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Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring Devices
Advantages of remote patient management include the ability to send data to healthcare professionals in real-time, increased affordability, increased accessibility, increased patient engagement, and a larger physician pool.
SENDING DATA IN REAL TIME
Remote patient management permits data to be sent to physicians and other healthcare professionals in real-time. The patient can use a mobile device to perform routine tests without having to physically visit a hospital. This is extremely important for those with chronic illness that would typically have to visit a physical healthcare center regularly. Incorporating remote patient management, using real-time analytics, can improve a patient's quality of life by helping them to maintain independence, minimize spending and prevent complications.
Remote patient monitoring and trend analysis of physiological parameters can inform patients if they have a critical deterioration in health, so that they can seek emergency care immediately.
MORE AFFORDABLE/ fewer DOCTOR VISITS
Remote patient management allows for significant savings. It allows patients to receive prescriptions and find out test results remotely, decreasing frequency of visits. By reducing the number of visits for more routine reasons, hospitals are becoming less crowded. This helps hospitals to admit patients quickly who actually need emergency care. Remote patient management can also help to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. For example, a person with influenza can be treated from home and will be less likely to spread the virus to others. In a recent study by Oxford University Institute of Biomedical Engineering, physician appointments dropped by 25%, when they used a mobile app that was developed by the institute. The American Hospital Association reported that telemedicine has helped to cut costs by 11% and has increased ROI for investors over three times.
Easier access to care
A recent Cisco survey reported that 74% of patients stated that they would rather have easy access to healthcare over in-person visits with providers. Remote patient management allows patients who are homebound, have heavy work schedules, and those living in remote areas to access health care. This is especially true for patients that are disabled and may normally need assitance getting to and from appointments. Doctors can see patients online; therefore, patients do not have to wait for an appointment date and can be seen faster.
INCREASED PATIENT ENGAGEMENT AND QUALITY OF CARE
A recent study indicated that remote patient care has lowered patient scores for stress, anxiety, and depression. Patients who use remote monitoring devices had an average of 38% fewer hospital admissions than those who did not partake in telemedicine. Telemedicine introduces patients to primary care and preventive measures and allows them to interact with healthcare professions in ways they were not able to before.
PATIENTS HAVE A LARGER pool OF PHYSICIANS TO CHOOSE FROM
Patients have a larger selection of doctors to chose from. They can choose specialist referral services, primary care, consumer medical and health information, remote patient monitoring, and medical educational services outside their geographic scope. This helps patients to develop stronger relationships with physicians and be more selective when choosing a provider. In the United States there are only 43 specialists available for every 100,000 patients living in rural areas. By using remote patient monitoring, patients have access to a greater pool of specialists to choose from.