Implementing remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) successfully holds the key to revolutionizing healthcare delivery, enhancing patient outcomes and care efficiency. RTM leverages digital health technologies to monitor patients’ conditions and adherence to treatment plans in real time, facilitating timely interventions and personalized care. This innovative approach not only empowers patients by providing them with continuous support but also allows healthcare providers to make data-driven decisions for the most precise and proactive care possible. To maximize the benefits of RTM, it is essential to understand how it fits into a holistic digital health strategy and how to properly engage providers and patients.

Understanding RTM Models

Each organization will need to decide how to deliver remote care to their patients. There are two main models of successful RTM implementation and remote patient support:

1. The Clinician-Driven Model: An organization’s in-clinic clinicians manage patients both in and out of the clinic and are responsible for in-person care, remote care, and remote monitoring. This model is typically best for smaller organizations with lower patient volumes.
2. The RTM Coordinator Model: Here, a dedicated individual or team, separate from the in-clinic clinicians, supports remote patient care. The coordinators collaborate and share vital details with all members of the care team as needed to optimize care. This model is typically best for larger organizations and facilities. Organizations can choose to dedicate their own staff as RTM coordinators or outsource their remote care programs to external vendors. However, it is important to consider the long-term implications of outsourcing such programs as opposed to adopting digital health strategies into internal workflows.

When selecting an RTM vendor, it is particularly important to consider the unique needs of your organization and ensure that the vendor can support the model that best aligns with the organization’s goals.

Incorporating RTM as Part of a Holistic Digital Health Strategy

While RTM offers a unique opportunity to generate a new revenue stream, to maximize its potential it’s important to ensure that RTM is part of a holistic digital health strategy. When selecting an RTM vendor, an organization should consider the type of data that is collected remotely and how this will enhance patient care and clinical outcomes. It’s important to look beyond meeting the requirements for RTM billing and consider what value the data collected brings to patients and providers. Patient-reported outcomes, objective mobility data, gait analysis, fall risk assessment, and functional status are all great examples of critical health information that can be collected via RTM. Ultimately, the goal is to create a cohesive and interoperable healthcare ecosystem where relevant data and actionable care insights can be seamlessly shared and analyzed to support clinical decision-making, patient monitoring, and personalized care.

Engaging Staff for RTM Success

To ensure the success of your RTM program, it is crucial to engage your staff effectively.

• Explain Value: Show how RTM improves patient care and workflows, benefiting both patients and staff.
• Communicate Clearly: Keep staff informed and involve them in testing to gather feedback.
• Provide Training: Provide thorough training to address concerns and ensure clinicians are comfortable using RTM.

• Select Super Users: Appoint leaders to drive implementation and motivate staff.
• Incorporate Feedback: Actively seek and address staff input to shape RTM programs.
• Recognize and Incentivize: Highlight success stories and reward staff for engagement, fostering a culture of innovation

Driving Patient Engagement

Engaging patients is equally important for the success of RTM. A patient-centric approach, coupled with education and support, can significantly improve health outcomes.

• Educate and Support: Offer easy-to-understand guides, tutorials, and technical support to help patients understand RTM technologies and how they will improve health outcomes.
• Simplify Technology: Assist patients in navigating new technology to minimize barriers and ensure effective participation.
• Collect Feedback: Gather patient feedback to address concerns and involve them in designing RTM workflows for usability.
• Incentivize and Reward: Introduce incentive programs or rewards to motivate patients, such as points or recognition for achieving health goals.

Embracing Technology

Remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) as part of a digital health strategy holds tremendous potential to transform healthcare delivery and significantly improve patient outcomes. By harnessing real-time data and advanced analytics, RTM enables healthcare providers to make timely, informed decisions, resulting in more personalized and effective care. This proactive approach not only enhances patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans but also reduces the risk of complications and hospital readmissions. As the healthcare industry continues to embrace these technological innovations, the future promises a more efficient, responsive, and patient-centered system that optimizes health outcomes.

---

About Alaina Victoria, PT, DPT
Alaina Victoria, PT, DPT, is the Marketing and Sales Enablement Manager for OneStep, and a doctor of Physical Therapy with a passion for digital health technology. Her prior experience includes working within the rehabilitation and orthopedic settings as both a permanent and travel therapist. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) including the APTA Academy of Geriatrics Physical Therapy, APTA Frontiers in Rehabilitation, Science and Technology Council, and APTA Health Promotion and Wellness Council.