This article highlights the latest research and developments shaping the landscape of telehealth and patient care. Our exploration spans innovations such as a postage stamp-sized wearable cardiac ultrasound imagers to studies revolutionizing stroke prevention strategies and patient adherence in chronic conditions. We’ll dissect the implications of these advancements, exploring how they stand to transform patient care, improve outcomes, and alleviate the burden of chronic diseases.
Remote Patient Monitoring Lastest Research
This week’s first example of remote patient monitoring in the latest research involves continuous cardiac imaging. Cardiac imaging is beneficial in the assessment of cardiovascular health and aids in the detection of cardiac conditions. Most cardiovascular diseases occur when the heart is not pumping enough blood. While the body is resting, detecting if the heart is improperly functioning can be challenging. In contrast, it makes it possible to identify abnormalities when the body is moving.
With this in mind, engineers and physicians at the Xu lab at the University of California, San Diego, created a wearable device that allows providers to capture images of the heart when a patient is engaged in an activity. As a result, patients can now undergo real-time cardiac ultrasound imaging with a postage stamp-sized wearable patch measuring only 0.75 (L) x 0.87 (W) x 0.035 (T) inches.
The tiny device can assess the heart’s structure and function. It sends and receives ultrasound waves in real-time to generate a constant stream of images of the heart’s structure. This ultrasound patch is soft, stretchable, and adheres well to human skin, even during exercise.
Why is Cardiac Imaging Performed?
Cardiac imaging enables healthcare providers to take pictures of the heart, blood vessels, and surrounding anatomy, showing blood flow to and around the heart. Cardiac imaging tests allow a provider to diagnose, treat, and manage heart disease.
It is beneficial for several reasons, including:
- Early screening for heart conditions.
- Diagnosing a heart condition.
- Identifying if a heart attack occurred and the extent of the damage.
- To detect the cause of symptoms.
- Evaluation of treatment success.
What Conditions Can Cardiac Imaging Diagnose?
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. Heart disease is a term used to describe several heart conditions. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading type of heart disease.
Cardiac imaging can help qualified healthcare professionals diagnose, treat, and manage heart diseases, including:
- Arrhythmia
- Congenital heart conditions
- Congestive heart failure
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Heart valve disease
- Heart lining disease
The Xu lab at the University of California, San Diego, plans to work with Softronics to market the remote patient monitoring device.
Hypertension
The second example of remote patient monitoring in the latest research involves chronic hypertension (high blood pressure). Hypertension puts an individual at significant risk for stroke. However, developing an effective stroke prevention strategy for patients can be challenging for healthcare professionals. Cellular and Bluetooth medical monitoring devices offer a promising approach to monitoring vital signs for stroke while improving patient outcomes.
A study published on February 3, 2023, followed patients with suspected stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA), to compare a home hospital monitoring program (NORAHOME) and traditional methods. Researchers found at-home monitoring to be a safer strategy than standard routine care. In addition, the program improved self-assessed health outcomes and experience compared to routine clinical Practice (RCP).
Patient Adherence
The third example of remote patient monitoring latest research involves a study published in JMIR Cardio on patient adherence in the daily blood pressure, pulse, and weight monitoring management of patients with heart failure. The study showed high adherence to transmitting physiological monitoring (weight, blood pressure, and pulse). Results ranged from 90% at the start of the study to 71% after 12 months. Notably, patient adherence worked best for weight measurement.
Remote Patient Monitoring in Chronic Conditions
Six in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease. Equally alarming, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in America. It is also the top driver of healthcare costs. Moreover, among all age groups, chronic disease rates are expected to worsen over the next several decades. Likewise, the emotional and financial expenses significantly stress the patient and caregivers. In the same manner, financial burdens on health resources hinder economic growth.
Despite the bleak numbers, healthcare organizations are continuously working to implement new innovative technologies to treat and manage chronic conditions. Patients with the best health outcomes adhere to regular screenings, check-ups, vital sign monitoring, and patient education. Consequently, a patient’s quality of life improves significantly when the effects of chronic disease are minimized.
Remote patient monitoring is beneficial in managing chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Additionally, remote monitoring programs reduce hospital costs due to decreased length of stay and reduce hospital readmission rates.
How Can Tenovi Help?
Patients who use Tenovi’s remote patient monitoring devices report spending much less time setting up the device at home and greater ease of use, which leads to increased patient data for providers to implement improved patient care. Moreover, research showed that Tenovi’s platform increased the number of patients eligible for Medicare CPT code 99454 reimbursement by 27% compared to other leading cellular remote patient monitoring devices. Book your free demo with Tenovi today.
