RPM’s Role in Identifying Early Symptoms of Chronic Conditions for Prevention

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is at the center of today’s rapidly evolving healthcare industry and allows providers to monitor the health of patients outside of clinical settings. RPM revolutionizes chronic disease management by detecting early symptoms of chronic diseases and implementing preventive measures they worsen.

RPM plays an active role in improving patient participation through self-monitoring. The regular health data provided by the patient via blood pressure monitors, weight scales, glucose monitors, and other such connected devices, allow clinicians to keep track of their health, address any abnormalities, and support behavioral changes while allowing patients to take control of their health.

Readings from these devices are automatically transmitted to the RPM software platform, where the clinical staff monitors them for any abnormalities/ fluctuations, analyzes the patient’s symptoms, and tailors a personalized treatment plan after scheduling a virtual consultation with the patient.

Early Detection and Prevention of Chronic Conditions

Early detection of symptoms is critical for preventing the advancement of chronic disorders. Often, by the time individuals seek medical attention, the problem has advanced to the point that treatment is more difficult and expensive. However, RPM plays an important role in resolving this situation by allowing for continuous monitoring, which aids in the detection of early symptoms and the prevention of more serious complications.

Many chronic illnesses emerge gradually over time, often without noticeable symptoms. For example, hypertension (high blood pressure) is known as the “silent killer” because it can go undetected until it reaches deadly levels, resulting in a heart attack, stroke, or renal failure. However, with RPM, care staff can continuously monitor patients’ blood pressure remotely and keep track of any changes or abnormalities.

Role of Predictive Analytics In Early Symptom Detection

Predictive analytics may help in recognizing the potential underlying health problems through RPM. Providers look for trends in patient data that may provide early indicators of the onset of chronic diseases.

Continuous heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring through wearables could offer potential insights about a person’s risk of heart disease. The patient data could be evaluated by RPM platforms through artificial intelligence and machine learning for detecting patterns or abnormalities that may point toward heart problems. An early warning system could then signal both the patient and their healthcare provider, leading them to take preventive measures such as lifestyle changes, adjustments in medication, or further testing.

Not only this, predictive analytics identifies those patients at risk for complications. A diabetic patient is at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy; however, with RPM, early signs of retinal damage can be detected during monitoring sessions so that intervention can occur at an optimal time to prevent blindness.

Timely Interventions & Adjustments to Treatment Plans For Prevention

One of the major advantages of RPM is its ability to provide the providers with the tools they need to remotely monitor their patients’ conditions and adjust treatment plans in real time. Patients with chronic diseases often need frequent adjustments in medications, diet, or lifestyle to manage their condition.

A patient suffering from a condition like hypertension needs adjustment of his/her blood pressure medications from time to time to ensure the blood pressure remains within a healthy range. A healthcare provider can use RPM to track the patient’s blood pressure regularly and adjust before he/she starts feeling symptoms like dizziness or chest pain to avoid any complications.

RPM platforms, such as HealthArc often notify the providers in real time if the blood sugar level is too high or too low. Providers can then intervene to assist patients in making quick decisions, such as modifying their diet or taking medication as prescribed. The more the patients are engaged in their self-care, the less likely complications are to arise from their chronic condition.

Chronic conditions are one of the leading causes of hospital readmission. Individuals with chronic diseases discharged from the hospital could still develop complications or face worsening of their symptoms if not taken proper care of. RPM reduces the chance of readmission by monitoring patients continuously for early signs of deterioration and allows timely interventions.

Another major advantage of RPM is that it helps in preventing unnecessary emergency cases and hospitalizations.

The Future of RPM and Preventative Healthcare

RPM is a healthcare delivery model that makes use of telemedicine technologies to improve communication between clinicians and patients while also collecting patient health data outside of inpatient clinical settings. This helps to close the present communication gap between patients and providers and increases engagement.

The majority of healthcare organizations adopting remote care technology reported increased patient satisfaction and clinical efficiency after deploying an RPM system.

Remote patient monitoring is changing the way chronic conditions are managed, especially when it comes to chronic illness prevention. Integrating RPM into modern health systems is an essential step towards controlling the global rise of chronic diseases.

HealthArc is a trusted advanced healthcare platform that connects practices with their patients and provides seamless integration with all leading EHRs via HL7 and FHIR capabilities. Healthcare providers can easily communicate with patients by voice, video, and SMS to deliver timely interventions.

Schedule a free demo today or call (201) 885 5571 to learn how our digital health platform may help you promote preventative care and improve care coordination.