The Future of Healthcare: Remote Patient Monitoring
Everyone knows that the future of healthcare is remote patient monitoring, and this ground-breaking technology has been helping healthcare experts revolutionize their fields.
Thankfully, Healthcare Service providers understand the potential uses of remote patient monitoring systems (RPM) in the healthcare industry. They know that the way they used to treat patients is a process of the past and can’t work anymore.
Now, you will be thinking about how remote patient monitoring can benefit healthcare services.
Remote patient monitoring is one of the most highly rated trends in the healthcare sector today. In this article, we have discussed in detail how remote patient monitoring can influence the healthcare industry.
As a leading custom RPM software development company in New York City, we will also explain how we can assist you with automating your healthcare operations.
Let’s begin the article with the basics.
What is Remote Patient Monitoring and How Does it Work?
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a healthcare technique that uses electronic devices to monitor patients from their homes.
Doctors use this modern approach to measure physiological processes such as respiration, heart rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Other measurements of blood chemistry, blood cells, renal output, etc. are also taken remotely with this technology using digital and analog methods.
RPM practice uses different medical devices, such as smartphones, wearable sensors, or specialized monitoring equipment, to collect data on patients. This healthcare technique helps healthcare professionals early detect any irregularities so that doctors can make timely adjustments to the care plans of patients.
Remote patient monitoring is turning into a huge industry all around the world. In 2020, this industry had a USD 23.2 bn valuation. With a CAGR of 38.2%, it is predicted to reach $117.1 billion by 2025. Now you can see how much potential RPM systems will have in the near future.
Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring
RPM enables hospitals and doctors to keep a close eye on their patients even when they are not physically present. This allows regular monitoring and ensures that the patient’s condition is under control.
So, let’s have a look at what RPM has to offer. After knowing the amazing benefits of RPM, you will surely be motivated to incorporate remote patient monitoring services into your systematic apparatus.
RPM Decreases Healthcare Costs
Cost savings are one of the main benefits of providing remote patient management and consulting services. It will reduce the daily visits of doctors to hospitals and enable them to check e-records remotely from their homes.
In addition to this, hospitals and nursing homes can reduce a variety of operational expenses, employee engagement, and in-person visits.
Moreover, through providing various reimbursements to medical professionals, health insurance provider CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – has promoted remote patient monitoring.
A Sharp Increase in Net Patient Revenue
If you compare remote patient monitoring with the traditional style of in-person visits, your healthcare clinics and companies will experience a sharp increase in net patient revenue.
It is because of improved staff productivity and workflow efficiency and a big decline in administrative expenses. All these factors are the reasons why hospitals and clinics are choosing to get remote patient monitoring services.
Moreover, some international reports claim that the telehealth business will be the industry of plus $700 billion in the next two decades.
RPM Makes Healthcare Accessible for All
Healthcare accessibility to all, irrespective of the location of patients, is a goal of remote patient monitoring. Since the day this healthcare service started, all international platforms have started praising RPM technology.
Whether a patient is in a metropolitan area or lives in a remote area, this healthcare service is available to all. As this service doesn’t cost much, patients who can’t afford travel or healthcare expenses can even get the required monitoring.
Early Detection of Health Issues
Another excellent advantage of remote patient monitoring is the early detection of health issues. Using the RPM tools and technologies, healthcare providers can treat patients on time and detect any irregularities in the patient. So, this will help doctors provide the best possible treatment to patients.
According to a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, RPM helped identify atrial fibrillation in patients before symptoms appeared, which reduced the prevailing risk of stroke.
Improved Health Outcomes
Hospitals and doctors can take advantage of remote patient monitoring to ensure personalized patient care management. Once doctors improve the patient treatment process, they succeed in improving the health outcomes of their patients.
In times of emergency, doctors can even use RPM from their homes to treat patients suffering from chronic conditions. With RPM solutions, they will be able to learn health indicators for their patients, which will ultimately enable them to provide quick treatment to serious patients.
Healthy Doctor-Patient Relationship
Patients automatically start feeling thin when they see their family doctor or regular doctor at the time of check-up or even necessity. It means that a healthy doctor-patient relationship is necessary, especially for patients.
And you know that not every patient lives near hospitals or clinics. For patients who reside in remote areas, it even takes more than 24 hours to visit the clinic and get an appointment. This is why everyone on this planet is welcoming remote patient monitoring services with love.
So, remote patient monitoring makes a healthy doctor-patient relationship and ensures the following amazing benefits for patients:
- It ensures quick and cordial communication with doctors.
- It decreases stress, anxiety, and depression.
- It ensures the early diagnosis of chronic diseases.
Enhances Patient Satisfaction
RPM is more than a blessing in this busy world. It gives both healthcare providers and patients more chances and time to collaborate with each other to enhance patient satisfaction.
As discussed above, remote patient monitoring improves the doctor-patient relationship and eliminates patient fear regarding the quality of treatment and care.
RPM gives patients access to their personal health data, which helps them better understand the treatment process and encourages them to follow medications properly. So, you can say that improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction are the results of remote patient monitoring.
A Few Disadvantages of Remote Patient Monitoring
There is no doubt that remote patient monitoring is not less than a blessing for both patients and doctors. However, there are still some challenges that authorities need to overcome to ensure equal treatment for all people.
Data Reliability Issues
Data reliability issues raise concerns among patients as well as doctors. There can be some cases in which data collection from patients can be inappropriate. For example, some fitness-tracking devices still show error margins as high as 25%.
High-quality devices are still expensive, so there is a need to develop data collection devices at budget-friendly rates.
Moreover, it is necessary that both doctors and patients get a proper education regarding the usage of different healthcare-related devices.
Testing Issues
No one denies the fact that the IT sector is developing at an unprecedented rate. However, healthcare organizations are still unable to provide 100% quick and accurate remote treatment to patients. Healthcare examination processes are still complex and need to be more AI-supported.
For example, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, etc., cannot be performed remotely. These healthcare processes need in-person examinations. So, the testing issue is actually an obstacle.
Universal Accessibility Issues
Remote patient monitoring is an electronic process and needs consistent and good-quality WiFi. And unfortunately, there are still internet issues in the remote areas of all countries.
Moreover, you know that not everyone has a mobile phone. When it comes to using tech devices, older people and some populations in this world struggle as well.
So, proper training of people and WiFi accessibility in all regions is required to sort out the issues of accessibility issues.
Final Remarks
Now, you all know that the future of healthcare is remote patient monitoring. Artificial intelligence and Machine learning have introduced multiple technologies and healthcare giants have started welcoming this transformative technology to continue their supremacy in the industry.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you want to win the confidence of your existing patients and expand your physician reach across the borders?
Talk to our experts, and learn how remote patient monitoring solutions can 10x your revenues.