Have you heard of it? A new service is revolutionizing the way preventive health care is delivered in the United States. The adoption of remote patient monitoring services not only provides more effective care but also provides significant financial benefits.
Remote patient monitoring services, also known as remote physiological monitoring, use digital technology to monitor and capture patients' medical and other health data and transmit this information electronically to healthcare providers for evaluation. When necessary, they can provide advice and instructions.
The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) notes that the remote patient monitoring services "can also help people stay healthy, keep older and disabled people in their homes longer and avoid having to move into unfamiliar care facilities. In addition, they can reduce times of hospitalizations and readmissions, and the length of stay, all of which help improve quality of life and control costs."
Remote patient monitoring services were already growing in popularity before the COVID-19 health crisis, which can be attributed in part to changes in CPT codes. Their popularity has put them in the spotlight as one of the most profitable healthcare management programs. And providers are increasingly adopting technology to support patients' health and well-being.
When the COVID-19 struck, the value of providing remote patient monitoring services for patients who are expected to reduce travel and direct contact with others became even more apparent. The government recognizes it as well. That is why it expanded the medicare coverage of remote patient monitoring services from those with chronic conditions to those with chronic and acute conditions, as well as supporting other changes to increase the use of remote patient monitoring services.
If we can begin to address the growing costs associated with treating chronic diseases, our health care system can shift more of its focus to prevention. Industry leaders are fully aware that effective prevention is one of the most effective ways to reduce healthcare costs and improve patient well-being. But with so many Americans already suffering from chronic diseases, it's hard for industry leaders to focus on that. With remote physiological monitoring, we can greatly expand patients' access to care and quickly solve problems arising from changes in health conditions before they occur. The substantial annual savings are compounded by fewer emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and readmissions. These benefits are the reason to invest in remote patient monitoring services now.
