Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) is poised to revolutionize healthcare by enabling patients to engage with care teams through digital platforms. Over half of U.S. adults suffer from musculoskeletal conditions, making RTM’s tailored care vital. It empowers patients, reduces barriers like distance and costs, and prevents emergency visits through proactive intervention. Digital care management and patient-reported outcomes enhance outcomes, making RTM a game-changer in value-based care delivery.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) is poised to revolutionize the way health outcomes are improved. By leveraging this technology, healthcare teams can promptly intervene when patients’ conditions deviate from expectations, potentially mitigating complications and averting unnecessary emergency department visits.
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in healthcare delivery, propelling physicians into patients’ homes virtually. This evolution has transcended traditional telehealth, leading to the emergence of remote therapeutic monitoring.
RTM, a reimbursable innovation, enables patients to engage with healthcare professionals through care management apps on their smartphones. Patients can share non-physiological data, seek guidance, access educational materials, and report their progress at any time of day or night.
In the United States, where almost half of adults grapple with musculoskeletal conditions impacting their overall well-being, RTM holds particular promise. This is especially true for those preparing for or recovering from common knee and hip surgeries.
RTM empowers patients to take charge of their health, reducing the need for in-person visits. This is particularly beneficial for individuals residing in rural areas, enhancing accessibility to care. Furthermore, RTM has the potential to slash avoidable emergency room visits and subsequent readmissions, curbing the skyrocketing costs of healthcare.
To delve deeper into RTM and its transformative potential, we spoke with Bronwyn Spira, CEO and co-founder of Force Therapeutics, a digital care management platform vendor.
Q: Please elucidate the concept of remote therapeutic monitoring and its emergence.
A: The concept of delivering high-quality care remotely gained prominence during the pandemic, with both patients and healthcare providers embracing virtual care, including telehealth. Going beyond virtual consultations, RTM plays a pivotal role in the virtual care management landscape. It employs technology to provide a comprehensive view of patients and their entire care trajectories.
RTM technology engages patients, enabling them to report progress and key metrics, such as patient-reported outcomes, adherence to medication, pain levels, response to therapy, and physical activity, among others. This sets it apart from remote patient monitoring, which focuses on physiological data collection through devices like glucose monitors or smartwatches. RTM has proven effective in enhancing patient engagement, satisfaction, care quality, and outcomes while reducing costs for both patients and providers.
In 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services endorsed the efficacy of RTM by introducing new CPT codes. These codes make remote care for respiratory and musculoskeletal conditions reimbursable when delivered through digital care management platforms approved by the Federal Drug Administration as medical device software.
It’s important to note that CMS mandates more than mere remote education and to-do lists for reimbursement eligibility. Both patients and providers must meet specific engagement and interaction criteria as part of a prescribed care plan.
Q: You highlight the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions and RTM’s relevance. Could you elaborate?
A: Indeed, over 50% of the adult population in the U.S. grapple with musculoskeletal conditions, which bear substantial individual and societal costs. These conditions lead to daily pain and mobility challenges, affecting quality of life, and mental health, and exacerbating comorbidities like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity. RTM, facilitated by digital care management, becomes particularly pertinent as knee and hip conditions become more prevalent. It aids in surgical preparation, recovery, or even deferral, offering a holistic approach to care tailored to individual patient needs.
Digital care management not only extends evidence-based care to underserved populations but also makes it more accessible and cost-effective. By providing care at home, patients can manage their conditions or post-surgery recovery without the added expenses associated with in-person care. Furthermore, digital care management facilitates efficient communication between care teams and patients, ensuring timely intervention and personalized care that prevents emergency visits and readmissions. Patient-reported outcomes offer insights into utilization, pain, function, mental health, and overall experience, enabling care teams to adapt strategies and enhance patient outcomes.
Q: You mention RTM’s potential to empower patients and reduce in-person visits. How does this work?
A: RTM addresses barriers faced by patients in rural or underserved areas, as well as those who struggle with access or costs related to in-person visits. Traditional in-person monitoring often incurs expenses for transportation, time off work, childcare, and travel, dissuading many from seeking care. Digital care management technology overcomes these hurdles, bridging gaps related to access, language, and education disparities. Patients can engage in evidence-based care at home, benefiting from tailored and adaptable care pathways.
RTM enables proactive monitoring, alerting care teams to deviations from expected progress. Timely interventions prevent potential complications and unnecessary visits to the emergency department. By providing access to educational content and gamified care plans, patients actively participate in their recovery. Virtual care fosters a robust connection between patients and providers, leading to improved outcomes and reduced costs for all stakeholders.
Q: How does RTM contribute to reducing ER visits and readmissions?
A: Musculoskeletal care accounts for a significant portion of U.S. healthcare spending. Avoiding the expenses associated with emergency visits and readmissions is critical for cost containment and outcomes improvement.
Through digital care management and RTM, patients actively engage in their recovery, reporting progress and outcomes. Care teams receive real-time insights into patients’ pain, activity levels, medication use, and potential complications. This proactive approach allows for swift and personalized interventions, preventing emergency department visits.
For instance, a patient’s concern triggered an immediate response from a care team, avoiding an unnecessary ED visit and steering the patient toward a smoother recovery. Digital care management facilitates personalized care delivery, reducing stress, and costs, and enhancing patient experiences.
As healthcare shifts toward value-based models, digital care management becomes indispensable. It not only aligns with reimbursement requirements but also produces clinically significant improvements. By enabling patients to drive their recoveries and fostering direct communication with care teams, RTM enhances patient outcomes and shapes the future of healthcare.
