COVID-19 and remote patient monitoring

Remote patient monitoring has become a part of care delivery in the recent years, especially for larger groups and hospitals, but there is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted its benefits and pushed the adoption forward for all medical practices, small or large. Here we examine the benefits and practical use case of remote patient monitoring during COVID-19.

Remote patient monitoring solves 3 main problems caused by COVID-19: care accessibility, lack of revenue and safety.

Remote patient monitoring for better care access

Remote patient monitoring improves access to care as it solves a distance problem. Particularly in rural areas, where medical help might not be available without a long drive, especially for a specialist appointment, being able to access patient vitals remotely and on a frequent basis allows even the most remote patients to be looked after continuously. COVID-19 brought social distancing rules, preventing more patients from obtaining timely care. Video check-ins are a great way to continue reaching out to your patients but a video chat doesn’t allow for deeper examination of vitals. Even if you offer in-person visits, those are probably reduced, due to social distance requirements, as well as a possible lack of medical staff. 

Remote patient monitoring allows medical practices to care for patients living further away from their doctor, letting you expand your reach and serve more patients.

Remote patient monitoring unlocks new revenue source

Independent medical practices across the US lost on average 30-40% of their revenue due to COVID-19, mostly because of the lack of tools to continue caring for their patients remotely. But remote patient monitoring is financially attractive regardless COVID-19 as it allows to scale up the patient population and add to existing in-person services as a separate revenue stream. There are several CPT codes for remote patient monitoring most primary care and selected specialists providers can take advantage of. Read our articles dedicated to billing and reimbursements to see what CPT codes for remote patient monitoring are available to you. 

Remote patient monitoring can add anywhere between $70 and $200 a month for each patient enrolled in a remote patient monitoring program.

Remote patient monitoring improves safety of your staff

Remote patient monitoring program doesn’t only benefit your patients, it also extends its advantages to your practice staff who are at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 virus. Implementing a reputable platform that works well with your electronic health record (EHR) system, your clinical staff should be able to continue providing care to your patients from the comfort and safety of their homes. The recently relaxed rules for direct supervision also means that your staff working from home is compliant with the reimbursement legislation.

Remote patient monitoring keeps your staff safe and able to continue caring for your patients during the pandemic lock-down. 

Lara Health makes it easy to care for your patient remotely and keeps your staff safe as well. It has been designed to automate many routine admin tasks so your staff can work more efficiently during these challenging times. To see for yourself, book a no obligation demo here.