7 months ago
What is RPM – an Introduction to Remote Patient Monitoring
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What is RPM – an Introduction to Remote Patient Monitoring
Innovative technology has enabled patients to monitor medical conditions remotely, and, with the devices’ size rapidly shrinking, their accessibility is only going to increase. In fact, according to a recent Deloitte research, this yearby the end of 2022 the number of consumer health and wellness wearable devices shipped worldwide will reach the 320 million mark, with a staggering 440 million expected as soon as 2024.
It is hard to ignore such figures, so let us have a closer look at Remote patient monitoring and try to understand the reasons for its overwhelming popularity.
What is RPM?
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) involves digital technology usage to record the medical and personal health data of a current or potential patient. After a condition that needs addressing has been recognized and information collected, the data is then transmitted to a healthcare provider for review.
Physicians can use the collected data for diagnostics and monitoring of the patients’ health state. This way, RPM helps them provide health and wellness guidance and alter the type of medication or dosage according to the results.
Medical organizations utilize RPM to treat patients suffering from various diseases like diabetes and COVID-19. RPM also assists self-care and reduces the number of personal visits of physicians and the time spent in hospitals. Furthermore, RPM platforms empower the elderly or disabled to live more independently and delay moving into nursing facilities.
How RPM Works?
Devices that are used in RPM include heart rate and blood pressure monitors, weight scales, spirometers, oximeters, and glucose meters. RPM services only require mobile medical devices and technology that collects health-related information and transmits it to the healthcare provider, so no interactive audio-visual or virtual visits are necessary.
Remote patient monitoring also enables medics to keep track of patients who are prone to losing balance by getting alerts in the event of falling down. It facilitates monitoring individuals with addictions and substance abuse tendencies and keeping track of caloric intake and diet programs.
RPM Benefits
RPM brings advantages to both providers and patients that the COVID-19 pandemic has only reconfirmed. Let’s have a look at five of the top benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring.
Lower Risk of Disease Transmission
Limited contact with infected individuals is crucial for preventing the spread of the disease. Remote monitoring means fewer trips to the hospital, which reduces the risk of virus transmission.
Optimized Hospital Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic and the related medical staff and available beds shortages have emphasized how limited the facilities’ resources can be. Remote monitoring facilitates freeing up hospital resources for emergencies and severe cases.
Less Transportation Issues
RPM technology enables patients with mobility issues to receive care in the comfort of their homes. Transportation costs, compromised infrastructure, and long distances can all be perceived as transportation barriers that remote monitoring easily bypasses.
Quick Access to Patient Data
Implantable devices, biometric sensors, glucometers, and blood pressure cuffs are among the devices used in RPM. Such technology accelerates healthcare providers’ access to patient data, which results in faster and more accurate diagnoses.
Cost reduction
The rate of hospital readmissions and related penalties has dropped due to increased RPM utilization, which naturally translates into substantial savings for healthcare organizations. Reduced in-person visits also contribute to better cost-efficiency and freeing up physicians’ resources.
RPM Devices
The benefits of RPM for both patients and healthcare organizations are undeniable, but what are the tools that make it work? Read on to learn more about some of the most commonly used RPM devices.
Weight Monitor
Heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes can all be related to obesity. That is why, besides for diet purposes, weight monitoring can be used to monitor the condition of congestive heart failure patients so physicians can finetune ongoing treatment, change medication or dosage accordingly, or arrange a visit in person. Diets also need close monitoring to ensure weight losses are never too rapid and avoid related fatigue, dehydration, and weakening of the immune system or bones.
Blood Pressure Monitor
Patients typically wear blood pressure monitors on the wrist and use them for improving hypertension management. Remote blood pressure monitors facilitate ongoing virtual monitoring and improve the treatment of high blood pressure. Remote monitoring also helps patients feel more relaxed compared to meeting a doctor in person, and it reduces the risk of deceptively high blood pressure readings.
Blood Glucose Monitor
Monitoring blood glucose levels is among the most efficient RPM applications as it is paramount for people with diabetes. The remote monitor can save patients’ lives as they seldom experience diabetes-related symptoms until they get hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia that could lead to serious complications, including life-threatening conditions. Healthcare professionals can use the collected data to detect changes in blood glucose levels and react instantly.
Spirometer
Spirometers measure the volume and flow of air a patient can inhale and exhale and are crucial for diagnosing lung diseases and monitoring conditions like asthma. The COVID-19 pandemic escalated the necessity to monitor lung conditions remotely as patients can infect everyone interacting with the same device, including other patients, physicians, and facility staff.
RPM Done the Scalefocus Way
The at Scalefocus remote software development centers we have not only assisted our overseas healthcare partners in multiple significant projects, but the company has developed several devices and applications of our own.
SoFit
SoFit is a scalable integrated system for patients who need remote Physical Therapy or Kinesiotherapy. The award-winning device alleviates the need for a physician’s presence during sessions and provides on-demand Telehealth services, allowing for complete rehabilitation treatment.
SoFit effectively combines RPM software and hardware: the software solution analyzes data received from a depth-sensing camera and a wearable bracelet. Then it generates statistics about the proper execution, pulse, and heart rate of the patients. Finally, the data is sent to the health provider.
ViruSafe
We created ViruSafe right at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it quickly built a connection between the health authorities and an entire country’s population in the state of a public health emergency. The mobile application provides а heatmap of the virus spread via real-time monitoring and logging in of symptoms.
Exceptional project management, a multi-functional house team of software engineers, and a top-of-the-line technology stack ensured the seamless tool delivered unprecedented visibility and awareness about the virus spread and enabled institutions to act accordingly. The time it took us the to get the app up and running? Two weeks sharp.
Conclusion
Reduced costs, limited disease spread, freeing up hospital resources, and easy access to patient data – it is simple to see why RPM is on the rise and is embraced by patients and healthcare providers.
Groundbreaking technology comes at a price, though, and organizations often find establishing remote development centers with services partners from in regions like Eastern Europe to be the best combination of price efficiency and high quality of execution. A wider talent pool gives flexibility and scalability boosted by extended business coverage due to different time zones and remote work tendencies, so no wonder remote teams have become that popular.
Scalefocus is an international company with a proven track record of successful cooperation with healthcare providers around the globe and a vast expertise in the industry. Do not hesitate to contact our offshore development centersus and discuss your projects with our experts.
Krasimir Kunchev
Senior Content Writer
