Chronic disease management (CDM) is one of the biggest challenges facing global health. So far, chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes are the main causes of death in developed countries. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of deaths caused by these diseases will account for 69% of the global death toll.
CDM covers a wide range, from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and asthma to cancer, HIV/ AIDS, mental disorders, visual disorders, etc. For patients, it brings them a heavy burden both physically and economically. In the United States, the cost of treating chronic diseases accounts for 75% of the total health care expenditure.
For more than a decade, trials have been conducted on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to manage more chronic diseases. However, the progress in the application has been slow, but now, the emergence of remote monitoring of patients means that there is a feasible solution to deal with the significant impact of long-term care on the health and economy of patients.
Because the health care system has traditionally focused on emergency care in hospitals, patients with chronic diseases have never received enough education about their condition to understand how to manage themselves. They are usually sent home without monitoring until the next examination or medical crisis.
The more ideal solution is to send the patient home and let the medical staff fully participate in their own care and monitor regularly without requiring the patient to participate in the regular consultation because it is time-consuming and expensive for the patient and the medical team. RPM device allows the medical team to keep patients in their comfortable home when obtaining their vital signs data, thus reducing the pressure on patients.
Regular remote monitoring of patients will also produce better health results. Although patients may be aware of the signs and symptoms they need to pay attention to, they cannot detect subtle changes in their bodies like doctors. Remote monitoring of patients can capture these changes at the moment they occur, and send an alarm to relevant medical professionals, who can intervene in time. In many cases of acute attacks caused by chronic diseases, early intervention is a proven life-saving straw.
This kind of remote monitoring of patients has further benefits for patients. Chronic diseases can seriously damage patients' confidence and restrict them from leaving home or engaging in health activities that can improve their physical and mental health. Direct contact with clinicians will continuously monitor their bodies, which can restore patients' confidence, which in turn can improve overall health and help mitigate some of the secondary effects of chronic diseases.