They are especially beneficial for patients who are housebound or who live in rural areas and cannot easily access clinics.

Since the 1990s, glycemic control (i.e., keeping glucose levels within a predetermined range) has been the key to diabetes management. In the modern world, diabetes patients enrolled in RPM pilot programs across the United States' healthcare systems used a diabetes management mobile app to sync blood glucose, medication, and lifestyle information. RPM care teams monitored these data remotely on a regular basis and provided needed telehealth coaching. When the study results were compared to SMBG data collected at enrolment, the researchers observed immediate and sustained improvements in a variety of glycemic outcomes for up to a year.

Hypertension / High-blood pressure

Nearly half of all adults in the United States have hypertension, and only one in four have it under control. As a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and a variety of other frequently fatal

conditions, it is critical that patients have the resources necessary to control their hypertension. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is an incredible tool for patients who have hypertension.

RPM can assist with each of the aforementioned barriers. It can assist patients in developing a consistent measurement technique, altering their management behavior, and consistently recording their readings (as opposed to just when they visit their provider in the office).

It offers providers with data-driven insights into their patients' blood pressure trends over time, enabling them to make data-driven decisions. Providers can be notified in real time when a patient's blood pressure reading falls outside the ideal range. When a provider is alerted, he or she can contact the patient to determine why the change occurred and what steps should be taken to bring the patient's blood pressure under control. Simply put, RPM enables providers to treat patients proactively.

RPM can assist in detecting abnormalities in readings, such as low or high blood pressure, by tracking data over time. It can assist providers in determining the efficacy of new and existing prescriptions.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often underreport worsening symptoms because they don't recognize them as signs of decline, but they can be objectively measured through remote patient monitoring.

Remote patient monitoring may allow for more efficient diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Moreover, RPM has the potential to assist patients with progressive lung disease in anticipating exacerbations and managing their health conditions whenever and wherever they are needed. It assists patients and providers in reducing hospital readmissions and improving disease self-management by providing high-quality care at lower costs with better outcomes.

When a person with COPD uses RPM's services, he or she must use COPD monitoring devices (sensors and wearables) that collect health data on a regular basis. This real-time data is automatically transferred to a cellular device and uploaded to the patient's personal health record (PHR). The patient and the healthcare provider can use it to keep track of the patient's health status and progress.

Furthermore, a COPD patient can see his or her preferred physician without having to wait for an appointment or stand in long lines at a clinic because RPM provides video-conferencing access. This platform gives the patient the convenience of receiving the assistance he or she requires while also saving money and time on travel. A physician can see multiple patients in a relaxed setting while also having real-time data to effectively administer the correct treatment through video-conferencing.

A health care professional can create a systematic schedule for routine health measurements for COPD patients, and RPM can be customized to meet each patient's needs. This schedule, which may include meal or supplement reminders, breathing exercise reminders, daily walk or exercise reminders, and can aid the physician in setting up an acceptable range for the patients, can be used by multiple patients suffering from the same disease. If a patient's data falls outside of the acceptable range or an area of concern arises, an alert to the physician will be sent, and immediate action will be taken.

RPM gives physicians access to real-time data, allowing them to keep track of their patients' health and keep it up to date so that the prescribed medication and treatment keeps the patient's health stable and even improves over time.

Takeaway about 3 Chronic Diseases that Need Remote Patient Monitoring During the Pandemic in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the efficacy of telehealth, and it's likely that the technology will become more common in clinical practice in the future. Without sacrificing patient care, Remote Patient Monitoring will undoubtedly make it easier and less expensive to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and COPD across the United States. RPM enables clinicians to provide their patients with the support they require while reducing hospital admissions and freeing up hospital beds for the sickest patients as chronic disease rates continue to rise across the country.

Top 3 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Remote Patient Monitoring in 2022

The previous year was a banner year for Remote Patient Monitoring. Utilization of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) continued its meteoric rise, with an estimated 39.3 million patients in the United States using remote patient monitoring in 2021. (up 35.5 percent from 2020). State commercial and Medicaid eligibility has become the norm, not the exception. Additionally, five new Remote Therapeutic Monitoring services have been added to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule beginning in 2022.

With such rapid growth, it's worth pausing to consider what these advancements mean for providers looking to build or expand their own remote monitoring programs and the millions of patients they serve.

What is Remote Patient Monitoring?

Remote patient monitoring allows doctors to track and analyze a patient's disease and symptom progression from afar, then interact with them virtually to modify care plans and educate them about their medical conditions.

This incredible monitoring technology is extremely beneficial for COVID-19 treatment and care because it allows doctors to easily monitor blood pressure, temperature, and other symptom progressions using digitally connected devices (sensors for body temperature or thermometers, and home blood pressure monitors)

Why Remote Patient Monitoring is Important in 2022?

Here's everything you need to know why the entire health systems should pay attention to remote patient monitoring during COVID-19 pandemic especially in 2022:

RPM saves lives of many people

Remote Patient Monitoring is revolutionizing healthcare. It enables patients to communicate with their doctors from anywhere on the planet. And the results have been incredible—one study found that remote patient monitoring cut all-cause mortality by 20%.

Patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes have highs and lows in blood sugar, heart rate, and blood pressure, with those numbers prone to rapidly rising to dangerous levels with little warning. Despite this, these patients typically only see their doctors once or twice a year, leaving little time to track their health indicators and assess their condition.

Remote Patient Monitoring solutions can stop negative healthcare events in their tracks by enabling regular tracking and early intervention, thus saving lives of many people. With real-life testimonials about patients who were able to avoid potentially disastrous health outcomes due to early intervention spurred by data analytics, DrKumo brought the next-generation remote patient monitoring to life.

RPM saves costs

The nation is facing aging crisis. The healthcare industry faces a new challenge as more prominent members of our community and family reach their golden years: an ageing population means more people with multiple chronic diseases and medical needs. In the next 40 years, the number of Americans aged 65 and up will more than double, reaching around 80 million by 2040.

Many healthcare providers are turning to remote patient monitoring solutions to help keep at-risk patients safe and healthcare costs down. Remote patient monitoring is a telehealth solution that uses technology to track and transmit patient data wherever the patient is, whether at home, at work, or on the go. Aside from improving health outcomes, another primary goal of RPM is to save costs of hospitals, patients and the entire health systems.

RPM can be used to monitor discharged patients in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, as well as in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) where patients may be going home due to COVID-19 concerns. This reduces patient’s costs by limiting hospital visits and readmission, and travel costs as well.

Remote monitoring technology can save over $4,000 per patient per year in elderly, chronically ill populations by reducing ED visits and readmissions. When an alert is set up, it starts a thread from the initial data to the intervention that can be codified to note the outcome, allowing all members of the patient's care team to review the issues and improve future patient care.

RPM Improves Quality of Care

Remote Patient Monitoring improves not only the quantity but also the quality of care provided. RPM makes clinicians' daily routines more efficient and reduces the risk of burnout by connecting them more directly (and virtually instantly) with relevant patient data, resulting in obvious benefits to patient care. RPM also improves patient behaviors by establishing a system that encourages people to be more involved in and accountable for their health.

Effective RPM services provide technology that is comfortable and familiar to patients, rather than the impersonal, technical, clinical, and intimidating medical technology that many consumers think of. This easy-to-use RPM technology improves patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients who are more engaged are more likely to take charge of their health: they want to stay healthy. Rather than resisting caregivers' advice, they're more likely to accept it and improve their own health in the process.

Takeaway Top 3 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Remote Patient Monitoring in 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes while also lowering chronic care costs especially during the pandemic and beyond. RPM also provides patients with expanded levels of education, support, and feedback, as compared to traditional healthcare models, because of this continuous, instantaneous connection between people and their caregivers. This why RPM is here to stay and healthcare providers and patients should pay attention to it in 2022 and beyond.

How DrKumo Helps

DrKumo, a leader in Connected Health Technology, provides the Next-Generation Remote Patient Monitoring featuring continuous real-time streaming of patient-generated health data in a secure cloud-based environment where doctors can monitor patient condition live on their dashboard. With DrKumo easy-to-use medical devices, patients are empowered to take greater control of their own health as they

participate actively with the treatment plan and medication. This improves health outcomes and overall satisfaction.

Top 7 Devices for Remote Patient Monitoring

Many healthcare systems have turned to remote patient monitoring after witnessing the groundbreaking technology. It is without a doubt the most impressive instrument for improving patient outcomes while lowering costs for both patients and service providers.

Through the continuous stream of real-time health data, communications technology created to increase efficient interaction has enabled a type of patient care that extends to the most remote parts of the globe, connecting patients with physicians and maintaining constant engagement between patients and service providers.

Here are the top 7 medical devices used for remote patient monitoring:

Blood pressure cuff

This simple inflatable cuff fills with air, squeezes your arm, and then calculates your patient's heart rate and blood flow by sensing variations in artery motion as it deflates. To calculate daily averages, certain blood pressure monitors gather numerous readings. Home monitoring can aid in the early detection of illnesses that contribute to high blood pressure, such as diabetes or renal dysfunction. It can also make the delivery of healthcare less stressful.

Glucometer

• Keep an eye on the medication's side effects.
• Demonstrate how blood sugar levels are affected by stress or disease.
• Keep track of your progress towards your treatment objectives.
• When it's time for a follow-up appointment, let both the patient and the provider know.

Pulse oximeter

The pulse oximeter is a non-invasive clip that is attached to the patient's finger (or, in some cases, the earlobe) to monitor light wavelengths that define blood oxygen level—how much oxygen is circulating in the red blood cells. The pulse oximeter also records the patient's pulse.

Pulse oximeters are used to screen and monitor individuals with chronic illnesses such as COPD or CHF, as well as for COVID-19 screening and monitoring. They're also given to people who have pneumonia or asthma. Pulse oximeters are used by healthcare professionals to track changes in a patient's lung function. Low blood oxygen levels, for example, are frequently a critical predictor of a positive diagnosis in COVID-19 patients.

ECG

A stethoscope records heart and lung sounds, while an ECG records heart function. For individuals with cardiac disorders such as arrhythmias or coronary artery disease, the ECG is routinely employed. The stethoscope magnifies the body's interior sounds, allowing the provider to listen to the heart, lungs, and bowels.

DrKumo provides smartwatch with continuous monitoring of ECG. The patient monitors the ECG from home, and the ECG reading is delivered directly to the clinician for analysis—either in real time via virtual visits, or recorded in the portal for further clinical assessment. The DrKumo ECG-enabled smartwatch is a comprehensive cardiac examination that allows clinicians to remotely monitor their patients' heart and lung sounds, allowing for early detection and more individualized care.

Wearables, activity trackers, smartwatches

Providers can use activity trackers to monitor their patients' steps, heart rate, fall risk, and even sleep. They provide a window into the patient's daily routine, allowing the physician to better understand how the patient's health and symptoms are affected by everyday activities. Providers can use the data from the activity to help patients with their treatment plans.

Some wearables have a sticker or patch that allows for continuous monitoring. These wearables, which are attached to the patient's body, allow for continuous symptom and biometric monitoring. In one gadget, wearables can track a patient's heart rate, blood pressure, glucose, weight, and stress.

Weight Scale

Bluetooth scales allow the patient to log weight changes over time, and the clinician to monitor those changes to ensure symptoms are not worsening, and to intervene if they are. This is especially important for CHF patients, as weight changes are frequently caused by water retention. Weight increase is often one of the primary markers of deteriorating CHF, thus the provider must be able to detect changes in weight.

Bluetooth scales enable self-management in obese patients, enabling them to take responsibility and recognize patterns in their behavior. Obesity is a prominent risk factor for a variety of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer, so it's critical to keep it under control.

Thermometer

A Bluetooth thermometer gives the physician a quick and accurate image of the patient's fever (body temperature), allowing them to make informed decisions about the next steps of care.

Non-touch digital thermometers that scan the forehead (temporal artery) and contact thermometers that are most typically placed under the patient's tongue for an accurate reading are two types of Bluetooth thermometers available on the market today.

Fever is a common symptom of a variety of illnesses, including COVID-19, the flu, and other infections. A fever might be a marker of increased or aggravated symptoms in other illnesses.

Takeaway

Remote patient monitoring devices supplement in-person care by allowing the physician to see the whole picture of their patient's symptoms throughout time rather than simply at the time of the in-person visit. They assist providers in doing their duties more efficiently, effectively, and data-driven.

Remote patient monitoring technologies enable patients to take an active role in their health and recognize trends in their status, putting them in control of their healthcare.

Patients enjoy convenience and demand healthcare delivery in their pockets in today's patient-centric healthcare environment. Healthcare companies all around the country have risen to the occasion and discovered the numerous advantages of RPM.