RPM improves patient outcomes: study

WATERLOO, Ont. – A national medical study using Cloud DX’s Connected Health™ platform, led by P.J. Devereaux and Michael McGillion (pictured) of the Population Health Research Institute, proves remote patient monitoring (RPM) improves patient outcomes. Results show post-surgical RPM provides greater detection and correction of drug errors, reduces patient pain, and could reduce hospital re-admissions and emergency room visits.

“Healthcare can be better. With the recent rapid industry innovation, we are now conclusively seeing improvements in patient results from RPM,” said Robert Kaul, CEO and co-founder of Cloud DX. “Anecdotally, we know remote patient care is great and offers more convenience. However, for physicians, administrators and payers there has been a lack of strong evidence proving ROI when deciding what innovations to adopt and implement. Until now.”

The study, called “Post discharge after surgery Virtual Care with Remote Automated Monitoring technology-1” (PVC-RAM 1), included over 900 patients at nine hospitals. Scientists sought to evaluate if RPM, when used for 30 days post-surgery, improved patient outcomes compared to standard care (where the onus is on the patient to seek healthcare support). Patients using Cloud DX’s Connected Health Kit had their vital signs monitored at home: heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration rate, body temperature, and weight. Patients could also send nurses photos of surgical wounds and virtually access a nurse or doctor 24 hours a day.

Results revealed that virtual care prevented and resolved 24% more medication errors during patient care transitions than the standard care cohort. Patients under virtual care also reported 10-14% less pain. With 5% fewer patients returning to hospital compared to standard care, the study indicated a possibility of reducing re-admissions and emergency visits.

“Remote patient monitoring is convenient, efficient, and effective. There is enormous potential for the broader society,” said Devereaux, a senior scientist at Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), a joint institute of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS). “Something positive that has resulted from COVID is that it has forced healthcare to move more rapidly with remote patient care and RPM. If we can monitor and manage patients virtually, there are upsides for population health as going to a busy clinic or hospital has inherent risk.”

“It is about innovating for the future of healthcare. The field is evolving, we need the clinical studies to make the right kind of investments into RPM,” said McGillion, a scientist at PHRI. “We need to discover what are the best models to preserve patient health and safety, optimize healthcare delivery, and improve patient outcomes and healthcare-related costs.”

The PVC-RAM-1 study served as the foundation for the new surgical transitions program at HHS and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. It features a joint command centre to monitor patients remotely as they recover from surgery at home.

For more about the PVC-RAM-1 study visit https://www.phri.ca/research/pvc-ram-1/

About Cloud DX
Accelerating virtual healthcare’s future, Cloud DX is making healthcare better for everyone. The company’s Connected Health™ remote patient monitoring platform is used by healthcare enterprises and care teams across North America to virtually manage chronic disease, enable ageing in place, and deliver hospital-quality post-surgical care. Providers partnering with Cloud DX achieve better healthcare and patient outcomes, reduce the need for hospitalization/re-hospitalization, and reduce healthcare delivery costs through more efficient use of resources. Cloud DX is the co-winner of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, a 2021 Edison Award winner, a Fast Company “World Changing Idea” finalist, and one of “Canada’s Ten Most Prominent Telehealth Providers.”