Todd Bellemare, SVP of Strategic Solutions at Definitive Healthcare04.24.23
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) adoption grew by nearly 1,300% in the past three years, according to Definitive Healthcare. This massive hike in adoption coincided with the rise in telehealth and virtual care, which was accelerated by the pandemic.
RPM can involve issuing patients dedicated devices like insulin monitors or data-transmitting pacemakers, as well as the usage of metrics from consumer wearables like FitBits or Apple Watches. While a 2022 Deloitte survey found that 41% of consumers own a smartwatch or fitness tracker, physicians aren't quite keeping up with the trend.
For example, personal devices allow individuals to track their heart rate, blood oxygen levels, activity, and sleep duration for trends and abnormalities. People can share this data with their doctors to get a head start on diagnosis when they have a health concern.
The demand for personal monitoring suggests that people want more flexibility in their healthcare options, reduced costs, and greater knowledge about their well-being. Physicians are taking notice and slowly beginning to embrace RPM more.
According to research from Definitive Healthcare, primary care providers and cardiologists are most likely to implement RPM into patient care plans. These two practices account for half of all RPM adoption. Claims data show hypertension and diabetes — two of the most widespread chronic conditions in the U.S. — are the most common diagnoses associated with RPM procedures.
This specialty and diagnosis data reveals that RPM is mostly being used for the treatment of relatively prevalent chronic diseases—for now. But there’s plenty of potential for RPM in behavioral health, addiction treatment, neurology, and other niche applications.
The industry needs to work through current roadblocks to adoption, including security concerns, challenging payment models, low reimbursement standards, insufficient training and I.T. infrastructure, and patient-side technology barriers:
RPM claims increased 12x between 2019 and 2022. Providers will increasingly leverage RPM for its proven advantages like reduced staff burden, lower long-term costs, and improved performance metrics. Ultimately, the benefits will outweigh the issues.
Todd Bellemare, Sr. Vice President of Strategic Solutions at Definitive Healthcare, has spent his executive leadership career building healthcare provider and patient analytics. He has grown powerful data and professional services teams at Definitive Healthcare and DRG, and has helped thousands of leading life sciences and technology companies build their commercialization strategies through a deep understanding of the healthcare facilities, physicians, and patient landscape. With more than 20 years of experience in the hospital equipment, medical device, clinical trials, technology, and data and analytics fields, Bellemare brings a complete picture to his analysis and discussions.
RPM can involve issuing patients dedicated devices like insulin monitors or data-transmitting pacemakers, as well as the usage of metrics from consumer wearables like FitBits or Apple Watches. While a 2022 Deloitte survey found that 41% of consumers own a smartwatch or fitness tracker, physicians aren't quite keeping up with the trend.
Patients Are Acting Ahead of Physicians
With the popularity of smartwatches, fitness apps, and other consumer-grade connected medical devices, people are already self-monitoring. The ability to track and analyze their own data empowers patients to take control of their health.For example, personal devices allow individuals to track their heart rate, blood oxygen levels, activity, and sleep duration for trends and abnormalities. People can share this data with their doctors to get a head start on diagnosis when they have a health concern.
The demand for personal monitoring suggests that people want more flexibility in their healthcare options, reduced costs, and greater knowledge about their well-being. Physicians are taking notice and slowly beginning to embrace RPM more.
What Physician Specialty Is Using RPM Most?
In the past three years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added six Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, allowing providers to track the time they spend issuing, training on, and monitoring remote devices. Adding these codes makes it easy to see who most often uses RPM and what they use it for.According to research from Definitive Healthcare, primary care providers and cardiologists are most likely to implement RPM into patient care plans. These two practices account for half of all RPM adoption. Claims data show hypertension and diabetes — two of the most widespread chronic conditions in the U.S. — are the most common diagnoses associated with RPM procedures.
This specialty and diagnosis data reveals that RPM is mostly being used for the treatment of relatively prevalent chronic diseases—for now. But there’s plenty of potential for RPM in behavioral health, addiction treatment, neurology, and other niche applications.
Barriers to RPM Adoption
Tracking patients' vitals outside the doctor's office can save time and money for patients and providers seeking to manage these conditions. However, despite the wealth of benefits, only 25% of practices currently offer RPM, according to a June 2022 poll from the Medical Group Management Association.The industry needs to work through current roadblocks to adoption, including security concerns, challenging payment models, low reimbursement standards, insufficient training and I.T. infrastructure, and patient-side technology barriers:
- Data security: The internet of medical things (IoMT) is expanding at a pace that policymakers can't keep up with. While new wireless standards like 5G offer more security over 4G and standard Wi-Fi, the rapid influx of data from telehealth adoption increases the potential for exploiting sensitive health data. In addition, regulations often prevent health systems from opening their data up to third parties.
- Fee-for-service payment models: RPM can offer a higher value of care with fewer patient-provider touch points. While CMS works to shift care models toward value-based care, fee-for-service models still dominate. For some providers, dedicating resources to RPM means reducing other revenue opportunities.
- Medicaid reimbursement: RPM reimbursement via Medicaid is only available in 34 states, despite all states having policies to reimburse telehealth procedures, according to the Center for Connected Health Policy. Even for states with reimbursement policies, understanding the profitability behind RPM implementation can be challenging for providers.
- Training and infrastructure: Upskilling people and updating technology can be costly for healthcare systems looking to adopt RPM. Although RPM can help alleviate staffing shortages, there isn't always enough time or budget to invest in technology that will require additional training. Plus, state-of-the-art RPM technology may not integrate smoothly with legacy hospital I.T. infrastructure.
- Patient access: Large sections of the U.S. population still don't have access to high-speed internet. Other issues that disproportionately affect rural populations, like poor health literacy, also prevent RPM from being feasible for certain groups and locations.
RPM Poses Major Benefits Despite Challenges
Despite the challenges, RPM is well on its way to mainstream adoption.RPM claims increased 12x between 2019 and 2022. Providers will increasingly leverage RPM for its proven advantages like reduced staff burden, lower long-term costs, and improved performance metrics. Ultimately, the benefits will outweigh the issues.
Todd Bellemare, Sr. Vice President of Strategic Solutions at Definitive Healthcare, has spent his executive leadership career building healthcare provider and patient analytics. He has grown powerful data and professional services teams at Definitive Healthcare and DRG, and has helped thousands of leading life sciences and technology companies build their commercialization strategies through a deep understanding of the healthcare facilities, physicians, and patient landscape. With more than 20 years of experience in the hospital equipment, medical device, clinical trials, technology, and data and analytics fields, Bellemare brings a complete picture to his analysis and discussions.