The broader concept of remote patient monitoring is a form of telemedicine that uses technology to facilitate the exchange of information from the patient to the care team and practitioner. This information is usually transmitted over a cellular connection or Bluetooth device and can be scheduled as needed. Based on the captured and transmitted information, the healthcare team can assess the patients' current health conditions and make rapid decisions about the patients' likely care needs.
Guidelines issued by the American Heart Association support remote patient monitoring of patients with cardiovascular disease. The AHA determined that the technology used for remote patient monitoring contributes to the improvement of cardiovascular disease and concluded that remote patient monitoring is a cost-effective and value-added solution. In addition, remote patient monitoring contributes to effective control and reduction of symptoms associated with high blood pressure. The most common remote patient monitoring connection for patients with hypertension is the blood pressure monitor.
For patients with heart failure, telemedicine monitoring can help a patient's medical team identify and quickly respond to small changes in his health condition. Otherwise, these small changes might cause acute or urgent problems. More specifically, acute exacerbations of heart failure can be pre-emptively mitigated by using remote patient monitoring. Standard heart monitors pay close attention to the heart rate, while other connected monitoring devices for heart failure management include a body fat scale and a blood pressure monitor that monitors changes or fluctuations in a patient's blood pressure. Both of them can help measure a patient's physical indicators. Furthermore, remote patient monitoring devices can also provide data for reasonable decisions about medications, enabling practitioners to quickly respond to changes in a patient's health condition without having to be in the doctor's office.
In addition to the potential for increasingly positive health outcomes, remote patient monitoring systems for congestive heart failure can help patients stay at home with minimal disruption to their lives and keep them comfortable in their daily lives. It also means patients can stay better connected and involved with their healthcare team. By transmitting relevant information in real time, patients can respond more quickly and effectively when an emergency occurs, enhancing their overall heart failure management.
