Over the last two years, the U.S. healthcare system has worked around the clock to care for countless patients. The struggle has been intense, and hospitals and health systems nationwide have risen to the challenge.
Still, the heavy influx of patients resurfaced a long-standing problem. Healthcare disparities remain significant, drastically reducing access to quality care services for racial, ethnic and cultural minority groups.
Spurred by the COVID-19 crisis, nursing shortages and the incentive to avoid penalties, the industry became more innovative. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) programs pair wearable devices with telehealth response capability. These programs provide frequent patient monitoring without requiring in-person visits and tests – a capability that is especially important for those who live in remote areas, those with chronic conditions and those transitioning from hospital to home. Medical professionals can evaluate daily reports and reach out to those patients with immediate issues.
A growing number of health systems, hospitals and other providers are turning to safe alternatives to traditional health care delivery. Remote patient monitoring services are not new, but the pandemic has accelerated interest and adoption of RPM services after COVID-19 presented various health and safety risks for in-person care. Remote patient monitoring services are growing in popularity, and they are becoming increasingly necessary amid pandemic challenges, staff shortages, high census and decreasing reimbursement.
Conduit Health Partners helped three acute care hospitals reduce readmissions into the emergency department.
