Tips for Selecting the Best Remote Patient Monitoring Devices

Remote patient monitoring is a revolutionary care delivery model that allows healthcare providers to engage with patients in a non-face-to-face manner, outside of clinical settings and enables continuous, information-based patient monitoring for better clinical outcomes and prevention against complications. By leveraging digital, non-invasive health tracking and recording devices, patients can self-record their most current healthcare data and share it with their physician and care team for medical recommendations. RPM allows real-time data transmission which empowers specialists and care providers to provide up-to-date recommendations and treatment plans, eliminating dangerous discrepancies and increasing treatment efficacy. 

RPM devices play a crucial role in bridging the gap between patients and physicians and enable them to take their relationship beyond the bounds of time and place for truly holistic treatment. Patients can virtually reach out to their care team at any time from the comforts of their homes or even offices and receive direct, authentic medical recommendations. 

Additionally, by self-recording their healthcare data using RPM devices, patients become more involved in their treatment and are motivated to make vital lifestyle changes that can positively impact their progress towards recovery. Patients using RPM devices have indicated getting better sleep, relaxation and an overall sense of wellbeing and have also manifested increased adherence to treatment. 

What’s more, is that RPM has proven to be highly cost-efficient. When healthcare providers base treatment decisions on the latest and most accurate patient data, they are able to deliver precise treatments and medications, ensuring justified expenditure and no resource wastage. Furthermore, when patients receive continuous, high-caliber medical attention, their chances of hospitalization and ER visits substantially decrease, helping the healthcare industry save costs. If you are a healthcare practice wanting to implement an RPM program, the most important step would be choosing the best remote patient monitoring devices. 

In this article, we will look at some essential factors that you should consider before choosing RPM devices for your practice. 

Know about the connectivity of RPM devices

The first thing to consider when choosing the best RPM devices is connectivity. There should be consideration about how particular devices transmit patient data and how reliable, convenient and fast networking certain device types offer. The two main connectivity types RPM devices in the market offer are Bluetooth and cellular connectivity. Bluetooth RPM devices transmit data through wireless connections which can be accessed via an internet connection. Cellular RPM devices use widespread cellphone networks to transmit patient data. Companies offering these device types partner with major cell phone network providers. There are pros and cons to both connectivity types. In the end, the decision comes down to the patient demographic you are aiming to serve with your RPM program and its overall capacity. 

Pros of cellular connectivity

• Cellular networks offer the most reliable connections as cellular companies have well-established and widespread connectivity along with faster data transmission capabilities.
• Data can be transmitted in real-time using cellular connectivity without any deferral. Healthcare providers can immediately access patient data and provide recommendations or call the patient for an emergency visit if required. 
• Cellular RPM devices are easy to use and very convenient for less tech-savvy patients. These devices require minimal setup and program operators don’t have to dedicate long hours to patient onboarding and training.

Cons of cellular connectivity

• Since network connectivity is not adequate in rural areas, it can prove to be difficult for people living in such areas to operate these devices and readily connect to their healthcare providers. 
• Network outages can hinder data transmission in these types of devices. If the network that these RPM devices are connected to is experiencing downtime, patients will not be able to transmit data. 

Pros of Bluetooth connectivity

• The major advantage of Bluetooth RPM devices is no network outage issues. Since Bluetooth devices transmit data on a wireless network and don’t rely on cellular networks, patients will never face outage issues.
• Majority of RPM devices in the market use Bluetooth connectivity so there are ample options to choose from. In fact, many patients already own Bluetooth-capable devices making the job of healthcare providers that much easier. 

Cons of Bluetooth connectivity

• A con of Bluetooth RPM devices is that they don’t come with the built-in option for two-way communication between patients and providers. Patients can transmit their data but their physicians won’t be able to send recommendations on the same device. 
• Additionally, Bluetooth RPM devices may require regular updates and patients may face pairing issues making these devices a bit difficult to use for old-aged patients. 

User friendly application

The RPM devices you choose for your program must be user-friendly and easy to use. This is especially necessary if your patient population consists of old-aged, tech-averse and disabled people. Patients must find it very convenient to regularly record their data and not think of it as a hassle. In fact, they must enjoy the process of recording their vitals and feel motivated to connect to their physicians for improving their health. 

Continuous access to health data

It’s important for care teams and physicians to have continuous, unhindered access to patient data. This is why you should ensure that the devices you opt for your program have real-time data transmission capabilities so that patients can daily or even hourly record and transmit their data to their physicians. 

AI powered patient analytics

The data collected by RPM devices need to be analyzed for sending treatment recommendations and emergency alerts. If your program has AI-powered analytics support, sorting and analyzing patient data will become much more precise, fast and convenient and any chances of physician deficiencies will be eliminated. 

Conclusion

If you are a healthcare practice prospecting for the best RPM devices, you are at the right place. Leave the hassle of sourcing and distributing RPM devices to your patients to Health Wealth Safe. HWS is a full-service RPM solutions provider and offers free device delivery support for RPM and CCM programs. If you want comprehensive support for implementing and operating your RPM program, HWS is the partner you should opt for. Reach out to us today to know more about how we can help your practice generate maximum revenue and serve patients with the best medical services.