The changing landscape of health monitoring in patients through emerging remote monitoring technologies
Technology and services in the healthcare industry are advancing quickly due to modern technological innovations. A recent advancement in this field is remote patient monitoring, which has several benefits in an increasing world population with rising health issues. The utilization of modern communication and sensor technologies has advanced from relatively simple applications to keeping an eye on patients inside hospital rooms to the point where the patient is free to go about their daily lives as usual at home while still being watched over.
Technological advancements in the healthcare industry have introduced various sensors for measuring important physiological parameters such as blood pressure, temperature, blood glucose levels, ECG readings, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure. The scope of remote healthcare spans from keeping an eye on elderly people, and premature babies, to accident victims. These innovative technologies enable the monitoring of patients based on their condition or their environment. The technology ranges from body-mounted sensors to ambient sensors attached to the environment, and recent advancements reveal contactless monitoring that just needs the patient to be present a few metres away from the sensor.
Technology empowering healthcare infrastructure
The term “remote healthcare” encompasses a wide range of subfields, including telehealth and mobile health, all of which refer to the use of technology to monitor patients outside of a hospital setting. The growth of remote monitoring offers a plethora of benefits such as making use of communication technology for early and real-time illness detection, the ability to continuously monitor patients, preventing illnesses from getting worse and premature deaths, reducing hospital costs, fewer hospitalizations, getting more accurate readings while allowing patients to go about their daily lives, as usual, improving the efficiency of healthcare services.
Remote monitoring in patients with heart conditions
Heart rate is a crucial sign for assessing a patient’s overall health because it is an accurate reflection of the condition of the cardiovascular system. For ambulatory monitoring engaged in preliminary diagnostic indicators of cardiac disorders or stroke, heart rate measurement techniques must be continuous and accurate. Due to numerous follow-up visits and recurrent hospitalizations for cardiac decompensation, the management of patients with chronic heart failure entails a heavy drain on the healthcare system’s resources. Patients with chronic heart failure can benefit from remote monitoring to spot changes in their condition early on and avoiding heart failure hospitalizations.
The remote monitoring method uses non-invasive sensors that enable wireless, cuff-free readings of heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and ECG signal, providing continuous monitoring of heart activity. The recorder locates heart rhythm problems in patients using integrated detection algorithms. The pertinent portions of the ECG record are sent to the specialist or hospital care and thoroughly examined. In accordance with a predetermined operational protocol, a paramedic who notices any irregularities takes a thorough medical history, refers the patient for a remote consultation with a doctor, discusses the issue with an on-duty doctor, or calls an ambulance if the patient’s life or health is in danger. Furthermore, remote monitoring could be used to categorise patients into groups who require frequent follow-up or outpatient care because they are at high risk for deterioration and those that are not and only need less frequent follow-up.
The road ahead
Before the Covid-19 outbreak, remote health monitoring had already begun to acquire popularity. However, the pandemic has undoubtedly propelled remote monitoring into the mainstream of healthcare by increasing its adoption as a successful method of providing treatment while safeguarding patients from infection. Around 15-20 percent of the healthcare ecosystem in India is anticipated to transition to virtual care through triaging, consultations, remote monitoring, home health, etc. as teleconsultation and e-pharmacy are gaining popularity and becoming the new norm. By 2025, telemedicine in the country will account for almost 95 percent of the market, with teleconsultation and e-pharmacy.
To conclude
Modern technological advancements have opened new possibilities for telemedical care delivery as an addition to conventional medical therapy of heart failure-at-risk patients. Digital technologies are increasingly being used in healthcare systems to improve patient interaction and advance the practice of preventive medicine. Healthcare providers now have the option to consult clinical specialists who are located remotely, saving time and money for both practitioners and patients while actively managing treatment for people with chronic diseases.
(The author is Dr. (Hon) S Senthil Kandeepan founder, MD and CEO of Healthwatch, CHC. and the views expressed in this article are his own)
