Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) allows patients to be cared for in the comfort of their own homes. The VitalCare platform offers many benefits to patients, caregivers, and families. Below are just a few of the many RPM benefits.
Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring
#1 : Reduces Cost and Inconveniences
Remote patient monitoring reduces preventable readmission rates and reduces inconveniences to patients. Patients can avoid the added costs associated with in-person visits, including:
- Lack of reliable transportation
- Travel expenses
- Distance to healthcare providers
- Taking time off work
- Childcare
- And more
Allowing patients to receive quality care from the comfort of their homes without having to be burdened with transportation costs or amplified travel time is part of the patient-centered solutions offered by VitalCare. Patients can be more engaged in their health and wellness management through surveys and questionnaires, patient education, medication and nutrition modules, and the application’s ability to conduct audio and video calls and messages directly. Removing the transportation barrier alone will allow these patients easier access to critical care.
From a provider standpoint, VitalCare empowers care teams to provide early intervention of patient deterioration or other adverse events that have substantial financial impacts. By utilizing the VitalCare platform, clinicians can identify patients at risk for high-cost re-hospitalizations and make proactive health care decisions, supporting a more financially prudent care path such as avoiding a costly ICU stay.
#2 : Early Intervention
VitalCare offers customizable kits based off patient needs and conditions, as well the option for patients to “bring your own device.” By using VitalCare, physicians are able to monitor vital signs, including heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, glucose, temperature, weight, SpO2, and more, with the ability to create custom alert thresholds to ensure small problems don’t become larger.
Early identification of patient deterioration is key to the intervention of serious conditions that could lead to a readmissions and/or adverse events. A patient’s clinical deterioration frequently occurs several hours prior to an event1. Through vital signs, activities, and/or patient reported symptoms and outcomes provided in real-time via VitalCare, your clinical care teams are armed with a potential window of opportunity for intervention if detection of signs and symptoms occurs early.
The VitalCare care teams can work with you and your staff to create and implement the best practices and workflows to address early clinical deterioration. VitalCare provides your clinical care teams with intelligently filtered information regarding specific patient conditions that can improve clinical decision support. VitalCare works within your established workflow, providing a seamless full-stack platform without extra burden to your staff’s workload.
#3 : Builds Strong Relationships between Patient and Clinician
Remote patient monitoring relieves the stress of making appointments and incurring wait times, making it easier for patients and physicians to connect. Due to this seamless, instantaneous communication, RPM provides patients with enhanced levels of education, support, and feedback. This results in a stronger relationship between the patient and provider which allows for a more comfortable environment and feelings of patient security in their care.
With VitalCare, care teams can easily share patient education materials, send surveys and questionnaires, and communicate via asynchronous communications. This provides patients with the information they need to feel empowered in their care plan.
“Patients love to have their provider’s time, they feel like they are being heard… Love the interaction” – Physician Implementing RPM2
#4 : Improves Access to Care
Patients in any location can access providers through the VitalCare app which uses real-time data to provide improved, proactive care. Patients are given better access to providers and are empowered to take control of their own health.
In the past, we have seen the following barriers to patient engagement:
- Broadband access – as a strategic partner of AT&T, we are able to offer VitalCare with FirstNet enabled tablets, increasing accessibility to patients who live in rural or underserved areas without the risk of disruptions in service
- Patient isolation – VitalCare and VitalCare Family reduce isolation by offering the patient the ability to increase their engagement, leading to improved compliance.
#5 : Reduce Staff Burnout
With RPM, Physicians decrease their chance of burnout because they are able to connect to patients virtually and instantly with relevant patient data making patient visits more efficient. RPM also increases the ability for physicians to treat more patients.
VitalCare empowers care teams by providing clinicians with the ability to stratify risk and prioritize resource deployment to the highest acuity patients. This allows for a more efficient use of the resources available.
#6 : Patient Safety
Patients with chronic diseases are at higher risk of developing serious complications from their conditions or illnesses like the flu and COVID-19. VitalCare improves patient safety by keeping patients home and away from places like waiting rooms that pose a high chance of exposure.
#7 : Increased Patient Compliance
Non-compliance is one of the largest risk factors for readmission1; meanwhile, patient engagement is one of the leading indicators of positive health outcomes. When patients are given the opportunity to take control of their disease state by self-monitoring their vitals, track their medications, nutrition intake and communicate with their physician from anywhere, they have a much higher level of care plan compliance.
Care teams and patients have the added support of the VitalCare support team and care navigators who will provide direct outreach to a patient to determine what is causing the lack of compliance. Based upon responses provided by the patient, a new action plan will be put into effect to increase patient engagement, including but not limited to an increase in patient education on their disease state, advantages of being in a program like theirs, increases in reminders and tasks, as well as outreach by their care team.
VitalCare works hard every day to keep patients happy and healthy while staying at home! There are many benefits to monitoring patients at home, so let’s continue to provide them with the best options for their health! To learn more information contact us!
Resources:
- Predicting and Monitoring Clinical Deterioration
- CWH Advisors: RPM Scan Study
