TechTheDay

There’s no denying that the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced the hand of the medical technology industry to adopt telehealth options quickly. But there is a silver lining to it in the form of remote monitoring that presents the opportunity for more innovative, personalized, and equitable care. And those who implement these practices are likely to achieve long-term success since they’ll earn and strengthen patient trust while remaining ahead of the competition.

Whether your organization is looking for ways to optimize the delivery of healthcare services or enhance the experience of patients, remote monitoring is an emerging trend and the future for medical technology.

Extends the physician’s reach

An obvious advantage of monitoring patients remotely is helping physicians extend their reach and keep abreast of their patient’s progress even once they’ve left the office. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, this approach has enabled healthcare providers to monitor patients suffering from chronic conditions and diseases from afar, limiting their in-person hospital visits and minimizing any risk of viral exposure that could aggravate their health.

Promotes care for minority, rural, or uninsured patients

Minority communities generally face many barriers when it comes to gaining access to adequate healthcare, whether it’s the lack of coverage, lower income, or insufficient providers within the geographic area. This is concerning because the same communities tend to have higher rates for chronic conditions like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. And when combined with the increasing coronavirus infection, it can result in a greater number of deaths among rural residents and minorities.

With remote monitoring, healthcare providers can bridge this gap and ensure that all patients are given

Improves the quality of patient care

Remote monitoring also enables healthcare providers to ensure that their patients are given a higher quality of care through subtle reminders that may help them better manage their illnesses and conditions. For example, with ongoing coaches, patients can improve their physical health quicker than they otherwise would have. Beyond giving reminders, monitoring patients remotely can also improve the quality of their lives in many other ways.

For example, those with mobility issues like the elderly may be able to engage in physical activities without the need for the support of a caretaker, reducing their readmissions and hospital stays in the process. Moreover, it’ll allow disabled and older patients to stay at home instead of living in nursing facilities.

Lowers healthcare costs

Lastly, remote working has a significant potential for increasing savings through the improvement of patient outcomes because it prevents more severe and costly results. It also reduces expenses with the prevention of unnecessary readmissions, ER visits, and hospitalizations by opening clear lines of communication between providers and patients.

Conclusion

In the last couple of years, remote monitoring has become increasingly more common among healthcare providers alongside machine learning and AI, and patients have become accepting of its use. As a result, many experts predict that tools for remote monitoring will become even more widely used, and for this reason, medical organizations must begin adopting this practice.