Is the ROI for remote patient monitoring programs really worth all the effort?

A new tool is entering the healthcare space in hopes of providing a more complete and comprehensive answer to this complex, multifaceted question.

The Center for Connected Health (CCH) and the Center for Technology and Aging (CTA) have collaborated on the development of a tool for analyzing the Return on Investment (ROI) for remote patient monitoring technologies.

“This resource is designed to enable healthcare providers to better evaluate the financial benefit of these technologies for patients with chronic heart disease,” reads a joint announcement from CCH and CTA.

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A new Kalorama report points to dramatic growth in the telemedicine market over the last five years.

In particular, telemedicine patient monitoring ballooned from $4.2 billion in 2007 to north of $10 billion in 2012.

This Kalorama Information report, Advanced Remote Patient Monitoring Systems, is a comprehensive study on the patient monitoring industry, including the advanced system with remote and wireless capability to includes patient monitoring equipment and devices which have advanced features.

“Aging populations, increases in healthcare costs, advancing technologies and the often cost effectiveness of patient monitoring are all reasons contributing to market growth,” explains Erin McCann, Associate Editor of HealthCareITNews, which summarized the new Kalorama study’s findings. “Sales will continue their upward trend, as older monitoring equipment is replaced by wireless or remote monitors. Growth will increase over the forecast period as compatibility, privacy and security issues continue to be resolved.”

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Baylor College of Medicine researchers believe that mobile sensor technology could prove instrumental in helping recovering drug addicts stay clean.

Last week at the American Telemedicine Association conference, a psychologist at the school explained how he’s using the Zephyr BioHarness wireless vital signals monitor to closely watch and track cardiovascular and respiratory changes in cocaine users.

Developed for the military, first responders and athletes, the BioHarness is a chest strap with a battery-powered sensor that monitors a person’s heart rate, breathing rate and other vital signs.

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This week, Tactio announced that it’s flagship mHealth app TactioHealth now integrates a Diabetes Management add-on option that will help with glucose tracking, prescription compliance and day-to-day education.

TactioDiabetes will be available on the AppStore by May 30th.

“Using TactioDiabetes, Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes patients will improve the control of this alarming and growing chronic disease,” says Dr. Andre Piccolomini, mHealth & Wellness Advisor at Tactio Health Group.

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According to the findings presented in a new report from Kalorama Information, remote patient monitoring reached new heights in 2012.

“There’s every reason to be sanguine about advanced patient monitoring systems,” writes Bruce Carlson, Publisher of the Kalorama Key Point blog.

With advanced patient monitors that can help patients out of the hospital faster, it should not be surprising that revenue growth goes on.  Revenue follows demand.  The predictions for fast growth of 2011 have been proven true in 2012 sales, according to our research.  Growth was 17% globally.

The US market alone increased from $8.9 billion in 2011 to $10.6 billion in 2012.

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Doctors and nurses often care for their patients so deeply that it frustrates them to no end when a patient suffers as a result of their inability to follow physician’s orders.

But in some cases, that frustration can result in a positive outcome.

Frustrated to no end with a teenage transplant patient who didn’t take his medication on time (a situation that resulted in hist body’s rejection of the kidney), University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics physician Patrick Brophy wanted to find a solution for this problem.

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A new study shows that patients who have implanted cardiac devices don’t object to mHealth tools or remote monitoring, they just happen to prefer in-person doctor visits.

The Journal Telemedicine and e-Health highlights the study’s findings.

Our aim was to evaluate the applicability of the CareLink (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) remote monitoring system as a complementary option to the follow-up of patients with implanted devices, between in-office visits. Evaluated outcomes included both clinical (event detection and time to diagnosis) and nonclinical (patient’s satisfaction and economic costs) aspects.

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