Is Remote Patient Monitoring Revolutionizing Health Care Access?

The use of remote patient monitoring programs in medical care delivery is gaining increasing awareness in the health industry. The benefits of the strategy transcend efficacy. Patients can now have financial benefits that include not incurring transport costs whenever they need physician intervention.

What is remote patient monitoring?

Another name for remote patient monitoring is remote physiologic monitoring. This medical strategy involves leveraging digital technology in transferring crucial wellness data from a patient to a doctor for further assessment. A patient will monitor and capture the data using special devices that complement the remote patient monitoring process. Health care providers only need to provide crucial guidelines and recommendations to help patients complete the data collection process faster and more accurately.

There are many ways to incorporate remote patient monitoring into health care services. For example, older patients do not have to check into nursing facilities to live longer. Remote patient monitoring allows these patients to improve their quality of life while containing costs by helping them understand their health status while reducing direct physical contact with their care providers.

Remote patient monitoring falls under telehealth, which embraces technology to enhance care management. Thanks to technological advancements and telehealth options, patients received care at home during the COVID pandemic, where social distancing was necessary to curb the spread of the virus. Since doctors could not expose themselves or other patients in the hospital to potential COVID carriers, patients needed to book virtual appointments to receive care. These appointments are usually straightforward, thus ensuring that patients save their time and money.

How does patient remote monitoring work?

A closer examination of the remote patient monitoring process is necessary to understand what it is and why you should consider virtual visits. The crucial steps involved during the procedure include:

  • Confirmation of diagnosis: You will need to receive a confirmed diagnosis for your condition before your doctor can recommend remote patient monitoring as a management option. The initial diagnosis procedure could occur during a physical appointment. However, if you continue treatment, you may not need to visit the hospital to strategy this step.
  • Determining the efficacy of remote patient monitoring to your condition: Remote assessment will depend on crucial health data patients should take at home. If the data needed to monitor your condition physiologically is available remotely, your doctor will prescribe the strategy as a care management option.
  • Remote monitoring devices: These tools help patients record necessary data for a doctor to analyze. Electronic connection is essential to ensure health data transfers to the appropriate party for further assessment to determine the health status of patients.

Examples of patient remote monitoring devices

The practicality of remote patient monitoring is only possible due to special devices that collect a patient’s health data. However, there are no standard devices for the process. Patients will use different devices depending on their condition. Your doctor should analyze your disease to understand what data will be beneficial in determining disease progress before recommending a device that fits your needs. Some of the most common devices that patients use for remote monitoring include:

  • Blood pressure monitor: Patients with hypertension nay need blood pressure monitors like cuffs to manage their condition. This remote cardiac monitoring is usually straightforward since a patient will only need to water the cuffs and record the readings.
  • Weight monitor: Obesity-related conditions are prevalent in the United States. These conditions increase the risk factors of other complications like heart disease. Fortunately, there are treatments for obesity, including weight management. Specialties recommend a myriad of ways to manage obesity, including weight loss. A weight monitor can indicate whether you are losing or gaining weight and motivate you to make healthier choices.
  • Blood glucose monitor: Diabetes is a chronic condition requiring maximum monitoring, especially blood glucose levels that might risk adversities. A blood glucose monitor detects alarming data that might indicate a worsening status.

How can patients set up and use remote monitoring systems?

Physicians should spend time conducting training to help patients understand instructions for the system to work. Although remote patient monitoring setups may be different, patients will only need to appreciate its features before enjoying its ease of use. Care providers need to make available information on the mechanism of remote monitoring devices to ensure that patients know how to use them to collect critical health data.

The monitoring equipment you will need will depend on your physician. There are remote patient monitoring setups that rely on specific devices. However, your physician will inform you whether you can purchase devices from other manufacturers. It would help if you took your time to learn how each device works before setting out remote patient monitoring for your condition. It would be best to raise any concerns during the process with your physician via virtual appointments to help you address your worries and promote your trust in the process

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