1. What is cellular remote patient monitoring?
Answer: Cellular RPM is a healthcare technology that allows providers to monitor a patient's health data—like blood pressure, glucose levels, or weight—remotely using medical devices that transmit information via cellular networks. It enables real-time, continuous care outside of traditional clinical settings.
2. How is cellular RPM and Smart Meter different from Bluetooth®-based monitoring?
Answer: Unlike Bluetooth devices that require smartphones or Wi-Fi, cellular RPM devices from Smart Meter send data directly to healthcare providers using built-in cellular connectivity. This makes them easier for patients to use and leads to be better testing adherence and better health outcomes.
Consider these real-world examples:
* In a Howard University study of patients with diabetes using the iGlucose®, 70% of high-risk participants lowered their A1c by an average of 2.8% within 90 days3.
* A 30-day study by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences of 59 pregnant women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, who frequently tested with Smart Meter’s cellular-enabled iGlucose® glucometer showed an increased satisfaction with their diabetes management. Eighty-six percent of participants noted that the automatic transmission of blood glucose results to their physician helped them better maintain their condition.
* Baum Consulting Services implemented an RPM program using Smart Meter’s cellular iBloodPressure® and iGlucose and saw excellent results. One of the highlights of the program included a male patient in his 70s with hypertension, who, after two out-of-range blood pressure readings had adjustments made to his medication was able to avoid an emergency room visit. Another patient with diabetes had an A1c of 10.4 before starting the program but was able to reduce that to 6.6 in about a year and a half on the RPM program.
3. Who can benefit most from cellular RPM?
Answer: Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or chronic kidney disease benefit most, as continuous monitoring can help prevent complications, reduce hospitalizations, and improve quality of life.
4. What kind of devices are used in cellular RPM programs?
Answer: Common devices include blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and digital weight scales—all equipped with cellular chips to automatically transmit data to a secure healthcare platform.
5. Is cellular RPM secure and HIPAA-compliant?
Answer: Yes, reputable cellular RPM platforms are fully HIPAA-compliant, using data encryption, secure cloud storage, and access controls to ensure patient privacy and protect health information. Smart Meter’s proprietary ecosystem of cellular-enabled devices connect exclusively through a private, HIPAA-compliant U.S. network. Unlike some cellular and Bluetooth® devices that may rely on third-party connections and infrastructure, Smart Meter’s devices use a dedicated AT&T network to transmit data securely and directly to U.S. healthcare providers, never leaving the country.
6. Do patients need to pay for a cellular RPM device?
Answer: In many cases, insurance plans including Medicare cover the costs of RPM devices and services for eligible patients. Some providers may offer them at no additional cost as part of a chronic care program.
7. How often is data monitored in cellular RPM?
Answer: Data can be monitored daily or even multiple times a day, depending on the provider’s protocol. Alerts can be set to notify care teams of any abnormal readings for faster intervention.
8. What are the benefits for healthcare providers?
Answer: Cellular RPM improves patient outcomes, enables early intervention, and helps providers earn additional reimbursement through CMS and private payers for managing chronic conditions more proactively. Any practice, health system or healthcare organization with a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number can bill the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for reimbursement of services using certain CPT codes that are specifically for RPM. This can provide an additional revenue stream of $1,000 or more per patient, per year when the claims are filed appropriately.
9. Can RPM reduce hospital readmissions?
Answer: Yes. By identifying health issues early, cellular RPM can help reduce emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, particularly among high-risk populations.
Consider these real-world examples:
* RPM has helped Frederick Health’s Chronic Care Management (CCM) program, a division of Frederick Health Home Care in Maryland, reduce hospital readmissions by 83% among telehealth patients, resulting in nearly $5.1 million in cost savings. There was also a 50% reduction in emergency department visits.
• JMIR Formative Research (2024) concluded that a prospective cohort study showed home telemonitoring for high-risk post-discharge patients cut hospitalizations from 0.55 to 0.23 per patient over six months and reduced ED visits by more than 50%.
* Twenty-five University Medical Center and Holy Name Hospital patients were assigned to the trial group and provided with HRS' 4G tablet, patient engagement software, and Bluetooth biometric monitoring devices. There was a 71% difference in hospital readmissions compared to the control and telehealth trial groups.
10. How does cellular RPM improve health equity?
Answer: By eliminating the need for internet or smartphones, cellular RPM expands access to remote care for rural, underserved, and elderly populations, helping to bridge the digital divide in healthcare.
Answer: Cellular RPM is a healthcare technology that allows providers to monitor a patient's health data—like blood pressure, glucose levels, or weight—remotely using medical devices that transmit information via cellular networks. It enables real-time, continuous care outside of traditional clinical settings.
2. How is cellular RPM and Smart Meter different from Bluetooth®-based monitoring?
Answer: Unlike Bluetooth devices that require smartphones or Wi-Fi, cellular RPM devices from Smart Meter send data directly to healthcare providers using built-in cellular connectivity. This makes them easier for patients to use and leads to be better testing adherence and better health outcomes.
Consider these real-world examples:
* In a Howard University study of patients with diabetes using the iGlucose®, 70% of high-risk participants lowered their A1c by an average of 2.8% within 90 days3.
* A 30-day study by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences of 59 pregnant women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, who frequently tested with Smart Meter’s cellular-enabled iGlucose® glucometer showed an increased satisfaction with their diabetes management. Eighty-six percent of participants noted that the automatic transmission of blood glucose results to their physician helped them better maintain their condition.
* Baum Consulting Services implemented an RPM program using Smart Meter’s cellular iBloodPressure® and iGlucose and saw excellent results. One of the highlights of the program included a male patient in his 70s with hypertension, who, after two out-of-range blood pressure readings had adjustments made to his medication was able to avoid an emergency room visit. Another patient with diabetes had an A1c of 10.4 before starting the program but was able to reduce that to 6.6 in about a year and a half on the RPM program.
3. Who can benefit most from cellular RPM?
Answer: Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or chronic kidney disease benefit most, as continuous monitoring can help prevent complications, reduce hospitalizations, and improve quality of life.
4. What kind of devices are used in cellular RPM programs?
Answer: Common devices include blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and digital weight scales—all equipped with cellular chips to automatically transmit data to a secure healthcare platform.
5. Is cellular RPM secure and HIPAA-compliant?
Answer: Yes, reputable cellular RPM platforms are fully HIPAA-compliant, using data encryption, secure cloud storage, and access controls to ensure patient privacy and protect health information. Smart Meter’s proprietary ecosystem of cellular-enabled devices connect exclusively through a private, HIPAA-compliant U.S. network. Unlike some cellular and Bluetooth® devices that may rely on third-party connections and infrastructure, Smart Meter’s devices use a dedicated AT&T network to transmit data securely and directly to U.S. healthcare providers, never leaving the country.
6. Do patients need to pay for a cellular RPM device?
Answer: In many cases, insurance plans including Medicare cover the costs of RPM devices and services for eligible patients. Some providers may offer them at no additional cost as part of a chronic care program.
7. How often is data monitored in cellular RPM?
Answer: Data can be monitored daily or even multiple times a day, depending on the provider’s protocol. Alerts can be set to notify care teams of any abnormal readings for faster intervention.
8. What are the benefits for healthcare providers?
Answer: Cellular RPM improves patient outcomes, enables early intervention, and helps providers earn additional reimbursement through CMS and private payers for managing chronic conditions more proactively. Any practice, health system or healthcare organization with a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number can bill the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for reimbursement of services using certain CPT codes that are specifically for RPM. This can provide an additional revenue stream of $1,000 or more per patient, per year when the claims are filed appropriately.
9. Can RPM reduce hospital readmissions?
Answer: Yes. By identifying health issues early, cellular RPM can help reduce emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, particularly among high-risk populations.
Consider these real-world examples:
* RPM has helped Frederick Health’s Chronic Care Management (CCM) program, a division of Frederick Health Home Care in Maryland, reduce hospital readmissions by 83% among telehealth patients, resulting in nearly $5.1 million in cost savings. There was also a 50% reduction in emergency department visits.
• JMIR Formative Research (2024) concluded that a prospective cohort study showed home telemonitoring for high-risk post-discharge patients cut hospitalizations from 0.55 to 0.23 per patient over six months and reduced ED visits by more than 50%.
* Twenty-five University Medical Center and Holy Name Hospital patients were assigned to the trial group and provided with HRS' 4G tablet, patient engagement software, and Bluetooth biometric monitoring devices. There was a 71% difference in hospital readmissions compared to the control and telehealth trial groups.
10. How does cellular RPM improve health equity?
Answer: By eliminating the need for internet or smartphones, cellular RPM expands access to remote care for rural, underserved, and elderly populations, helping to bridge the digital divide in healthcare.
