Three recent patient research reports show that cellular remote patient monitoring™(RPM) programs are an effective way for patients to become more involved with their care between visits to their healthcare provider. Patients find using cellular RPM monitors very easy and convenient when measuring their vital signs, leading to better outcomes. Healthcare providers benefit from securely and automatically receiving those vital sign readings, helping them monitor and manage patient care between office visits.
In a 30-day study by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 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. Participants who used the iGlucose glucose meter demonstrated increased positive appraisal of diabetes and general life satisfaction. In addition, participants scored the cellular RPM™ iGlucose device high for both system usability and satisfaction. The overall feedback on the iGlucose glucose meter, the gold standard since receiving FDA approval in 2016, was positive across multiple evaluation points.
Baum Consulting Services implemented an RPM program using Smart Meter’s cellular devices 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.
Results from both the 2023 National Hypertension Survey and the 2023 National Diabetes Survey indicated that a majority of patients would test more consistently knowing their readings were automatically sent to their provider. In addition, 59 percent of hypertension patients and 70 percent of diabetes patients said they believe an RPM program would help them better manage their disease.
“This research is part of a growing body of evidence that remote monitoring of patients is a valuable tool for stabilizing and improving healthcare outcomes. Cellular RPM solutions continue to add value to patient care management because patients find them significantly more straightforward to use, leading to improved patient engagement in their health between office visits,” said Bill Bassett, Chief Marketing Officer for Smart Meter. “Providers benefit from the secure, real-time transmission of patient vital signs, empowering them with the information to support improved decision making and expediting time to intervention.”
Smart Meter has all the resources needed for healthcare professionals to implement a cellular RPM program, including a free guide on how to get started. The guide provides insights into the history of cellular RPM technology, the benefits of RPM (including reimbursement opportunities through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid), why cellular RPM is better than Bluetooth®, and a simple plan for developing an RPM program. The guide can be downloaded by going to this page.
About Smart Meter, LLC
Smart Meter is the trusted supplier of Remote Patient Monitoring (“RPM”) solutions. We empower a nationwide network of SmartPartnersTM who are working directly with healthcare providers to transform patient care. Millions of vital health data readings are reliably delivered across our platform to enable real-time, better-informed health care. Our proprietary patient-friendly cellular FDA-registered monitoring devices are connected to an exclusive AT&T 4/5G network to ensure an engaging patient experience for improved adherence. For more information, visit SmartMeterRPM.com
