Practice Integration

What Remote Patient Monitoring Adds to a Practice

Remote patient monitoring is the collection and review of a patient's health data, like blood pressure, weight, or oxygen levels. A connected device at home sends that data to a care team outside the hospital or clinic. It supports ongoing tracking for chronic conditions and gives a care team more information between scheduled visits.

For a physician practice, adding remote monitoring generally starts with identifying which patients could benefit. Most often, that means people managing a chronic condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or a heart or breathing condition. The practice also agrees on how the incoming data will be reviewed. Learn about our HIPAA-compliant platform standards, review provider onboarding considerations, or browse our patient resources for general chronic condition guidance.

What HIPAA Requires of Any Monitoring Partner

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets national rules for protecting patient health information. Any technology partner handling patient data on a practice's behalf is generally expected to meet these standards.

• Data Privacy Standards HIPAA sets national rules for how patient health information must be protected, whether it is stored, viewed, or sent electronically.
• Vendor Agreements A technology partner that handles patient data on a practice's behalf typically signs a formal agreement committing to protect that information.
• Security Practices Encryption and access controls are standard ways to protect patient health information as it moves between devices and systems.
• Patient Consent Practices generally confirm that patients understand how their health data will be collected, used, and shared before monitoring begins.

Does Medicare Cover Remote Patient Monitoring?

Yes. Medicare has covered remote patient monitoring since 2018. Coverage generally requires a diagnosed condition, a connected device, and a provider who reviews the data:

• A Diagnosed Condition A patient's provider determines that monitoring is appropriate for a chronic or acute condition that needs closer tracking.
• A Connected Device The device meets the FDA's definition of a medical device and can send health data electronically, such as a blood pressure cuff or pulse oximeter.
• Regular Readings The device collects and sends health data on an ongoing basis, not just a single reading.
• Provider Review A patient's provider reviews the data and uses it to help manage the patient's care.

Questions to Ask Any Remote Monitoring Partner

Practices considering a remote monitoring partnership generally benefit from asking a few consistent questions of any vendor:

• Data Protection Does the partner sign a formal agreement to protect patient health information, and how is that data encrypted?
• Patient Support Does the partner offer plain-language instructions and support so patients, including older adults, can use their device with confidence?
• Care Team Access How does health data reach the people on a patient's care team who need to review it?
• Program Scope Which conditions and devices does the partner support, and how well does that match the patients a practice already manages?

Who This Is For, and When to Choose In-Person Care

Remote patient monitoring is meant to support, not replace, a patient's regular relationship with their doctor. It fits patients managing an ongoing chronic condition, recovering after a procedure, or needing closer tracking of medications and vital signs between visits.

It is not a substitute for emergency care. Patients with chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness, or any other emergency should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. As the American Heart Association notes, home blood pressure monitoring does not replace regular doctor visits, even when the readings look normal.