Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) uses connected devices — glucometers, blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, pulse oximeters — to track chronic disease metrics between clinical visits. The data is transmitted to the care team, who can intervene when metrics are out of range before the patient requires emergency care.
RPM Applications
| Condition | RPM Device | Key Metric | Intervention Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | Connected glucometer | Blood glucose | Glucose out of target range |
| Hypertension | Connected blood pressure cuff | Blood pressure | BP above threshold |
| Heart failure | Connected weight scale | Daily weight | Weight gain (fluid retention) |
| COPD | Pulse oximeter | Oxygen saturation | SpO2 below threshold |
| Obesity | Connected scale + app | Weight, activity | Weight gain; inactivity |
RPM ROI
IQ Insight
RPM programs for diabetes and hypertension consistently demonstrate 20–30% reductions in hospitalizations and ER visits. For a plan with 20 diabetic members averaging $25,000 in annual claims each, a 25% reduction in hospitalizations saves $125,000 annually — far more than the cost of the RPM program.