Experts say that 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with rapid diagnosis and treatment. For every hour of delayed treatment, the risk of death increases by up to 8%. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) for sepsis can detect symptoms earlier and save lives. While RPM can identify and treat sepsis early, it also reduces sepsis-related costs.
This article will examine the role of remote patient monitoring in enhancing sepsis outcomes by facilitating early detection, bolstering patient education, and enabling timely medical intervention.
Remote Patient Monitoring and Preventing Progression of Sepsis
Sepsis is the body’s overactive response to an infection and is the leading cause of hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths in the United States. It also accounts for more healthcare spending than any other condition, especially among people over 65 who are at higher risk. For nearly 80% of patients, sepsis begins outside of the hospital.
Remote patient monitoring expands healthcare out of the hospital setting and into the patient’s everyday environment. Remote patient monitoring allows patients to measure vital signs from home for early detection of sepsis. The important sign data is automatically transmitted to an RPM platform for the clinician to review and act upon.
A quality improvement study showed a remote patient monitoring program for sepsis reduced mortality rates. The program implemented best practices & achieved the top 10% nationally for low mortality risk.
At-home monitoring relieves the anxiety associated with being in a clinical setting and makes it easier for patients to take their measurements more often. To receive Medicare reimbursement for RPM, patients must use their device at least 16 days a month. Frequent measurements offer valuable daily insights rather than waiting until an in-office appointment.
How Remote Patient Monitoring Prevents Delayed Treatment of Sepsis
It is worth noting again that sepsis is a time-sensitive medical emergency. Moreover, every hour of delayed antibiotic treatment increases the risk of death by as much as 8%. If left untreated, sepsis can cause progressive tissue damage and organ failure.
Remote patient monitoring enables patients and clinicians to recognize early signs of sepsis and initiate medical intervention before symptoms escalate. Clinicians can set parameters in the remote patient monitoring platform to receive automated alerts when a patient’s vital sign readings get too high or low. As a result, they can intervene promptly and minimize harmful outcomes.
Increasing Sepsis Awareness Through Remote Patient Monitoring
With over 1.7 million hospital stays yearly, public awareness of sepsis is poor. Sepsis shares symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath, with many other conditions. Because of this, people often fail to realize the urgency of their situation and don’t seek early treatment, while sepsis can potentially be reversed.
Remote patient monitoring provides an excellent opportunity to educate high-risk patients about the symptoms of sepsis and why early intervention is essential. Additionally, RPM holds patients accountable for measuring their vital signs from home. Digital health technologies help outpatients engage in their care, encouraging them to take their health more seriously and adhere to management plans.
Now that you understand the benefits of remote patient monitoring for sepsis, we will discuss which devices can be used.
Patient Education Strategies for Sepsis Awareness
Educating patients is critical for sepsis prevention and early detection. People at high risk for sepsis should be informed about sepsis symptoms, risks, and the need for urgent treatment when it develops. Some effective patient education strategies include:
- Sepsis informational materials: Providing pamphlets, emails, or portal messages that overview sepsis risks, signs, and the importance of RPM device use can increase patient awareness. Content should highlight key facts like sepsis being the leading cause of hospital deaths.
- Teach-back method: Asking patients to explain sepsis info in their own words reinforces retention. Clinicians can also use this technique to ensure patients understand proper device usage for remote patient monitoring of sepsis.
- Motivational interviewing: Discussing how RPM helps prevent sepsis progression can intrinsically motivate at-risk patients to comply. The provider guides the patient toward recognizing the value of RPM adherence.
- Online education: Having patients review sepsis info on patient portals or via online videos allows for consistent education reinforcement.
- Reminder systems: Automated emails, texts, or phone calls can remind patients to take daily vital sign measurements. This improves RPM compliance.
Patients gain awareness and are more likely to properly use remote monitoring devices with enhanced education on sepsis risks and RPM. This enables earlier intervention when abnormalities arise, improving outcomes for sepsis-related hospitalizations and costs.
Remote Patient Monitoring Devices for Sepsis
Remote patient monitoring can effectively identify common symptoms of sepsis, such as fever, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate. One of the first signs of sepsis is an elevated heart rate, known as tachycardia. As the body responds to an infection, the heart beats faster to pump more blood and oxygen.
Second, shortness of breath can also develop as sepsis impairs oxygen circulation. Finally, fever is another classic sepsis symptom of inflammation and the body’s immune response. However, some patients experience hypothermia instead. With multiple vital sign abnormalities, patients likely have systemic inflammatory response syndrome, a precursor to sepsis progression.
RPM allows clinicians to observe these early warning signs and intervene before organ damage and mortality risk escalate. Prompt sepsis treatment saves lives. Remote patient devices for sepsis detection include:
- Blood pressure monitor: A remote blood pressure monitor will measure blood pressure and heart rate. A heart rate above 90 beats per minute may be a cause for concern. Similarly, a systolic blood pressure reading below 100 and above 220 may indicate sepsis.
- Pulse oximeter: Sepsis can cause inflammatory lung damage, impairing oxygen intake. A remote monitoring pulse oximeter device will measure blood-oxygen levels to check respiratory efficiency. Clinicians and patients should watch for a Sp02 reading of less than 90%.
- Thermometer: An RPM infrared digital remote patient monitoring thermometer is used for remote body temperature monitoring. Fever is often the first warning sign of sepsis. However, some patients report abnormally low temperatures. A body temperature above 101.3°F and below 95°F may be cause for concern.
Having 2 or more abnormal readings may indicate systemic inflammatory response syndrome, often a precursor to sepsis, and should prompt medical intervention.
Realizing the Full Potential of RPM for Sepsis Management
Remote patient monitoring has demonstrated tremendous potential for enhancing sepsis outcomes through earlier detection and treatment. However, realizing RPM’s full benefits requires an integrated approach.
- Effective screening protocols should be implemented to identify high-risk patients for RPM enrollment. Sepsis education resources empower patients to seek timely care.
- Care coordination is key: RPM nurses and care teams must collaborate to promptly act on alerts and intervene at the first sign of deterioration.
- Advanced analytics and algorithms applied to vital sign data can boost early sepsis recognition and optimize care pathways.
- Broad RPM adoption is needed, especially for Medicare patients over age 65, who are at higher risk. Telehealth and user-friendly devices help drive utilization.
By combining RPM technology with clinical expertise, care coordination, advanced analytics, and patient engagement strategies, healthcare systems can make significant strides in sepsis management. Earlier detection and treatment enabled by RPM can save lives, reduce sepsis mortality rates, lower costs, and improve patient outcomes.
To learn more about implementing a comprehensive RPM program, contact our team at Tenovi. We empower healthcare organizations to realize the full potential of remote monitoring.
