U.S. healthcare providers are increasingly turning to wearables and remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. This has prompted both newcomers and traditional players in the healthcare industry to rush to develop new wearables and capabilities.
Early indications are that RPM is promising in advancing value-based care. But healthcare providers and practice managers need to consider several factors before starting to integrate RPMs and wearables into their practices and decision-making processes.
RPMs and wearables hold promise for chronic disease management
According to industry forecasts, RPM technology will become ubiquitous in the next few years.Insider Intelligence Estimates There are 70.6 million patients in the United States, Or 26.2% of the population that will use RPM technology by 2025.
As the industry moves toward a value-based care model, virtual health plays a role in controlling costs, addressing inequities in access to care, and improving efficiency and quality. RPM technology extends provider reach and provides a continuous stream of real-time patient health data to aid in treatment planning.
According to the American Hospital Association 2022 Environmental Scan56% of patients with wearable technology find the data collected to be valuable and want to send it directly from their device to their doctor’s office.
The FDA has approved certain devices for this purpose, and payers like Medicare have begun to cover more telehealth services, such as remote patient monitoring. They recognized the potential of the RPM system to generate savings by preventing more serious and costly health outcomes from taking root in people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and congestive heart failure.
KLAS research Report It was found that 38% of medical facilities that currently offer remote patient monitoring programs focused on chronic care management report a reduction in admissions, while 17% report a reduction in costs.
Findings from Juniper Networks Research Wearables are predicted to become a “must have” in healthcare. Nonetheless, vendors still need to do due diligence before integrating RPMs.
Here are some tips to help providers mitigate the risk issues posed by remote patient monitoring programs.
Patient Selection and Onboarding
Not all patients are suitable for remote monitoring. A good starting point is to determine the conditions that the provider is willing and able to monitor remotely. Common conditions eligible for remote patient monitoring include hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease.
Once a patient is identified as a suitable candidate, the practice should provide education on how to use and maintain the device, when and how often to transmit data, what to do if the device fails, and how the medical team will manage alerts. It is the responsibility of the supplier to clearly outline expectations, roles and responsibilities regarding wearables. In addition, providers must address informed consent for the use of this technology and thoroughly document discussions in medical records.
Equipment Selection and Governance
Not all wearables and remote patient monitoring technologies are created equal. Providers can provide their own RPM equipment, but this involves distribution of equipment to patients, patient education, setup and troubleshooting, and data transfer.
One option might be to contract with an RPM supplier that ships the device directly to the patient, guides the patient through device setup and education, resolves any difficulties, and answers questions. Documentation of medical records and patient understanding of providers providing education is key. Be sure to evaluate all suppliers for compliance with federal and state privacy and confidentiality regulations before entering into an agreement.
Manage patient data
Receiving, analyzing, and tracking wearable data can be challenging in practice. Failure to prepare an organization to interact with the technology could result in claims for failure to monitor, fail to detect, or go undiagnosed.
It is critical to have a monitoring system that can transmit secure and reliable data into the workflow in patient medical records. For example, organizations managing congestive heart failure patients require wireless scales and blood pressure cuffs to be connected to the system, along with continuous data monitoring.
Healthcare wearables are vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks. Providers should not rely solely on device manufacturers for security. Instead, clinicians should take steps to protect patient information within their own networks. This includes ensuring compliance with FDA guidelines and properly encrypting data transfers to meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements.
Staffing requirements to support alarm monitoring are also critical. Providers shall establish processes overseen by designated qualified healthcare professionals and teams to monitor and rapidly respond to all incoming RPM data and alerts. All employees supporting remote patient monitoring should receive remote monitoring-specific privacy and security training, as well as education about the dangers of “alarm fatigue,” which can cause employees to ignore or ignore a large number of incoming alarms.
RPM risk can be managed
While these risks may not hinder the adoption of remote patient monitoring, it is critical that organizations know how to mitigate them. With the development of wearable technology and remote patient monitoring, devices and data streams will become more accurate and support a wider range of health conditions.
Providers and practice managers must keep up with the evolving technology and regulatory environment. Helpful resources include literature on approved uses and FDA alerts, updates, and recalls. Relying on your professional team is also important – engage legal counsel and your medical/cyber liability carrier to discuss changes to practice policies related to RPM integration.
Photo: Maria Symchych-Navrotska, Getty Images
