Scalable or Sustainable?
Every day in the United States, 10,000 Americans turn 65, according to the AARP. And 85% of older Americans have at least one chronic condition, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Against this backdrop, health systems usually wait until a patient is in a costly state before implementing a remote patient monitoring program. That’s because distributing connected devices to homes is extremely difficult to scale. Engaging patients also is a challenge, especially with the need for 16 days’ worth of readings to bill CPT codes.
Technology can help, but only if it’s cost-effective, easy to use and engaging. With the ongoing shift to value-based care, the need to address large patient populations in a cost-effective manner is necessary. Increasing quality of care potentially could be aided by artificial intelligence and machine learning, but only to the extent these technologies have timely patient data to personalize preventive care.
Scalable or Sustainable
"I don’t believe the quality of care delivered through RPM or virtual care has challenged providers," said Kent Dicks, CEO and founder of Life365, a remote patient monitoring company. "Instead, most RPM programs today do not appear to be widely scalable or sustainable, which could eventually pose a risk to the quality of care and patient outcomes.
Is an Adverse Event Imminent?
Rather than jumping into crisis mode, a care manager or health monitoring platform could gather more information from the patient to determine if an adverse event is imminent or an anomaly, because, maybe, the patient had too much pepperoni pizza last night, he quipped.
The 5 P’s: Proactive, Preemptive, Preventive, Personal, and Prioritized Care
Moving forward, healthcare must move from reactive care to his 5 P’s: proactive, preemptive, preventive, personal, and prioritized care.
Intervening at the Earliest Signs
Dicks believes healthcare is making meaningful steps forward in this evolution. The galvanizing event was the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003. This project kicked off the era of personalized medicine, exploring how genes influence health.
Maximizing AI’s Value
"Using novel biomarkers, such as vocal changes, also can help maximize AI’s value and support proactive and preventive interventions for patients in the home," he said. "In as little as 15 seconds, our vocal signatures can inform clinicians about mood and disease states before observable symptoms appear and traditional clinical screenings would detect changes."
Reducing Readmission Rates
Patients who received this complete bundle of services experienced a significant reduction in readmission rates, with a rate of only 2.6%. The current national average 30-day readmission rate for heart failure is 23%, Dicks noted.
Conclusion
Maximizing AI’s value and reducing readmission rates are just a few examples of how technology can revolutionize remote patient monitoring. By leveraging these innovative solutions, healthcare providers can improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the overall quality of care.
FAQs
Q: What is the current state of remote patient monitoring?
A: Many RPM programs today are not scalable or sustainable, which could pose a risk to quality of care and patient outcomes.
Q: What is the future of RPM?
A: The future of RPM will be proactive, preemptive, preventive, personal, and prioritized care, enabled by AI, machine learning, and other technologies.
Q: How can AI be used in RPM?
A: AI can be used to analyze data, identify patterns, and predict patient outcomes, enabling proactive and preventive interventions.
Q: What is the role of wearable sensors in RPM?
A: Wearable sensors can automatically collect data and share it with providers, enabling real-time monitoring and analysis.
Q: How can RPM reduce readmission rates?
A: RPM can reduce readmission rates by providing comprehensive patient care, monitoring vital signs, and enabling proactive interventions.
