Even though remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs come with a host of benefits for both patients and providers, the idea of starting one can be daunting for busy medical practices. But with the right preparation and support in place, establishing a remote patient monitoring program doesn’t have to create additional burdens. In some cases, it can actually help to lighten the load. Here’s how to get up and running without taxing existing resources.
7 Tips to Start a Successful RPM Program
Many medical practices are eager to begin their own remote patient monitoring programs but are wary of adding extra workload to their staff. Here are seven tips that will help you avoid creating unnecessary work for your team.
1. Start with a pilot program
There are many patient populations who may benefit from remote patient monitoring. But creating a large, multi-population program from scratch can overwhelm office staff, healthcare providers, and patients. Inevitably, you’ll make some mistakes and need to adjust the program once it’s underway. Starting with a small pilot group of between 25 to 50 patients allows the physicians to effectively evaluate the clinical workflow while also testing out billing.
2. Identify the patient population most likely to benefit from remote patient monitoring
Which patient population should you start with for your pilot group? Begin by identifying the patient population that is most likely to reap the biggest benefits. Once you’ve ironed out the wrinkles in your program and are experiencing positive gains in health outcomes and profitability, it’s time to consider expanding your program to include additional patient populations that are likely to benefit.
3. Create a well-rounded team with the needed expertise
When planning a remote patient monitoring program launch, include team members with different skill sets and experience. A well-rounded team may include an office staff member, healthcare provider, IT support, and others. Diverse teams are better able to anticipate and plan around potential roadblocks to implementation.
4. Define the entire process from beginning to end
It’s far from ideal to build the airplane once it’s flying. Chart out each step in the process of creating an RPM program, from sourcing devices to educating patients and staff to ongoing support before the official launch. Be sure to gather input from team members to make sure all angles are covered.
5. Use quality devices
Efforts at persuading patients of the benefits of remote patient technology will be largely undermined by poor quality, buggy devices that don’t perform as promised. Make sure the connected device manufacturer you choose has a reputation for designing medical-grade quality, intuitive, easy-to-use devices and quality customer support.
6. Provide training for all stakeholders
It takes a village to plan and launch a remote patient monitoring program. Providing training to everyone involved increases the chances of a smooth rollout. Well-trained office staff and healthcare providers are better equipped, and patient training will help to educate patients as they learn to use this new technology.
7. Evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program
Before expanding your existing program, monitor how effective your current program has been. No remote patient monitoring program launch is perfect, but you and your patients should be experiencing measurable benefits like improved health outcomes and enhanced profitability. Based on your learnings, you can then make improvements to your RPM program, evolving it over time.
Withings Health Solutions Makes Remote Patient Monitoring Easy
Withings Health Solutions offers a full line of intuitive health tech devices and the support healthcare providers need to begin or expand their remote patient monitoring program. Withings devices are ready to use right out of the box, making habitual use easy. Designed to easily integrate into patients’ daily lives, these user-friendly devices reliably deliver vital participant data to professionals overseeing their care. As an example, 94% of users are still using their scales one year after their purchase. Healthcare providers gain a comprehensive view of patient health data via a secure platform for tracking patient information in a visual format and receiving alerts.
Intuitive device design: Withings offers a full lineup of remote patient monitoring devices including blood pressure monitors, scales, sleep mat, and activity trackers. Remote patient monitoring devices only benefit patients when they’re used. That’s why every Withings product has been designed from the ground up with the end user’s experience in mind.
Connectivity options to meet every patient’s needs: Withings devices support a range of connectivity options including cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
Secure healthcare provider access to patient health data: Withings RPM provides accurate, patient-centric data to better monitor health parameters and efficiently manage participants. Providers can easily access a comprehensive dashboard, view metrics at a glance, view long-term trends, and dive into relevant details.
Engineering and logistical support Withings offers additional support that makes it easy for medical practices to focus on providing quality care, rather than on product set-up, including direct shipping of the device to patients, and technical EHR integration assistance. We’re committed to provide the level of support you need to make your patient monitoring program a success.
Ready to Get Started with Your RPM Program?
Launching a successful, scalable remote patient monitoring program doesn’t require draining critical resources used to support daily operations. With intentional planning and a pilot start with gradual growth, providers can establish a well-positioned remote patient monitoring program.
Discover how Withings Health Solutions can help you build an effective remote patient monitoring program.