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The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has revolutionized the telemedicine industry across the world. New and emerging healthcare technology trends are shaping the industry as we know it. Doctor practices, specialists, and hospitals have dramatically changed patient engagement to keep both the patients and medical staff safe. Patients have access to take control of their recovery and chronic conditions. In this article, we list the benefits of remote patient monitoring.
What is Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)?
Remote patient monitoring gives patients access to care when they cannot see a medical provider or caregiver in person or at their premises. RPM programs are on the rise and keep patient data updated and accessible to healthcare providers. VivaLNK conducted a survey and found that 43% of clinicians believe that remote patient monitoring will be on-par with in-patient monitoring within 5 years. RPM gives caregivers a real-time overview of their conditions while sharing information with important care providers.
How Does Remote Patient Monitoring Work?
Remote patient monitoring delivers healthcare services to patients in real-time. The services rely on RPM technology connecting patient care to hospitals, clinics, GPs, counselors, and more. Health data is transferred between RPM devices to keep both patients and their caregivers updated remotely. Companies offering telemedicine software development are on the rise and help medical professionals offer better, more accurate, and faster service to their patients.
The benefits of remote patient observation include the management of long-term diseases, chronic care, and acute and urgent conditions. Patients with chronic conditions are encouraged to wear health monitoring devices like smartwatches and other wearables to monitor vital signs. With constant and updated data, the quality of care offers greatly improved patient outcomes.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Remote Patient Monitoring
The advantages of remote patient monitoring have increased with the pandemic breakout and RPM tech is advancing thanks to companies offering custom healthcare software development services. Below are some remote patient monitoring benefits:
Improved Quality of Life
Avoiding in-person visits and preventing the spread of infectious diseases is one of the main advantages of RPM services. Home-based symptom escalation monitoring reduces the risk of transmission while foreseeing the provision of in-hospital care if needed.
Improved Experience and Satisfaction
Remote patient monitoring solutions result in lower rehospitalization and increased remote patient engagement. Healthcare providers’ experience and work satisfaction also increase. Many countries experienced immense strain on their hospital networks. New technology like telemedicine and telehealth aims to decrease the number of admissions and readmissions.
Improve Self-Management
Patients can now take control of their chronic conditions, recovery, comorbidities, infections, and other illnesses. Doctors and care providers can now give their patients condition-specific and readily available tools to manage their conditions. Patients are forced to take ownership of their conditions and now hold themselves accountable.
Access to Recovery Programs
Tried and tested recovery programs can easily be shared with patients at home. Post-surgery and hospital discharge care programs are loaded into the RPM devices and patients have direct access to the required steps to get them back on their feet.
Provides a Complete Overview
Some patients lack the vocabulary to accurately describe their current health concerns, while other patients may be hesitant to honestly discuss their lifestyles and symptoms. The goal of a physician doctor is to improve people’s lives which can be frustrating when they lack information. An RPM program can monitor a patient’s daily routine and health management. Their electronic health records are stored securely and often lead to shorter patient-doctor visits.
A disadvantage of remote patient monitoring is often the lack of access to broadband or funds to purchase an RPM device. Currently, RPM systems rely on technology and internet connections not everyone can afford.
Why Use Remote Patient Monitoring
With so many benefits, it’s easy to see how new medical technology, communication systems, data storage, and wearable tech will continue to improve. Pandemics in the past have catapulted innovation with worldwide companies and tech experts working toward a common goal. We’re only seeing the beginning benefits of remote patient monitoring and at Scopic, we look forward to being a part of the journey.
