What is Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)?
Remote patient monitoring can help place control of your patient's wellness into their own hands. An RPM device will also give the patient a sense that someone is out there looking after and caring for both their body and mind - helping to make sure no patient falls through any cracks in between treatments or checkups. It also helps keep them aware of their own treatment plan, and actively involved in their own care. Remote Patient Monitoring can take many forms, from online virtual caregivers checking in, to devices that measure blood pressure and heart rate, to systems that detect falls and in-activity.
Remote Patient Monitoring is shown to help with the following:
- Reduces ER visits after illness or surgery.
- Reduces hospital readmission rates for those with chronic diseases.
- Makes patients happier with professionals checking in on them.
- Better access to healthcare
- Improved quality of care
- Peace of mind and daily assurance
- Improved support, education, and feedback
88% of healthcare providers that have invested in — or are evaluating — remote patient monitoring technologies to support high-risk, chronically ill patients at risk for hospital readmission. Source: Spyglass Consulting, “Trends in Remote Patient Monitoring,” October 2019 (1)
Although monitoring vital measurements alone can be beneficial, remote patient monitoring is most effective when used in conjunction with a personalized patient care plan. Medicare and other insurers have understood this and now cover RPM care management codes that reimburse for clinical staff time spent coordinating with RPM patients over the phone. Becker's Health IT, "6 things to consider when launching a remote patient monitoring program", May 2020 (2)
How Does Amelia Home Care Help with Remote Patient Monitoring?
Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates
Amelia Home Care addresses avoidable readmissions by blending live 24/7 Professional Remote Care Coordination (RCC) with the latest intuitive remote patient monitoring.
Our team provides timely interventions, bridges external care services, and addresses patient psychosocial needs. RCCs collect and share patient data with the healthcare team, a key pillar in preventing avoidable readmissions.
With thousands of patients, Amelia Home Care is seeing a reduction in readmission rates of 91 to 95 percent.
Remote Care Coordination
Our Remote Care Coordinators (RCCs) provide face-to-face, video chat interactions with your patients to monitor and assist in adherence and reducing readmissions while improving clinical patient outcomes.
With the ability to visually record patient vitals, assess patient needs for medication refills, food, transportation to medical appointments, and social interactions, our coordinators develop personalized patient care with established protocols.
Available 24/7, RCCs cover the extended hours and weekends when staffing from Home Health is typically limited. Amelia Home Care patients thrive with more attention and interaction, and their satisfaction scores prove it!
Care Pathways
Amelia Home Care has over 95 Care Pathways currently available to our clients including combination pathways for patients with multiple co-morbidities.
These pathways include branch logic and RCC protocol for follow-up questions. Our RCCs are trained to identify and report issues with post-acute and post-surgical patients, including the identification of SIRS criteria, which may lead to sepsis.
In addition to pathways questions, vital signs, and video conferencing, we have educational videos, teach-back questions, reminders, and the ability to assist patients in obtaining appointments, video-conferencing with family members, and other members of the care team.
Psychosocial Needs and Socialization
Often, many of our patients are seniors between 70 to 95 years old, and many are lonely and isolated. The RCC’s responsibility is to engage in casual conversations, beyond the illness and discuss life, and joyful matters.
For patients who require more attention, often receive multiple video calls per day and are assigned to volunteers to check in with the patients.
The results are astonishing, leading to a reduction of readmissions, happier patient satisfaction, and increased RPM utilization rate.
Amelia Home Care Health Platform
Based on the patient’s capability and comfort level utilizing their preferred communication device, Amelia Home Care provides a variety of platforms to ensure as many patients are enrolled in the program as possible.
For patients accustomed to utilizing their own personal smartphone or tablet (Apple or Android), an easy-to-download application is provided. A telehealth kit, which consists of a tablet with built-in internet and wireless medical devices and is intuitive to operate, can be delivered to the patient’s home. If both are not viable options, their assigned RCC can render phone calls to retrieve ongoing data collection so no patient is left out of the program.
Authorized physicians, nurses, nursing staff, and Home Health agencies will have access to patient data and telehealth communication with the patient based on their security access privileges. Oftentimes, physicians and nurses find it more convenient to work with the assigned RCC. Based on schedule or ad hoc calls, the RCC can engage the physician on a group video conference with the patient by sending a link to the physician’s email or phone. Upon clicking the link, the physician will be able to join the secured video conference call with the patient.
How We Help Hospitals and Health Systems
- TURN-KEY communication center for efficient coordination of care – no implementation or set up fee.
- FACILITATE safe return to home – enabling shorter hospital length of stay.
- REDUCE unnecessary hospital readmissions.
- ENABLE the efficient and streamlined monitoring of post-acute care.
- MANAGE the volume of incoming data based upon clinically defined thresholds.
- COLLECT clinically meaningful data to enhance and adjust care.
- SUPPORT client/patient autonomy through education and communication.
- ENHANCE resource management to ensure clinical visits are necessary, with documented justification.
- DRIVE value-based care by increasing and enhancing ongoing interactions between patients and clinicians.
- DEFINE the standard of care in the marketplace.
How We Help Physician Groups
- TURN-KEY remote monitoring communication center for efficient coordination of care.
- FACILITATES ease of access to patient data.
- MANAGES the volume of incoming data based upon clinically defined thresholds.
- COLLECT clinically meaningful data to enhance and adjust care.
- SUPPORT the delivery of higher quality care to more patients.
- REDUCE unnecessary hospital readmissions.
- ENABLE the efficient and streamlined monitoring of post-acute care.
- SUPPORT client/patient autonomy through education and communication.
- ENHANCE resource management to ensure clinical visits are necessary, with documented justification.
- POSITION practice for the value-based care market by increasing ongoing interactions between patients and clinicians.
- DEFINE the standard of care in the marketplace.
How We Help Accountable Care Organizations
- CHRONIC CARE management supporting a reduction in Medicare costs.
- IMPROVED communication channels between multiple providers and specialists.
- ENABLE enhanced care coordination throughout the medical care continuum.
- REDUCE unnecessary and redundant healthcare service.
- FACILITATE your ability to meet CMS standards for cost savings.
- COLLECT clinically meaningful data to enhance and adjust care.
- SUPPORT client/patient autonomy through education and communication.
- ENHANCE resource management to ensure clinical visits are necessary, with documented justification.
- DRIVE value-based care by increasing and enhancing ongoing interactions between patients and clinicians.
- ENGAGE patients in their care and drive patient centricity.
If your organization is looking for more information about remote patient monitoring in New York, please contact the staff at Amelia Home Care. Providing Home Care Services and Virtual Caregiving Technology in Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and Westchester Counties. (929) 333-3955
RESOURCES:
- https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2020/04/how-remote-patient-monitoring-programs-are-beneficial
- https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/6-things-to-consider-when-launching-a-remote-patient-monitoring-program.html