Remote patient monitoring devices such as blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, and other components of the RPM technology ecosystem have become the staple of modern healthcare. So much so that the remote patient monitoring devices market is set to grow by a mammoth $70.97 billion between 2021 and 2028. But it’s not just some fancy trend. RPM devices are meaning the difference between life and death in health, working to improve various aspects of care and the clinical workflow. Today, we venture into the details as we analyze how RPM devices uplift overall health.
Better Health Literacy For Knowledgeable Self-Management
Health literacy refers to a patient’s ability to seek out the information they need to manage their condition and then take action using this data. Remote patient monitoring devices have become essential data sources sometimes within arm’s length of the patient. They arm you with the information necessary to make smart decisions about your health.
Another way RPM devices improve health literacy is by providing a direct line of access to physicians and other care partners. Audio-visual technology ensures round-the-clock and almost instant access to experts, with patients able to leverage this knowledge to get more control over their health.
The great thing about improving health literacy for patients is it supports the transition to proactive care from reactive care. This way, patients can get ahead of their health problems rather than respond to them.
Lower Risk Of Contracting Secondary Diseases
According to figures from the CDC, America experiences more than 772,000 annual healthcare-associated infections. These refer to infections that a patient acquires during hospital admission, probably from other patients or shared equipment within the facility.
Remote patient monitoring devices allow for home-based care of patients. They can receive high-quality treatment from a location of their choosing, hence narrowing exposure to health-care acquired infections such as:
- Surgical site infection
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
- Urinary tract infection resulting from catheters
- Central line-associated bloodstream infections, etc.
Moreover, RPM devices eliminate the sharing of medical equipment such as ventilators, stethoscopes, or beds. They also reduce the number of in-person appointments a patient has to make with their physicians, further cutting down the opportunities for healthcare-acquired disease transmission.
RPM Devices Improve Diagnostic Accuracy
Did you know that there are 7,400,000 cases of misdiagnosis every year in America? That’s according to a report by the Cable News Network (CNN). Further findings indicate that the US loses 80,000 patients to diagnostic inaccuracies while up to 20% of autopsies reveal severe diagnostic mistakes. Diagnostic errors have become common place, more so at a time when physician shortages have exerted even more strain on our healthcare systems.
RPM devices reduce the workload burden on the care provider, allowing clinicians to focus more on qualitative than quantitative work. The result is higher accuracy of diagnosis, which is the first step to attaining positive health outcomes. When clinicians can figure out what’s wrong with the patient right out of the bat, treatment can begin before the illness gets to a critical stage.
Additionally, this elevated precision also eliminates the possibility of taking an unsuitable approach to treatment which can further jeopardize the patient’s health.
Real-Time Oversight To Prevent Adverse Health Events
A study published by the National Institutes of Health revealed that over 17% of individuals encountered delayed medical intervention. Some of the reasons for patients not receiving the care they need in time include:
- Infrastructural challenges
- Financial issues
- Lack of timely access to patient data, and so on.
Remote patient monitoring devices can solve some of these changes to ensure patients receive care before irreversible damage sets it. For instance, RPM technology gives physicians constant access to patient vitals such as heart rhythm. Using real-time data and alter or notifications for certain threshold breaches, clinicians can react promptly to a condition before it gets to the point of an adverse event such as cardiac arrest.
Improved Mental Health With RPM
For patients, more so those managing a chronic illness, there’s a lot of focus on physical health and sadly little attention on mental wellness, which mind you is just as important in fighting any disease. Remote patient monitoring devices go a long way to promote mental health to ensure more holistic outcomes.
First of all, assurance and peace of mind come easy with patients knowing they’re constantly connected to a healthcare community. The continuous monitoring of their health via smart wearables offers peace of mind, while the improved patient engagement resulting from better health literacy and closer patient-physician relationships improve emotional wellness.
This has been substantiated by a study that the American Heart Association (AHA) carried out focusing on long-term cardiovascular illnesses. It revealed that, compared to conventional care strategies, RPM cardiac patients exhibit lower levels of blood pressure, which implied lower levels of stress and anxiety.
Diagnostic RPM Devices Improve Turnaround
Some conditions require consistent consultation with the doctor for regular examination. RPM technologies make it possible for clinicians to perform such tests remotely, allowing for quicker turnaround time for diagnosis and healthcare/lifestyle decisions.
Some common types of in-home diagnostic RPM devices that allow physicians to perform various tests remotely include:
- Peak flow meters – measure air circulation, more so for managing asthma
- Spirometers – gauge lung health by examining air capacity in real-time
- Cardiac biosensors – track heart rhythm and rate to pick out arrythmias and other heart problems
- Glucose monitors – measure blood sugar levels in real-time to inform subsequent insulin dosages
With RPM devices enabling in-home testing, feedback is available to both patients and physicians almost instantly. There’s a little lapse between severe vital deviations and clinical course correction, and that is always a good thing for creating more positive health outcomes.
This aspect of remote patient monitoring also makes it convenient for patients struggling with accessibility or mobility complications that can further aggravate the patient’s health.
Health is Our Greatest Wealth
Your health is your biggest asset and wealth. It is the true definition of happiness. Remote patient monitoring devices are essential in the push toward more holistic health solutions. They enable a multi-pronged approach to care that caters to both physical and mental well-being. If you require the services of an experienced remote patient monitoring provider to elevate your facility’s caliber of healthcare, Aura Health Solutions is here for you. Give us a call for holistic health solutions.
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