5 Enablers Needed for RPM Success
To be successful, RPM systems need to to be designed with the best design & implementation practice
Summary
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a telehealth innovation with significant opportunity for early intervention and prevention of disease exacerbation.
Most of the attention has been on development and design of RPM technology.
Clinical and cost-effective benefits have produced mixed results to date.
The following 5 areas have been identified for successful RPM interventions.
Review
5 ENABLERS NEEDED TO DECREASE ACUTE CARE USE WITH RPM
APPROPRIATE PATIENT SELECTION:
Appropriate patient selection for RPM is crucial.
The target population for RPM should be those at high risk for hospitalization, NOT all patients
Patients with moderate to severe disease
Multiple co-morbidities
High likelihood of multiple hospitalizations
The first 90 days post index event are the highest periods of high-risk readmission
DETECT PREDICTABLE DISEASE DECLINE
RPM needs to accurately predict disease exacerbations by detecting TRUE changes related to health deterioration.
Conditions with unpredictable disease progression (e.g. COPD, heart failure) may be challenging for RPM systems.
A NEW CARE MODEL:
A response system which provides timely care
RPM alerts must be timely and appropriate.
This requires a dedicated care team actively reviewing data and improving response times
Automated data entry is preferred to decrease errors and delays
If manual data entry must occur, it needs to provide ease of use and efficient data entry
Will require regular monitoring to ensure data is entered.
Ability for bi-directional communication
INDIVIDUALIZED PHYSIOLOGIC THERSHOLDS:
Using individual data to determine alert thresholds for each patient.
Determine appropriate risk level and parameters for each patient to enable the clinical team to be appropriately alerted
Alert thresholds need to be sensitive enough to identify true physiologic changes without being too high.
Ideally, tailored to the patient and their disease state.
ENHANCED SELF MANAGEMENT:
Education:
Patient and caregiver for increased awareness of signs and symptoms of disease progression
Ongoing support
Shared decision making
Avoid patient being “lost in the data”
Building rapport
Conclusions
To be successful RPM needs to be coupled with a new model of care rather than simply implementing a new technology.
RPM interventions have the potential to reduce acute care use when targeted to the appropriate population, designed well and implemented with patients and providers in mind.
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