How Remote-Monitoring Using a 12-Lead ECG Reduces Readmissions & Costs

How Remote-Monitoring Using a 12-Lead ECG Reduces Readmissions & Costs

Patients with arrhythmia, irregular heartbeat, unexplained fainting, atrial fibrillations, and unexplained stroke can benefit greatly from remote monitoring under a doctor's care. By offering remote-monitoring from the patient’s home, providers can better monitor patient conditions, reduce hospital readmissions, and reduce costs for both providers and patients.

RemoteCarePartners reports, “Partners HealthCare used telehealth to aid a group of 1,256 cardiac patients. Following the program, they saw a 51% reduction in hospital readmissions related to heart failure and a total savings of $10.3 million.” Remote monitoring has the ability to save patients' lives by continually monitoring cardiac conditions from the comfort of home while freeing hospital beds for more urgent patients.

Reducing Readmission Rates & Costs

Delays in receiving a prompt diagnosis, monitoring, intervention, and admission for high-risk patients with acute chest pain and arrhythmia after being released from the hospital are currently challenges faced by hospitals. These challenges can lead to increased cardiovascular complications and mortality in patients. “Using a home based, 24/7, 12-lead ECG technology was found to provide a solid foundation for a hospital at home service that is safe, clinically approved, and cost effective while providing a 78% reduction of admissions and cost savings”, according to a study published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A portable 12-lead ECG device monitors patients’ conditions as they are happening and can lead to quicker diagnosis from the comfort and convenience of the patient’s own home.

In another study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that took place during the COVID 19 pandemic, at-home hospital care using portable 12-lead ECG technology was applied as an alternative to unnecessary admissions in lower risk patient populations. This study resulted in not only a sustained reduction of admissions, but also reduced costs by 70% up to a year and a half later. Hospitalizations and other traditional types of care are costly for both patients and providers. Remote cardiac monitoring helps identify and treat health problems in the early stages, helping healthcare providers avoid these many recurring costs.

Home Remote- Monitoring Using a 12- Lead ECG

Home remote-monitoring has many benefits to the patient, provider, and hospital. Patients are provided with greater independence, safety, comfort, and convenience. Remote monitoring using a 12-lead ECG helps detect abnormal heart rhythms and issues with heart devices faster, reduces hospitalizations and ER visits, increases quality of life, and provides a sense of security and peace of mind, according to Medtronic. For patients that live in rural areas, remote cardiac monitoring prevents unnecessary trips to the hospital which in turn saves money.?

Remote monitoring makes it easier for providers to monitor patients' symptoms throughout the entirety of the care cycle. Through remote cardiac monitoring, providers gain the ability to manage patients’ heart conditions and obtain ECG information on an as-needed basis. The implementation of home care also provides more beds in hospitals for patients who need them most.

Increasing Continuity of Care

In a traditional sense, continuity of care is defined as the delivery of an efficient service between providers through the integration, coordination, and the sharing of information. The COVID-19 pandemic forced telemedicine to adapt and evolve in an efficient manner to serve a large number of patients while still providing high quality hospital care. Recent advances with the software combined with faster digital infrastructure, are driving more healthcare professionals to electronic communications, also named telemedicine.

Reducing Readmissions & Costs in Rural Areas

Continuity of care is understood to be a critical element in all health care systems and has been shown to effectively reduce hospitalizations and lower costs, especially among chronically ill patients. Individuals with major chronic conditions also substantially benefit from telemedicine. Millions of people have smartphones or other smart devices that can be used to connect to remote monitoring technology, allowing health professionals to monitor their condition and intercede at the first sign of trouble. This can reduce rates of hospitalization by fifty percent or more.

According to data from PBS, forty-six million people live in rural America in sparsely populated rural regions. These areas are usually geographically isolated places with fewer than five hundred people per square mile meaning more than half of people live in an area where there is a shortage of health professionals. PBS says, “the ratio of primary care doctors to patients often exceeds 1:3,500, when the national average is around 1:2,300. Remote patient monitoring gives rural patients access to effective easy-to-use healthcare that reduces feelings of isolation and easily connects them with a healthcare professional.

SmartHeart? Provides Clinical Quality Remote Monitoring

SmartHeart? is a clinical quality, quick, and easy to use 12-lead ECG technology that is proven to help reduce readmission rates by 78%. Through our dedicated technology, we provide immediate and professional medical care when and wherever our users need it. SmartHeart? helps to monitor the health and wellbeing of patients in order to reduce the need for emergency intervention and hospitalization. In no more than thirty seconds, patients and providers can use SmartHeart?’s self-guided app to pair with SmartHeart?’s 12-lead ECG technology to produce a full ECG report that will be immediately sent to the appropriate provider for interpretation.

Patients using SmartHeart? who suffered a heart attack have a greater chance of surviving the critical year following it. These patients also report improvements in quality of life and needing fewer hospital stays. As a result, medical insurers, payers, hospitals, and physicians all seek us out to improve the quality of care for all patients.

Visit smartheartpro.com today to learn more.