Remote therapeutic monitoring research opens new avenues for improving stroke care and patient outcomes. This emerging field combines technology and healthcare expertise to enhance stroke patients’ management and recovery process, offering potential solutions to long-standing challenges in stroke rehabilitation.
Remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) uses technology to track non-physiological data remotely. This is data related to the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems. RTM monitors a patient’s symptoms, treatment adherence, medication adherence, and relevant health data for specific respiratory and neurological disorders, diabetes, and post-operative recovery.
In this article, we’ll explore how remote therapeutic monitoring research addresses key issues in stroke management, including patient adherence, stroke recurrence prevention, and rehabilitation effectiveness. Additionally, we will review RTM’s advantages in healthcare delivery and the future landscape of RTM.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Research
Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. According to the CDC, about 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, which occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked. One of the significant hurdles in delivering virtual care for stroke rehabilitation is the ability to effectively monitor patients’ safety, treatment efficacy, and adherence to prescribed regimens.
Compliance & Stroke Reduction
Remote therapeutic monitoring research published in Medical Data Mining found that RTM interventions can effectively enhance compliance with doctors’ advice among patients with ischemic stroke. The study included data from 10 clinical trials involving 5,092 patients. It reported a 34% increase in patient compliance when remote therapeutic monitoring was employed.
The research also showed that remote therapeutic monitoring interventions were associated with a significant reduction in stroke recurrence (relative risk: 0.42) and moderate to severe disability (relative risk: 0.71) among ischemic stroke patients. This finding underscores the potential of remote therapeutic monitoring in preventing secondary strokes and improving functional outcomes.
Motor Function & Daily Living Activities
The analysis further demonstrated that remote therapeutic monitoring interventions significantly improved Fugl-Meyer motor function assessment scores (mean difference: 10.25) and the Barthel Index of activity of daily living (mean difference: 13.62) in ischemic stroke patients. These findings suggest that remote therapeutic monitoring and guidance can aid rehabilitation and enhance patients’ independence.
Understanding Remote Therapeutic Monitoring
As technology continues to evolve and the adoption of remote therapeutic monitoring grows it is important for healthcare professionals to stay informed about the latest developments in remote therapeutic monitoring research.
Remote therapeutic monitoring offers several benefits in stroke care, including:
- Timely access to specialists: Stroke patients, especially those in remote or underserved areas, can receive prompt evaluations and consultations from stroke experts through video conferencing or remote monitoring.
- Improved monitoring and adherence: Platforms developed for RTM can provide reminders for medication adherence, track vital signs, and monitor rehabilitation progress, promoting better self-management and adherence to treatment plans.
- Reduced burden on healthcare systems: By enabling remote consultations and monitoring, solutions can reduce the need for hospital visits and admissions, thereby alleviating the burden on healthcare facilities and resources.
- Increased patient satisfaction: The convenience and accessibility of remote therapeutic monitoring research services can enhance patient satisfaction and improve healthcare experiences.
A collaborative approach that integrates traditional and remote healthcare services can optimize patient outcomes and ensure a comprehensive continuum of care.
Whether your healthcare partners are interested in adopting remote patient monitoring to improve patient adherence to medication or treatment or creating a more efficient workflow, Tenovi can help. Book a free RPM demo today.