Background: RPM is a subset of telehealth that facilitates patient monitoring as well as the timely transfer of patient-generated data from patient to care team and back to the patient. To capture data, RPM can employ a host of wired or wireless peripheral measurement devices such as implantables, biosensors, blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, and pulse oximetry, as well as sensors that collect data passively (e.g., beacons in a home that can transmit data on movement and specific activity/inactivity) and they are most often used in a post-discharge setting or between routine office visits. Some RPM may also allow for real-time video interactions between the patient and provider. Similarly, RPM can transmit user-entered data, store the data in secure records systems accessible to clinicians or care monitors, flag abnormal readings or responses, and alert clinicians/caregivers to abnormalities via e-mail or text messages. In response to these alerts, clinicians/others can log into the system, review data, follow up with patients, or take other appropriate actions. Some systems have the capacity to connect patients with additional resources such as patient health records (PHRs) or electronic medical records (EMRs), targeted educational materials, interactive self-care tools, medication optimization technologies, and health care providers.
Results: According to non-randomized trials, RPM has the potential to improve outcomes by enabling accurate and early detection and decreasing all-cause mortality rates and hospitalizations. Recent clinical guidelines strongly recommend the use of RPM for AF detection in both stroke and non-stroke patients.
Conclusions: Remote patient monitoring (RPM) can empower patients to better manage their health and participate in their health care. When used by clinicians, RPM can provide a more holistic view of a patient’s health over time, increase visibility into a patient’s adherence to a treatment, and enable timely intervention before a costly care episode. Clinicians can strengthen their relationships with, and improve the experience of, their patients by using the data sent to them via RPM to develop a personalized care plan and to engage in joint decision-making to foster better outcomes.
DOI: https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/about-us/policy-research/policy-positions/clinical-care/remote-patient-monitoring-guidance-2019.pdf
