Over the past several years, the stars have aligned for remote patient monitoring (RPM). An overhaul of the RPM CPT codes (99453, 99454, 99457, and 99458) made RPM into a lucrative Medicare management program. Medicare is making it easier for organizations to provide RPM services, and private-payer coverage of RPM is growing, in part because research demonstrates the value of managing chronic conditions and improving patient outcomes with the service. A rapidly growing number of patients are also interested in virtual care services like RPM, their interest largely fueled by the ease in which they can receive these cost-effective services.
These factors and others make it an optimal time to consider launching or growing RPM programs — especially when RPM is included in a more comprehensive care management program. Another motivating factor for organizations is they now have many choices of remote patient monitoring medical devices to offer patients with chronic conditions and include in their programs. From these options, organizations can select the medical devices that will best meet the short- and long-term care needs of their patients and maximize RPM programs’ revenue potential.
Here is some background information about four common types of remote patient monitoring devices that healthcare organizations should consider.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost half of U.S. adults have hypertension, and nearly 700,000 U.S. deaths in 2022 included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause. Organizations are increasingly leveraging blood pressure monitors, typically cuffs worn on patients' wrists, to improve hypertension management. As the American Heart Association notes, research has shown that remote cardiac monitoring can greatly reduce patient blood pressure compared to typical care and self-monitoring alone.
The use of a remote blood pressure monitor, like the 900-LTE and 802-LTE, allows healthcare providers to perform ongoing virtual monitoring and treatment of hypertension/high blood pressure. In addition, remote monitoring helps avoid misleading blood pressure readings due to "white-coat hypertension." These false results occur when blood pressure readings are higher during in-person visits than they are when patients are in other settings (e.g., home, office) due to the stress of meeting with a healthcare provider.
We hear a lot about the obesity problem in the United States, but it may be worse than you realize. CDC notes 40% of the American population was considered obese during August 2021–August 2023. This figure is up from about 31% in 1999–2000 to more than 9% during August 2021–August 2023. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of preventable cancer.
Organizations can use remote weight monitoring, typically performed via a weight scale like the 200-LTE and 300-LTE, for multiple purposes. For congestive heart failure patients, a sudden weight gain of even just a few pounds may be an indicator that the condition is worsening, prompting healthcare providers to take action, such as adjusting existing medications, prescribing a diuretic, or arranging an in-person or virtual (telehealth) visit.
For practitioners working to help patients lose weight, continuous monitoring can help assess trends and measure success. If unexpected, rapid weight loss occurs, remote weight monitoring helps ensure it is identified quickly. Practitioners can then work to reduce the risks associated with sudden weight loss, which include weakened bones, compromised immune system, dehydration, and fatigue.
Monitoring blood glucose levels is critical for keeping patients with diabetes safe. Patients often do not feel particular symptoms associated with diabetes until they experience hyperglycemia (glucose level too high) or hypoglycemia (glucose level too low). Untreated hyperglycemia can lead to the life-threatening condition of ketoacidosis (diabetic coma) and other complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. Untreated hypoglycemia can initially lead to blurred vision, confusion, slurred speech, and drowsiness, and eventually more significant complications, such as seizures, coma, and sometimes death.
Blood sugar monitoring can be performed using various types of remote patient monitoring devices, including the GL1-LTE. The cellular connectivity of an RPM device like the GL1-LTE makes it easy for data collected in the patient's home to be integrated into their electronic health record. Practitioners can then use the data captured by the remote blood glucose monitoring device to detect potential alarming changes in glucose levels and take immediate action. Also, the data can provide insights that practitioners will use to guide recommendations concerning medications, diet, and exercise.
Diabetes patients are some of the most aware concerning digital health, and monitoring blood glucose levels is one of the most effective remote patient monitoring applications. Remote monitoring of glucose levels has been proven to reduce the need for in-person visits. In addition, a study showed that 70% of high-risk diabetic patients were able to lower their A1C levels by using remote patient-monitoring medical devices.
Blood sugar monitors are also great for monitoring those with gestational hypertension and diabetes.
Use of a pulse oximeter, like the OX1-LTE, in a remote patient monitoring program offers critical insights into patients’ respiratory function and health status by measuring blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate (in beats per minute). These measurements are valuable for managing chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a variety of other scenarios, including monitoring treatments that require heart rate monitoring.
Remote pulse oximetry allows practitioners to virtually monitor a patient's respiratory health and assess whether treatments, including medications, are successful in helping patients manage their respiratory conditions. A recent study shows that remote monitoring of lung function and blood oxygen levels with connected pulse oximeters is feasible and well-received by patients. Many patients describe taking remote measurements with pulse oximeters as user-friendly and wish to continue remote monitoring.
Remote pulse oximetry is a cornerstone of managing chronic respiratory conditions, empowering practitioners to deliver more effective treatment and patients to receive better care.
In addition to the medical devices discussed above, a few other RPM devices organizations and practitioners may want to consider for patient care include the following:
If you are interested in offering remote patient monitoring services to your patients, speak to the RPM experts at Prevounce. Prevounce offers comprehensive cloud software, the Pylo line of cellular-connected devices, and expert services that simplify the provision of remote patient monitoring, chronic care management, preventive care, and annual wellness visits. The Prevounce remote patient monitoring system supports new and existing RPM programs, helping organizations collect and interpret pertinent patient data and achieve timely, compliant RPM coding, billing, and documentation.
When you book a consultation with Prevounce, one of the leading remote patient monitoring companies in the country, you’ll speak with one of our specialists who will answer the questions you have about RPM and help you determine what RPM devices are right for your organization and patients.
If you're at a stage where you're looking to learn more about remote patient monitoring and how to develop a successful RPM program, we recommend downloading this comprehensive guide.
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