Remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology allows health care providers to use devices that gather and analyze health information without a face-to-face appointment or in-person testing. RPM is not a new practice, but it continues to grow in popularity for the convenience it provides patients and the opportunities it offers to improve patient care. Remote patient monitoring pairs well with telehealth when patients need to be monitored for certain health conditions. It can also prevent health complications in patients who are not able to easily travel.

There are many symptoms and conditions that can be tracked through remote patient monitoring, including:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Weight loss or gain
• Heart conditions
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Sleep apnea
• Asthma

Many of the devices that patients will use may be familiar to them, including:

• Weight scales
• Pulse oximeters
• Blood glucose meters
• Blood pressure monitors

Other conditions require more complicated devices that will require patient training, including:

• Apnea monitors
• Heart monitors
• Specialized monitors for dementia and Parkinson’s disease
• Breathing apparatuses
• Fetal monitors

As the popularity and convenience of telehealth grows, so does remote patient monitoring. More providers are implementing remote patient monitoring for several reasons, including:

• The ability to monitor and prevent serious complications in remote locations
• As a pathway to value-based care
• Increase quality of care, establishing greater state of patient wellness while increasing practice revenue

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