“Telemedicine will become the core methodology of healthcare delivery in the future. That is where we are going to get the efficiencies we need to provide affordable care”
— Yulun Wang
Definition
Remote monitoring refers to technologies that allow healthcare professionals to monitor patients remotely.
Application & benefits
Remote monitoring gives patients a lot of control and the ability to participate [1, 2]. Applications of remote monitoring are deployed to promote recovery and prevent conditions from exacerbating. Patients and healthcare professionals are informed directly allowing for timely decisions to be made in the healthcare process [3, 4]. Other benefits include the fact that the patient has less risk of infection because they can stay at home for longer [5, 6]. Remote monitoring can also help healthcare professionals intervene at an earlier stage in a clinical setting as well. This reduces the number of (re)admissions, admission duration and pressure on the healthcare system [8]. In addition, it promotes the patient’s quality of life as well as the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare [3, 4, 9-12]. Healthcare quality and patient autonomy are promoted [11, 13] and application of the technology ultimately contributes to improved medical outcomes [12, 14] and reduced healthcare costs [3, 4, 11, 15, 16].
Market
The global market value of patient remote monitoring amounts to $1.2 billion in 2021. This figure is expected to rise to $4.1 billion by 2028 [17, 18]. In 2017, over 16.5 million patients were monitored remotely. This number is expected to grow to 83.4 million by 2023 [19]. In 2017, 10.7 million patients used their own smartphone or tablet for remote monitoring. This number is expected to grow to 40.3 million by 2023 [19].
Driving forces
Increased awareness and growing acceptance
Growing connectivity and improved data infrastructure
Increasing pressure on the healthcare system
Hindering forces
Limited digital skills
Lack of interoperability
Increasing emphasis on privacy sensitivity
Remote monitoring possibilities are on the rise. One reason is that the number of chronic diseases is growing while the vulnerable can continue to live independently for longer and longer. This leads to increasing pressure on the healthcare system. Measurement equipment is moving into the individual’s home and acceptance of remote monitoring is increasing despite privacy-related concerns. The value of remote monitoring once again proved itself during the corona crisis: Covid-19 patients were able to stay in their isolation rooms and prevent the spread of the virus without missing out on proper monitoring capabilities [20].
Conclusion
Remote monitoring applications expand the patient’s control and boost the evolution of the empowered patient.
References
- Choudhary, P., Bellido, V., Graner, M., Altpeter, B., Cicchetti, A., Durand-Zaleski, I. & Kristensen, F.B., The Challenge of Sustainable Access to Telemonitoring Tools for People with Diabetes in Europe: Lessons from COVID-19 and Beyond, Diabetes Therapy, 2021.
- Kumar R, Teo PSE, Tan WB, Choi X, Chia PY, Lee HL, et al., A randomised clinical trial of the safety, cost effectiveness and patient experience of nurse‐led telemonitoring of chronic hepatitis B patients, GastroHep. 2019;1(5):249-55.
- Grustam AS, Severens JL, De Massari D, Buyukkaramikli N, Koymans R, Vrijhoef HJM., Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Telehealth: A Comparison between Home Telemonitoring, Nurse Telephone Support, and Usual Care in Chronic Heart Failure Management, Value Health. 2018;21(7):772-82.
- Grustam AS, Buyukkaramikli N, Koymans R, Vrijhoef HJM, Severens JL., Value of information analysis in telehealth for chronic heart failure management, PLoS One. 2019;14(6):e0218083.
- Edwards C., Remote health monitoring: what you need to know about the tech, 2018.
- Leff B, Burton L, Mader SL, Naughton B, Burl J, Inouye SK, et al., Hospital at home: feasibility and outcomes of a program to provide hospital-level care at home for acutely ill older patients, Annals of internal medicine. 2005;143(11):798-808.
- Mizukawa M, Moriyama M, Yamamoto H, Rahman MM, Naka M, Kitagawa T, et al., Nurse-Led Collaborative Management Using Telemonitoring Improves Quality of Life and Prevention of Rehospitalization in Patients with Heart Failure, Int Heart J, 2019;60(6):1293-302.
- Samsung I., How Remote Patient Monitoring Is Reducing Readmissions in 2020, 2020 [Available from: https://insights.samsung.com/2020/01/21/how-remote-patient-monitoring-is-reducing-readmissions-in-2020/2020]
- Nictiz, eHealth-monitor 2018: E-health in verschillende snelheden, 2018
- Nictiz, eHealth-monitor 2019: Samen aan zet!, 2019
- Grand View Research, Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market Size | Industry Report 2025, 2018 [Available from: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-patient-monitoring-devices-market]
- Davis C, Bender M, Smith T, Broad J., Feasibility and Acute Care Utilization Outcomes of a Post-Acute Transitional Telemonitoring Program for Underserved Chronic Disease Patients, Telemedicine journal and e-health: the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association. 2015;21(9):705-13.
- Future Marketsinsights, Orthopaedic Prosthetics Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size and Forecast, 2018 to 2028, 2018 [Available from: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/orthopaedic-prosthetics-market]
- Varma N, Piccini JP, Snell J, Fischer A, Dalal N, Mittal S., The Relationship Between Level of Adherence to Automatic Wireless Remote Monitoring and Survival in Pacemaker and Defibrillator Patients, Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2015;65(24):2601-10.
- Care Innovations, Financial Times: Benefits of RPM “Could Save the US Billions”, 2017 [Available from https://news.careinnovations.com/blog/financial-times-benefits-of-rpm-could-save-the-us-billions]
- Alves DS, Times VC, da Silva É, Melo PSA, Novaes MA., Advances in obstetric telemonitoring: a systematic review, Int J Med Inform. 2020;134:104004.
- Grand View Research, Remote Patient Monitoring System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Vital Sign Monitors, Specialized Monitors), By Application, By End-use, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028, 2021 [Available from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-patient-monitoring-devices-market]
- Mordor Intelligence, REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEMS MARKET – GROWTH, TRENDS, COVID-19 IMPACT, AND FORECASTS (2021 – 2026), 2020 [Available from https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-remote-patient-monitoring-system-market-industry]
- Insight B., mHealth and Home Monitoring, 2017
- ICT&Health, Monitoring op afstand voor COVID-19 patiënten in UMCU, 2020 April 28th