There are many ways to categorize remote patient monitoring (RPM) vendors. Some RPM companies exclusively manufacture RPM devices, while others may offer care services and RPM platforms with hardware and software integration. Evaluating the right partner may seem daunting, but understanding the key differences between these vendors can help streamline the decision-making process and ensure you choose a solution that best fits your needs and goals.
This article provides insights into evaluating remote patient monitoring vendors and tips to help you find the right partner. We highlight how to identify reputable partners with diverse device options, cloud services, billing platforms, and fulfillment services. In addition, we cover key considerations such as API integration, device and technology selection, experience, ROI assessment, support, and scaling abilities.
Evaluating Remote Patient Monitoring Vendors
Evaluating remote patient monitoring vendors is needed to ensure that your partner offers streamlined RPM device integration, billing, shipping, and fulfillment platforms, as well as the technical support your teams and patients need. Robust remote patient monitoring programs grow when RPM devices, software, support services, and processes operate efficiently and securely.
As medical staff shortages are projected to rise, healthcare systems want assurance that an RPM program will enhance efficiencies and streamline workflow, not hinder it. Patients desire reassurance that their provider consistently and securely monitors their health and offers support when necessary.
When executed correctly, a remote patient monitoring program has significant potential benefits. Therefore, it is essential to have a trusted third-party vendor manage your healthcare partners’ goals and needs. The result should allow clinicians and patients to communicate effectively while securely aggregating and managing patient data.
The following sections highlight 7 tips for evaluating remote patient monitoring vendors.
1) The Proposal Process for Remote Patient Monitoring Vendors
These 3 tips are key to creating a detailed evaluation process to ensure you find the best hardware and software company for your providers.
- Build an explicit request for proposal (RFP).
- Create a vendor checklist with detailed RFP responses alongside stakeholder needs and requirements.
- Ask remote patient monitoring companies for case studies and referrals.
The vendor partner you choose must support your organization throughout the implementation process and beyond. Additionally, the RPM vendor must have experience scaling and growing remote patient monitoring services following implementation. What if your partner wants to change device brands? Would you be able to offer them additional pairing options? With Tenovi, you can use our devices or choose from a growing list of FDA-cleared Bluetooth RPM devices with industry-leading accuracy.
2) Know the Benefits of Using a Cellular Gateway
Remote patient monitoring devices utilize either cellular or Bluetooth technology. Remote patient monitoring devices can connect to a cellular gateway or health hub, allowing automated cellular transmission of patient vitals with Bluetooth-enabled RPM devices. For example, the Tenovi Cellular Gateway connects third-party FDA-cleared Bluetooth devices and securely transmits incoming data to HIPAA-compliant servers through most cellular towers in North America. That way, providers can choose from the best device for their client, and it can transmit data through the Gateway.
The Tenovi Gateway seamlessly sends data to the Tenovi Cloud so that healthcare providers can view health data using the Tenovi RPM dashboard, or the data can be sent to a client’s software platform through API calls. The Tenovi Gateway offers the following benefits:
- FDA-cleared Bluetooth RPM devices come paired with the Tenovi Gateway.
- The patient automatically plugs the Gateway into power and data to the Tenovi Cloud.
- There is no setup required.
- Most advanced CATM-1 cellular technology.
- Connects to most U.S. cellular carriers: T-Mobile, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, AT&T, and Verizon.
- The server is HIPAA-compliant.
3) Give Your Partners Several Device Options
Remote patient monitoring engages patients in managing their health while improving their adherence to treatment plans. Providers can choose from a growing list of FDA-cleared cellular or Bluetooth remote patient monitoring devices. Is Bluetooth or cellular a better option? Ultimately, the better option is the one that works best for your patient population, organizational workflows, and RPM goals.
FDA-cleared Bluetooth medical monitoring devices often require a mobile app or internet connection. Some Bluetooth devices can be complex to pair with a smartphone. Senior patients or those who struggle with technology may encounter further difficulty if a device loses connectivity. In addition, a patient may have to establish connectivity multiple times. Devices may also require updating or reformatting from time to time.
Bluetooth devices offer the following benefits:
- Cost-effective option.
- Bluetooth devices work with internet connectivity when a patient cannot access a cellular network.
- Bluetooth devices that connect to a cellular router that is already paired and ready to use out of the box offer a seamless connection and experience.
- Many Bluetooth devices are available for healthcare providers and patients.
4) Find Remote Patient Monitoring Vendors with The Best Technology
When choosing a remote patient monitoring medical device vendor, consider how cellular and Bluetooth RPM technologies will work specifically with your partner’s patient populations. RPM devices are not meant to be a one-size-fits-all process. Schedule live vendor demos to get to know each product.
Ultimately, the best remote patient monitoring device option is the one that works for your partner’s patient population, organizational workflows, and overall RPM program goals. First, however, choosing quality devices that are FDA-cleared is essential.
Potential RPM devices include:
- wireless blood pressure monitors
- weight tracking scales
- wireless blood glucose meters
- pulse oximeters
- peak flow meters
- thermometers
5) Experience
The healthcare industry has become more competitive. As a result, RPM service and software companies, chronic care management companies, and telehealth companies must figure out how to help partners deliver quality care in the most timely and cost-efficient way. For example, when management companies outsource RPM services to a remote patient monitoring vendor, it can save time and money.
Consistent support throughout an RPM implementation and beyond is vital to creating a successful RPM program. That is why value-added services such as project management, staff, and patient training are fundamental to this step in the RPM implementation roadmap. In addition, many RPM vendors help perform device setup, education, data review, customer service, and HIPAA-compliant patient and partner technical support.
Suppose your partner wants to roll out additional RPM programs to many patients. In that case, the right vendor experienced in scaling RPM programs can offer the infrastructure and resources to support a large rollout, especially if the anticipated time frame is fast.
6) Evaluate ROI with Remote Patient Monitoring Vendors
What does adding an RPM vendor mean for your return on investment (ROI)? Closely examine the expected ROI. A basic service model for your client may cover device setup and patient education, but physicians might be required to independently perform data review and patient interaction. Again, staff shortages can present problems. A basic service model yields more ROI but will add more tasks to a physician’s workload.
Check with remote monitoring vendors to see if they offer the following services. These additional costs are essential to consider during decision-making.
- storing device inventory
- shipping devices to patients
- subscription fees
- onboarding and training patients
- managing data
- patient technical support
- client and staff technical support
A recent study reported that telehealth with remote blood pressure monitoring is cost-effective and cost-saving for managing postpartum hypertension. Healthcare systems want to recoup costs and achieve long-term returns on their investment. That is why you want to understand precisely what your partner will get for the price they will pay. After reviewing all associated costs, a full-service model may be well worth the investment.
7) Remote Patient Monitoring Vendors: Chronic and Acute Care
Remote patient monitoring pairs well with telehealth when patients require monitoring for specific health conditions. As the convenience of telehealth grows, remote patient monitoring does, too. More telehealth providers are implementing remote patient monitoring for several reasons, including:
- Advanced medical technology
- A growing awareness of telehealth
- Increased insurance coverage during the COVID-19 public health emergency
Remote patient monitoring vendors should be able to accommodate RPM programs for acute and chronic care conditions. Remote patient monitoring is an increasingly effective way to manage chronic diseases such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension. In addition, RPM can be used to monitor acute care patients following hospitalization who have been treated for a brief but severe episode of illness due to disease, trauma, and during recovery from surgery.
Sustaining a successful telehealth program requires managing chronic and acute care and an RPM vendor experienced in managing the many moving parts of rpm. In addition, it would be best to choose a remote patient monitoring vendor with the best operational support and guidance throughout the implementation.
Tenovi Remote Patient Monitoring
Simplifying RPM processes minimizes burnout and enables team members to dedicate more time to patient care than administrative tasks. Tenovi specializes in serving RPM service and software, chronic care management, and telehealth companies by offering a range of FDA-cleared cellular-connected remote patient monitoring medical devices that all connect to the Tenovi Cellular Gateway. They also accept device integration requests and offer cellular-only devices.
In addition, Tenovi offers an RPM dashboard, billing platform, fulfillment services, and world-class live technical support Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. All support requests are addressed within 1-2 hours.
Whether your healthcare partners are interested in adopting remote patient monitoring to increase patient engagement, create a more efficient workflow, or increase revenue, Tenovi can help you find the best remote patient monitoring solution. You can book a free demo today.
