Written by: Maliha Safilullah

Maliha Safiullah is a Former Correspondent for 60 Minutes, Channel Nine Australia and is a published writer having worked as a Feature Writer for Dawn News.

With the current COVID-19 situation, remote patient monitoring has become a growing healthcare necessity with innovative care management being of an utmost concern for those suffering from chronic illnesses or for those restricted to their homes because of old age or limitation in mobility. Remote patient monitoring companies are in demand as individuals or healthcare organizations are on a lookout for ways to improve health while saving money.

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RPM solutions offer post-acute care in the comfort of a patient’s home while also reducing hospital readmissions. Similarly, RPM offers care management solutions for healthcare staff and physicians by managing chronic care remotely and providing the option of reimbursements from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

When choosing from various Remote patient monitoring companies, the decision relies on multiple factors and can be from deciding the patient demographics to the type of remote monitoring solution that suits you best. Understanding these broad aspects coupled with comprehensive planning can ensure a successful remote patient monitoring system is installed with the correct remote patient monitoring vendor.

• Experience/Company Background:

For any remote patient monitoring vendor, experience in regards to technology and patient care is of the most importance. To execute a flawless home health monitoring service successfully that not only provides comfort to the patient but is technologically superior without any drawbacks, on a daily basis, requires a high skill set and experience on the vendor’s part. A company’s background is established on it having the capacity to provide the best possible solutions and be able to implement them along with having the capacity to scale the program up to meet a patient’s or a healthcare organization’s future needs, with the longevity to stick around and see it through till the end.  The experience of a company is also demonstrated in how well it incorporates patient engagement – though most remote patient monitoring vendors may provide the latest technology and offer attractive solutions, what sets a quality vendor apart from the rest is how their system ensures patient engagement with a seamless easy-to-use system. At the end, the outcome is valued at the quality of care a company is able to provide and the standard it sets for itself in the healthcare industry.

• Customization and Collaboration Services

For better patient engagement, an RPM vendor must ensure that while it promises new telehealth technology, it is also equipped to meet patient’s or a healthcare organization’s particular requirements by offering extensive and varied solutions. A solution that may work for one patient may not be feasible for another depending on his condition and an RPM vendor that is able to not just identify the unique requirements but be able to deliver on them by developing a specific program that meets the needs of a patient or a healthcare organization is surely the one to opt for. For this purpose, flexibility and cooperation of an RPM vendor is also essential in order to work with the organization acquiring the monitoring services. The healthcare organization would need specific customization and development of programs so for a successful collaboration, it is imperative to select an RPM vendor that is adaptable and completely understands the organization’s needs.

• Compliance/Privacy/ Security:

Data privacy is very significant and it cannot be stressed enough that a substantial track record of strong compliance including FDA, HIPAA and privacy and security for patients is of the most importance. Employing regulatory standards substantiates quality of care and adds further credibility to a RPM vendor showcasing that they treat their patients’ personally identifiable information and private health information as sacred as their own and safeguard it accordingly. A RPM vendor that establishes that it secures patient data and does not experience data breaches is working for the benefit of patients and the industry as a whole. It can be recognized as a credible vendor and be considered a viable option.

• Hardware & Technology Requirements:

For any successful remote management solution, convenient yet innovative technology is the central focus but utilizing the correct technology and hardware to meet the requirements of a specific population is where a smart RPM vendor will step in and provide the relevant solution.  A RPM vendor that provides a technological solution that satisfies the patient, physician and the caregiver’s concerns in the best possible way and develops a program that facilitates all three components of the system will be the one to provide the best quality of care. Providing the relevant easy-to-use hardware solutions along with the accompanying technology that works best for a particular population and is also cost-friendly is what one should look for in a RPM vendor.

• Costs and ROI

Implementing a RPM system by optimizing costs and improving patient outcomes is what an ideal RPM vendor can do for you. Understanding the cost of the solution and the average return on investment that you provide customers while also keeping in mind the challenges faced by healthcare organizations are just the most essential concerns a vendor should have because then only will it be in a position to save your organization’s money.