A fundamental objective of remote patient monitoring (RPM) is to improve patient adherence to treatment plans and medication schedules. Better patient adherence to daily monitoring, prescribed medications, and treatments leads to better medical and economic benefits. This article addresses recent research on how remote patient monitoring improves adherence to medication and treatment protocols.
Why It’s Important to Improve Patient Adherence
Before understanding how remote patient monitoring can improve patient adherence, it’s essential to grasp the challenges of patient non-adherence. Patient adherence pertains to how individuals comply with prescribed treatment plans, medication regimens, and lifestyle adjustments. It’s a complex issue influenced by various factors, including the complexity of the regimen, patients’ understanding of their condition, socioeconomic factors, and more.
First, medication non-adherence is when patients do not take their medications as prescribed. Researchers have identified 80 factors causing barriers to medication adherence. Improving patient medication adherence is a goal for medical care providers. Medication non-adherence is not without significant therapeutic and economic consequences. This leads to substantially worsening diseases and chronic conditions, hospitalizations, and increasing healthcare costs.
Conversely, medication adherence is when patients take their medication as prescribed. 80% or more adherence rates are generally needed for optimal therapeutic efficacy. However, it is estimated that adherence to chronic medications is roughly 50%. Remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) services collect non-physiological data. RTM monitors therapy medication adherence and response, musculoskeletal and respiratory system status.
According to the World Health Organization, medication adherence impacts patient outcomes more than a specific treatment directly. Furthermore, medication adherence seriously affects quality and length of life, healthcare costs, and health outcomes. In addition, medication non-adherence costs in Medicaid have been reported at $8 billion.
Many digital health channels are available today to aid in patient medication and treatment adherence. For instance, telehealth counseling, text messaging, prescription mail order programs, reminder alerts, and easy access to medical staff. The following sections highlight digital channels encouraging patient adherence.
Digital Health to Improve Patient Adherence
Improving provider and patient education through active and passive communication offers the opportunity to engage patients in improve patient adherence to taking daily remote patient monitoring measurements, medication schedules and treatment plans. For example, digital technology in remote therapeutic monitoring allows patients to receive consented automatic medication alerts and reminders via text and email. This helps keep patients on schedule with their medications, and notifications can be sent to medical providers when patients are not taking medications as prescribed.
Additionally, increased access to telehealth patient portals allows patients to request prescription refills and appointments and to speak with their physicians. American Medical Association (AMA) 2022 research shows 43% of physicians currently use telehealth and RPM tools to improve patient engagement (up from 26% in 2016).
Improving Patient Adherence with RPM
How can a remote patient monitoring device improve patient adherence to treatment plans? Remote physiological monitoring services require patients to record and transmit vital signs at least 16 days per month. However, low patient adherence to daily measurements kills remote patient monitoring programs. That’s why working with a reputable remote health monitoring company with robust remote patient monitoring solutions is essential.
For instance, the Tenovi RPM platform increases the number of patients eligible for Medicare CPT 99454 reimbursement by 27% compared to leading cellular RPM devices. Each morning, the Tenovi Gateway LED ring light is red, reminding the patient that it’s time for the patient to take a measurement. The LED ring turns green once a measurement is sent to the cloud.
This simple visual reminder aids in patient adherence to taking measurements. In addition, providers can set up alert notifications that provide auditory reminders to the patient. With RPM, patients do not have to write down information, take pictures, or send readings to their provider. Tenovi RPM devices make RPM easy as there is no pairing or need for an app. The devices are ready to use right out of the box.
The real-time data collected by remote patient monitoring devices are transmitted to healthcare professionals, allowing them to gain valuable insights into patients’ progress.
Real-Time Patient Data and Improving Patient Adherence
When physicians have a daily flow of real-time data, it clarifies if a patient is following prescribed medication and treatment protocols. When a patient takes their vital sign reading, the data acquired through the remote medical devices is automatically transmitted in real-time and saved in the patient’s virtual record in the remote patient monitoring dashboard. The dashboard is where doctors and other caregivers can retrieve patient data. Regular data recordings allow care providers to quickly identify any variations in vital sign readings. Providers can set thresholds and alerts to notify the physician if the reading exceeds the set limit.
RPM Data and Rapid Intervention
Thanks to recurring data from RPM solutions, healthcare providers can quickly identify when patients struggle with treatment and medication non-adherence or when a prescribed treatment does not result in the desired effect. If conditions persist or become more severe, physicians may quickly intervene and adjust treatment plans.
Reacting in real-time to conditions can preempt hospitalization or emergencies. A recent cost-utility analysis published in the Journal of American Medicine Association (JAMA) suggested that remote monitoring has the potential to be associated with 87% fewer hospitalizations, 77% fewer deaths, and reduced per-patient costs of $11,472 over standard care and gains of 0.013 quality-adjusted life-years.
RPM Engages Patients in Treatment Adherence
With RPM, patients can easily access clinical information such as vital sign results. Patients who take regular vital sign readings become inherently more aware of their conditions and treatment needs. The better the patient understand their condition, the more likely they are to practice healthier behaviors, watch for complications, and frequently communicate with their primary care provider.
This increased level of engagement encourages patients to improve adherence to medication and treatment schedules. Patient engagement can limit the potential for chronic disease conditions and symptom regression, potentially increasing general well-being. According to a Telemedicine and e-Health study, higher levels of patient activation and engagement with remote patient monitoring technology were associated with better glycemic control outcomes in diabetes patients. Specifically, patients uploading biometric data at least once per day were less likely to have HbA1c levels over 9% than patients who uploaded their data every two days or less frequently.
With access to real-time data and insights into their condition, patients are more likely to comprehend the importance of adhering to their treatment plans. This knowledge fosters a sense of ownership over their health journey, motivating them to participate in their care actively and consistently follow medical recommendations.
If patients do not follow remote physiological monitoring procedures, poorer results than expected may be achieved. Therefore, identifying factors that influence patient adherence is of great importance. Easy-to-use devices are one factor to consider.
RPM Devices for Improving Patient Adherence
Remote patient monitoring is ideal for, but not limited to, acute and chronic conditions such as:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart/cardiovascular conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Cancer
- Kidney disease
- Sepsis
Recent research shows that RPM real-time data tracking is helping to cut down on unnecessary hospitalizations. Specifically, a study published in BMJ Journal reported that RPM reduces acute care use for patients with cardiovascular disease and COPD.
In addition, a pilot study published in PLOS One suggests that remote physiological monitoring coupled with device reminders could help promote self-care treatment plans while potentially reducing hospital readmissions. The authors suggest mobile health-driven interventions such as an activity tracker or remote weight monitoring scale.
FDA-cleared RPM devices, such as blood pressure monitors, weight tracking scales, wireless glucose monitors, pulse oximeters, thermometers, and peak flow meters, automate patient vital sign data acquisition to help healthcare teams gain more precise insight into patient symptoms and conditions. In addition, devices can send reminders to patients to take their measurements and medication. Furthermore, digital pill boxes can remind patients to take medications throughout the day. This is a significant benefit for patients struggling to improve adherence to treatment and medication plans.
User-Friendly RPM Devices
Reliable, easy-to-use RPM medical monitoring devices that require no setup for patients naturally encourage and make navigating RPM simple for patients. Similarly, quality remote patient monitoring software tools with thoughtful features make it easy for care teams to keep patients engaged while generating steady revenues.
A systematic review published in BMJ Open concluded that remote patient monitoring interventions effectively reduce acute hospital events when designed with patients, providers, and the implementation setting in mind and incorporate the following key variables.
- Targeting populations at high-risk
- Accurately detecting a decline in health
- Providing responsive and timely care
- Personalizing care
- Enhancing self-management
- Ensuring collaborative and coordinated care.
Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring
As the healthcare landscape evolves, technologies like remote patient monitoring stand at the forefront of efforts to improve patient adherence. Following the COVID-19 crisis, the potential benefits of remote monitoring quickly became apparent.
Here are just a few additional benefits of remote patient monitoring:
- Improving healthcare access, especially for underserved and rural patients
- Reducing costs incurred through unnecessary office visits and hospitalizations
- Increasing patient convenience, engagement, and satisfaction
Currently, The Boston Consulting Group reports that many healthcare providers believe that 60% of patient interactions for primary care will be conducted virtually within three to five years. By offering personalized care, timely interventions, patient empowerment through information, and fostering accountability, remote patient monitoring addresses the challenges that have historically hindered optimal adherence to treatment plans.
Whether your healthcare partners are interested in adopting remote patient monitoring to improve patient adherence to medication or treatment, create a more efficient workflow, or increase revenue – Tenovi can help you find a better solution. Book a free RPM demo today.
