New Video Capabilities Drive Remote Patient Monitoring for Seniors

The pandemic has changed the way patients, physicians, and medical facilities approach healthcare. Forced to isolate themselves to protect from exposure to COVID-19, patients—and seniors in particular—needed new ways to communicate with their care team. Enter remote patient monitoring, or RPM, which allowed seniors to remain in place while still having access to consistent care. RPM solutions measure a patient's vital statistics in both real-time and over time to provide better care and avoid trips to the doctor’s office or emergency room.

Seniors haven't always seen the value of RPM, mainly because they think it is hard to use. However, the pandemic flipped a switch, and consumers have become much more comfortable with connected health services, devices, and solutions. According to a new study from Parks Associates, 64% of U.S. broadband households used a telehealth service in 2021, and 25% report having used a connected medical device.

Despite increasing patient comfort levels in using technology, there has been an element missing from many RPM solutions: integrated easy-to-use video. Seniors want the ability to talk "face-to-face" with their healthcare provider during a virtual visit. As patients face challenges with transportation to a physician's office or are just fearful of leaving their homes due to the pandemic, video capabilities provide a safe way to connect with their healthcare provider personally without patients traveling to a clinic or office.

Connecting with Video

Patients have become accustomed to voice consultations but have struggled with non-healthcare-centric video solutions such as Zoom. According to a leading healthcare publication, nearly two-thirds of providers can't reliably use video consults because of the technical literacy levels of their patients. Most devices that include video aren't designed with seniors in mind—they are business solutions retrofitted to tablets for use for RPM. They haven't been integrated into solutions in a way that is simple for users. Some seniors are uncomfortable using even smartphones, rendering them an unacceptable device for RPM at scale. In addition, many third-party video solutions require users to sign into a new app, click links and enter meeting IDs. It's simply too confusing for most seniors.

RPM providers are now building video technology directly into their systems, providing an easier way for patients to connect with their providers and vice versa. Here's what's needed for video-centric RPM solutions to catch fire with the senior population:

• The device itself must be purpose-built for RPM—and seniors. A complete RPM solution includes medical devices that measure blood pressure, temperature, pulse oximetry, and more. At the heart of an RPM solution is the management console, which is often in the form of a tablet. Many companies retrofit existing tablets and iPads as their consoles, thinking that patients may be familiar with operating them. Although those solutions may look familiar, they aren't geared toward seniors. The tablet may have too many apps for patients to launch before finding one they want. These solutions may also have too many steps for patients to use the device efficiently. Instead, a straightforward user interface and one-touch access to monitoring all the physical devices is critical. This includes access to video – a patient must easily be able to initiate a video call with their provider.

The device must also be designed with 24/7 operational features like the ability to remain plugged into a power source. Up to 48 hours of battery backup and notification to the care provider is crucialin case the patient somehow removes the power source. Tabletsdo not have this functionality, making them less desirable as part of an RPM solution.

• Multi-party communication with a patient, physician, and third partyis imperative. When conducting a real-time video call between patient and physician, either may decide that a third party should be included. The solution must be able to support three-way conferences and make it easy to add participants to the video call with one-touch access.

• Better care and fewer trips to the ER. Patients must be assigned to a 24/7 care team that knows when to escalate an audio call to a video call and escalate further when needed. By seeing the patient's condition (for example, rapid breathing, pale skin, or unsteadiness) via the video platform, the care team can take the appropriate action. In some cases, a simple face-to-face video call can lead to a diagnosis that saves the patient's life.

• Audio is key to making video work. For example, the highest volume setting on a tablet may not be loud enough for a patient with a hearing impairment while conducting a video conference. This means the solution must include features like volume control designed for people with hearing issues.

An easy-to-use, feature-rich video conferencing platform allows clinicians and patients to connect when face-to-face communications are needed. Patients or providers should be able to request, schedule, and manage a video consult directly through their RPM solution. This might occur when a patient feels they need additional care or when a provider sees an anomaly in vital signs, such as increased heart rate or blood pressure. By having access to video in an RPM solution, physicians and other care providers can ensure that they provide the best possible care to their patients. And as patients become more familiar with the benefits and use of RPM solutions, the care they receive will turn from episodic to preventative.