FL Health System to Provide Remote Patient Monitoring for Chronic Care

With the goal of improving chronic care outcomes, Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has partnered with Stel Life to add remote patient monitoring (RPM) tools to treat conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), and high blood pressure.

TGH, a nonprofit academic medical center with 1,040 beds, is the region's only center for level I trauma and comprehensive burn care.

To treat chronic conditions like COPD, CHF, and high blood pressure, TGH plans to add an RPM program to its offerings.

"Our goal is to improve quality outcomes and the lives of patients,'' said Jason Swoboda, director of Innovation at Tampa General Hospital, in a press release. "The hope is to support chronically ill patients in the comfort of their homes. It's really about improving quality of life for those we serve."

TGH has partnered with Stel Life to implement the hardware and software components of the RPM program. Stel Life provides a “Vitals Hub” that integrates with various devices, such as scales, blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, and thermometers, that can be used to monitor patients.

"The Stel Hub works without patients needing smartphones, Wi-Fi, or for those who don't have a comfort level with technology. Stel has worked hard to simplify digital access and health equity barriers by improving access to care so patients are not left behind as their care evolves," said Sid Kandan, CEO of Stel Life, in the press release. "Patients just need to plug the Vitals Hub into a wall outlet and take their vital signs as requested by their care provider. Patients won't need to play around with setting screens or app setup flows to connect with their care team."

In addition to using Stel Life resources, TGH is working with Signallamp Health, which provides a remote care management solution and a team of clinicians to manage patient care virtually.

"Our partnership with Stel Life and Signallamp is part of our commitment to driving world-class innovation that truly improves the quality of care our patients receive," said Rachel Feinman, vice president of innovation at Tampa General and managing director of TGH Innoventures, the hospital's innovation center and venture capital fund, in the press release. "Remote patent monitoring solutions like Stel and Signallamp are a real game changer in providing at-home care for patients with chronic conditions."

Research has shown that RPM can help improve the quality of chronic care.

A study published in August found that RPM and health coaching effectively assisted patients with COPD. Researchers reached this conclusion following a 12-week trial that included hundreds of patients.

The trial included patients receiving care through either RPM or a standard care method. Following the 12-week period, participants engaged in a questionnaire, the results of which led providers to note that patients who received care through RPM reported more significant improvements in quality of life.

As a result of this growing body of evidence, healthcare providers are increasingly implementing RPM.

For instance, an RPM program established in September aims to treat conditions such as hypertension and heart failure while improving health outcomes and expanding access to care.

Launched by Watertown Regional Medical Center, the program involves a partnership with Cadence. The program leverages various devices, such as blood pressure monitors and weight scales, to track health metrics.