As safety-net healthcare providers and payers grapple with the rising threat of chronic illness, they are looking to telehealth modalities for efficiencies, access, and integration across the continuum of care.
One example is remote patient monitoring (RPM). RPM uses technological care delivery to collect and monitor patient data outside the clinical environment. It then sends this information to healthcare providers for assessment and recommendations.
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Increased Patient Engagement
Patients who feel more engaged in their healthcare report higher satisfaction with the experience. This increases the likelihood that they will follow treatment plans and attend visits regularly.
Increased engagement also allows patients to understand better their conditions and the treatment options that are available to them. This can improve health outcomes, fewer ER visits, and lower medical costs.
In addition, using software like CoachCare remote patient monitoring can help increase patient engagement, strengthen the patient-provider relationship, and improve patient retention. In addition, increased patient engagement can positively impact the overall financial health of a healthcare practice.
Although personal and systemic barriers prevent patients from engaging with their healthcare providers, there are strategies that health systems can use to encourage patient engagement.
Reduced Hospital Readmissions
Readmissions of hospitalized Medicare patients cost hospitals and healthcare systems a lot of money. This is why the ACA created the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP).
HRRP tracks excess readmissions for patients initially hospitalized for six conditions: acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, elective hip and knee replacement, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Reducing hospital readmissions can reduce healthcare costs by reducing the time and expense of returning patients. This can be a significant savings for many facilities.
Additionally, hospital staff can benefit from increased communication and collaboration with their patients. This can help make the transition from hospital to home more comfortable for patients and their families, improving patient satisfaction scores.
Remote patient monitoring solutions can also improve patient outcomes by allowing healthcare teams to monitor and respond to patients’ biometric data in real-time, focusing more on proactively treating their medical conditions. This enables patients to take proactive steps towards healthier lifestyles and improve their overall wellness, making them more likely to maintain optimal health.
Improved Quality of Life
Remote patient monitoring improves the quality of life by allowing patients to monitor their health conditions from the comfort of their homes. This helps patients and their families manage chronic illnesses.
It also gives patients confidence that their long-term illness is under control, which can help them maintain a healthy lifestyle. Using devices like glucometers, otoscopes, a personal ECG/stethoscope, and more, patients can monitor their condition and symptoms without requiring frequent visits to their healthcare provider.
RPM also helps keep doctors’ offices and healthcare facilities clear of patients so that they can focus on providing high-quality care. This reduces the burden on healthcare systems and improves their efficiency.
Increased Compliance
Remote patient monitoring effectively increases compliance with physician recommendations, including taking medications as prescribed and making significant lifestyle changes. This is especially true in the chronic
health conditions that account for most healthcare spending.
Noncompliance is a major frustration for physicians and care teams. Patients with chronic health conditions are known for not taking their medications as prescribed or making healthy lifestyle choices, and these behaviors can lead to costly medical complications.
RPM helps to address this problem by allowing patients to self-monitor their health and send their data directly to their providers. This will enable doctors to catch these health issues sooner and more effectively. The result is improved patient satisfaction and health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs.
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