Reducing rehospitalizations is a major goal in healthcare regarding implications for the quality of care provided to patients and the healthcare costs associated with readmission. These readmissions pose a significant financial burden on healthcare systems and affect patients’ overall well-being. This article discusses how remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology has the potential to significantly reduce hospital readmissions by enabling timely interventions, personalized care plans, patient empowerment, and more cost-effective healthcare delivery.
Before delving into the role of remote patient monitoring, let’s first understand the gravity of the rehospitalization issue.
Why Reducing Rehospitalizations is Vital in Healthcare
In 2018, nearly 4 million patients in the United States were readmitted to the hospital shortly after discharge. Furthermore, 60% of these readmissions were Medicare patients, while 19% were covered by Medicaid. This data highlights the vast scope of the readmission epidemic afflicting our most vulnerable populations.
However, advancing technology such as remote patient monitoring (RPM) demonstrates the immense potential to catch complications early, intervene promptly, and dramatically reduce the need for patients to return to the expensive hospital setting. For patients with chronic cardiac and metabolic conditions like heart failure and diabetes, being able to transmit key physiologic data directly from their homes to clinical teams has been life-changing.
The Potential of Remote Patient Monitoring in Reducing Rehospitalization
Remote patient monitoring involves using technology to collect and transmit health data from patients to healthcare providers, allowing for timely intervention and personalized care. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in reducing hospital readmissions across various medical conditions.
A KLAS Research report found that before the COVID-19 pandemic, one-fourth of healthcare organizations said remote patient monitoring reduced emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, while 38% say the technology results in fewer inpatient admissions. Following the pandemic, studies have found rehospitalization rates declining thanks to the early detection and timely treatment of warning signs indicating destabilization.
For example, over a period of 16 months from October of 2021 until January of 2023, the Southcoast VNA’s RPM program achieved a low 30-day readmission rate at 7% for 2,621 high-risk patients. The average hospital readmission rate is 14.5%, and readmissions rates range from 11.2% to 22.3% in the U.S.
Post-Surgery and Rehospitalizations
Post-surgery complications can lead to unplanned hospital readmissions. The data is encouraging when examining remote monitoring in post-surgical recovery and reducing rehospitalizations. Patients may be wary about leaving the hospital after major procedures. However, comprehensive virtual check-ins with nurses and physical therapists during the precarious 30 days post-discharge can significantly ease concerns.
This is because complications can be flagged immediately before escalating into full-blown emergencies. Patients also feel more empowered as stakeholders in directing their own care. They heal faster, avoid setbacks, and stay out of the hospital. A 2023 study examined the use of telehealth for post-operative follow-up after surgery procedures at a VA Medical Center. Of 1,075 total patients, 346 patients had post-operative follow-up via telehealth vs. 443 with in-person visits. Data showed that the telehealth patients had a lower complication rate – 6% vs 12% for in-person.
Remote patient monitoring not only improves outcomes but also makes providing ongoing care much more economically sustainable. When reducing rehospitalizations, healthcare costs are also reduced. By leveraging remote patient monitoring technology, complications can be caught early before they escalate, which aids in reducing rehospitalizations.
Ways Remote Patient Monitoring is Reducing Rehospitalizations
From timely interventions through continuous monitoring to developing personalized care plans based on real-time data, RPM is revolutionizing how we approach patient well-being. Moreover, it empowers individuals, fostering engagement in their own healthcare journey while also proving to be a cost-effective solution, as validated by recent studies. Let’s explore the concrete ways in which remote patient monitoring is making substantial strides in reducing rehospitalizations.
1. Timely Intervention through Continuous Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring allows healthcare providers to intervene promptly when deviations from the patient’s baseline are detected, preventing the escalation of health issues.
2. Personalized Care Plans Based on Real-Time Data
By analyzing real-time data from remote monitoring, healthcare teams can tailor personalized care plans, address individual patient needs and minimize the risk of complications while reducing rehospitalizations.
3. Patient Empowerment and Engagement
Empowered patients are more likely to adhere to treatment plans. Remote patient monitoring fosters patient engagement by involving them in their own care, leading to improved outcomes and reduced rehospitalizations.
4. Cost-Efficient Healthcare Delivery
A study in the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research found that compared with usual care, RPM was highly cost-effective for hypertension, where greater cost savings may be achieved in the long term because of the prevention of high-cost health events.
Reducing Rehospitalizations with Remote Patient Monitoring
Integrating technology into patient care addresses the pressing issue of rehospitalization and signifies a paradigm shift toward a more patient-centric and cost-effective healthcare system. In conclusion, reducing rehospitalizations is not just a theoretical goal but an achievable reality with the implementation of remote patient monitoring. As technology advances, the healthcare landscape will transform positively, ensuring better patient outcomes and a more sustainable healthcare system.
Tenovi works exclusively with companies that would like to offer the benefits of remote patient monitoring solutions to healthcare providers, including rpm service and software companies, chronic care management companies, and telehealth companies. Are your partners interested in setting up remote patient monitoring for diabetes programs for their patients? Visit tenovi.com to learn more about our no sync, no app RPM hardware and software services.
