5 min read
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a rapidly growing field in healthcare that leverages technology to monitor patients outside of the clinic such as in a home or a remote area. This approach allows healthcare providers to keep a closer eye on their patients and diagnose health issues ahead of time, which by default improves the quality of hospital care. It's important to consider your needs as a healthcare provider and what functionalities will be needed with an RPM.
With Remote Patient Monitoring, medical care providers can:
- Use mobile medical devices to track vitals and analyze data in real-time.
- Use device sensors to collect medical data from one specific location.
- Transmit health information securely to healthcare providers.
- Use sensors such as wristbands, Smart Watches for fitness tracking and sleep, ECG and blood pressure and glucose monitors for keeping track of the patient's bodily activity.
- Send data from sensors to the EHR, which allows for treatment recommendations or interventional alerts.
Remote Patient Monitoring has multiple benefits: 
- Saves time for the patient and reduces the burden for both on-site physicians and patients.
- Saves operational costs by reducing readmissions, staff engagement and in-person visits.
- Enables early detection of a disease or illness, thereby reducing emergency department visits hospitalizations and hospital stays.
- According to some estimates, the healthcare industry could save 700 billion dollars in the next 15-20 years with the use of remote patient monitoring in conjunction with EHR.
- Provides assessment and recommendations based on health data collected from RPM.
When dealing with patient health data, it is critical to maintain a high level of privacy. This is why appropriate security measures should be implemented to protect sensitive patient data, such as encryption, access controls, and regular security audits.
Since RPM software can also integrate with other healthcare systems, such as electronic health records (EHRs), healthcare providers should test this process and gather all the necessary feedback.
Depending on the country and region you are operating in, there may be regulatory requirements that need to be met before developing RPM software. So it's crucial that healthcare practices understand the relevant regulations and ensure that your software meets those requirements.
Overall, building RPM software for healthcare is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. However, with the right approach, it can help improve patient outcomes and provide healthcare providers with valuable insights into their patients' health.
**Risks of RPM**
Indeed, there are some risks associated with building Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) software for healthcare. 
One potential risk is the accuracy and reliability of the data collected by RPM software. If the technology used to monitor patients is not accurate, it could lead to false alarms or misdiagnosed health issues, which could have serious consequences for patients.
Additionally, there may be other challenges associated with integrating RPM software with other healthcare systems. Failing the integration process could mean having incomplete or inaccurate patient records.
Depending on the country and region you are operating in, there may be regulations governing the use of healthcare technology that need to be followed. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines or other penalties.
Overall, while there are risks associated with building RPM software for healthcare, these risks can be mitigated through careful planning and execution. By implementing appropriate security measures, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data collected, effectively integrating with other healthcare systems, and complying with relevant regulations, you can help minimize these risks and build a successful RPM solution.