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How can data from remote therapeutic monitoring be used effectively by healthcare providers and patients?

The nerdy part of me would love to see data from remote therapeutic monitoring drive change in healthcare. Specifically, in physical rehabilitation, it could help quantify, measure, and predict patient outcomes over time. We often hear that people who follow their home program get better quicker and experience less pain.

But we need a fine point on this information – not just general stats on those who complete exercises vs those who don’t.

Imagine being able to say: “We analyzed data from the last X number of patients…those who did Y% of their exercises Z times per week had these specific outcomes.” This increased amount of available data can be used to create standard operating procedures, clinical protocols, operational guidelines and more!  No longer is it just “do your exercises” – now we have specifics for each diagnosis!

This compelling narrative helps both clinicians with treatment plans & payers like workman’s comp or managed care with vested interest in getting patients back on track quickly. Ultimately, remote therapeutic monitoring has great potential for providers, payers & patients alike.

Using Data to Drive Change in Healthcare

So how can the data collected through remote therapeutic monitoring be used efficiently and effectively to drive change by both health care providers, payers and even patients? Well, I’m a big fan of using this data to quantify measure and predict patient’s clinical outcomes over the course of care. Let’s dive into the potential benefits for each stakeholder:

 

Better Outcomes Through Quantifiable Measures

We’ve all heard that people who follow their home program will end up better off – they’ll get better quicker, spend less time in therapy, and experience less pain. However, it would be incredibly valuable to put a fine point on this information instead of relying on general statements.

Imagine being able to say something like “We analyzed data from 1,500 patients and found that those who logged into our system X times per week and completed Y% of their exercises experienced Z outcome.” This level of detail not only helps healthcare providers create more targeted treatment plans but also gives patients a clearer understanding of what is expected from them.

 

Driving Standard Operating Procedures & Clinical Protocols

The increased amount of available data gathered through remote therapeutic monitoring can help drive standard operating procedures, clinical protocols, operational guidelines, etc. Instead of relying solely on studies with potentially limited scope or anecdotal evidence from individual clinics or practitioners.

This specificity allows healthcare professionals to provide tailored recommendations based on diagnosis and other factors – no longer just telling patients they need to do their exercises but providing specific guidelines such as “Patients in your situation typically complete four exercises at 30 reps each time.”

 

Aiding Payers & Managed Care Systems

For payers such as workman’s comp or managed care organizations, there is a vested interest in getting patients better and back to their prior level of function as quickly as possible. Having access to remote therapeutic monitoring data enables them to build frameworks around expected outcomes based on diagnosis, mechanism of injury, and comorbidities.

This information can be used not only to benchmark clinicians and clinical organizations for their outcomes but also to build individualized treatment plans or roadmaps for each patient. In turn, this could lead to more efficient use of resources and potentially reduced costs while still providing quality care.

 

Communicating the Importance of Adherence

Finally, one significant benefit that often goes overlooked is using this data effectively when communicating with patients about the importance of adhering to home programs. When healthcare providers can provide specific examples like “Patients who complete their exercises X times per week typically get better in Y weeks,” it becomes much easier for patients to understand the direct impact adherence has on their recovery process.

 

Summary

Ultimately, remote therapeutic monitoring provides an incredible opportunity for healthcare providers and payers alike by offering quantifiable measures related directly connected with patient outcomes. This data allows professionals within these fields not only improve standard operating procedures but also develop tailored recommendations designed explicitly with each unique patient experience in mind which ultimately results in improved overall satisfaction from all parties involved – including those receiving treatment themselves!

 

What do you see as risks with providing health services virtually?

 

For more content like this, check out our Insights Page and check out The Better Outcomes Show. Or if you want to humanize healthcare through your business or organization, learn how Rehab U Practice Solutions can help here! You can also schedule a call with Rafi to discuss your company’s positioning strategy and brainstorm a business development plan here. Check out Rafi’s latest book, Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare, on Amazon!

Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is the Principal Owner of Rehab U Practice Solutions and the host of The Better Outcomes Show and the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare. His career trajectory includes 10+ years of experience in healthcare management, clinical operations, programmatic development, marketing & business development. He even spent some time as an Assistant Professor in a Graduate Program of Occupational Therapy and has served on numerous boards and regulatory committees. He has worked on projects ranging from patient engagement initiatives to marketing communication campaigns to a multi million dollar project assisting the State of Georgia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities transition individuals out of state institutions to community residences. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes.

Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, and SaaS companies develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.

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Medical Professionals RafiIf you are an innovative healthcare company looking to humanize healthcare through direct service delivery, technology, a device, or software, then reach out. We'd love to talk with you about how Rehab U Practice Solutions can help.

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In short, we help your whole organization become focused on the most important thing in healthcare: people – the people who work for your organization, and the people who your organization treats or serves.

 

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