THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
Due to the global coronavirus epidemic, more healthcare providers are utilizing remote patient monitoring to ensure the safety of both patients and staff
The pandemic that has seen COVID-19 infections spread across the globe has prompted significant changes in the healthcare industry.
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
Numerous organizations have implemented telehealth solutions to assist patients and medical staff in remaining as socially isolated as possible to avoid spreading sickness.
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has been a critical component of this. Healthcare practitioners can monitor patients more safely with an RPM solution in place, allowing them to remain at home while still watching their progress. It is not merely a tool to aid in recovery from the pandemic. RPM will be a critical tool for arranging effective and safe patient care. RPM is a method of providing healthcare to patients from a distance. Individuals are connected to providers in healthcare settings ranging from practices to hospitals to clinics and research centers via technology and software. The patient and physician exchange information digitally, with security safeguards to protect the patient's personal information. RPM is especially advantageous in remote, rural areas where patients have historically been underserved. When hospitals and clinics close due to economic downturns, remote monitoring becomes a critical lifeline for these vulnerable patients. And when one considers that hospitals and doctors' offices have been overwhelmed by patients infected with the novel coronavirus, it makes a lot of sense to give services to patients remotely using RPM systems. RPM usage data indicate that it is increasing in popularity. Additionally, researchers' forecasts for its future application for healthcare to consider. According to Insider Intelligence, the United States will likely have 30 million patients using RPM systems by 2024.
Around 9.0 percent employed RPM in 2020 and 9.9 percent in 2021. By 2024, over 11.2 percent of patients will be utilizing RPM in some form, according to eMarketer figures.
When it comes to digital health and telehealth solutions, their ease of use and accessibility allows patients to remain at home while their doctors and nurses monitor their vital signs and other information. The data is transmitted via the Internet from the equipment worn by patients in their homes. RPM devices include blood pressure monitors that patients wear to check their condition. Patients with respiratory problems (particularly those at risk of contracting COVID-19) can wear pulse oximeters to monitor their blood oxygen saturation levels in real-time for remote monitoring by their doctors. Patients with diabetes wear continuous blood glucose monitors, which assist them in remembering to take insulin and provide data to the professionals supervising their care.
Through video conferencing calls, healthcare providers can better understand their patients' situations. This data is in addition to the continuous data transmitted by devices in remote monitoring systems.
With such specialized tools for monitoring patients' vital signs, RPM telehealth systems utilize the microphone and camera incorporated into the patient's smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. The numerous benefits associated with RPM are a healthcare tool that many clinicians are likely to continue utilizing. And as the broader community gains familiarity with this technology, the healthcare sector may predict that more patients will want to join them online. For increased convenience, remote telehealth sessions can be combined with home healthcare services.
More in News