Remote Patient Monitoring Program Shines in Treating COVID-19

Remote patient monitoring for patients with COVID-19 proved to be effective in preventing hospital admissions and improving recovery from the virus, according to a Kaiser Permanente study.

The California-based health system launched an RPM platform to treat infected patients at home, rather than in over-stressed hospitals and clinics, during the height of the pandemic. To evaluate its effectiveness, researchers at Southern California Permanente Medical Group studied 13,055 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and participated in the program between April 13, 2020 and February 12, 2021.

Patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and had moderate risk were eligible to enroll in the program, which monitored them at home. Like many remote patient monitoring systems, the program required patients to enter daily symptoms through an mHealth app, which care providers could monitor at the hospital.

Prior to participation, patients and caregivers received instructions via handouts and videos to ensure they understood how to use the technology. Kaiser Permanente provided some assistance to those who needed help understanding or accessing the technology.

The home monitoring kit included a pulse oximeter and thermometer and access to the app, which also supported video visits. With these resources, patients monitored key vital signs and symptoms that could identify the improvement or deterioration of their health and could connect with care providers when needed.

Providers, meanwhile, could monitor daily oxygen levels and temperature, as well as symptoms such as a cough or shortness of breath, to determine whether home-based care was working or if the patient should visit a hospital.

Depending on the severity of their symptoms, patients could receive additional diagnostic testing, oxygen, or treatments like remdesivir, all from home. 

According to the study, only about 10 percent of the 13,055 patients, (1387 patients) were admitted to the hospital based on their reported symptoms. A very small percentage (0.2 percent) of patients died while participating in the remote monitoring program; these patients were usually 60 or older and more likely to have had existing comorbidities, such as obesity or hypertension.

Meanwhile, 95.5 percent of the patients recovered from COVID-19, completing the RPM program in an average of 9.2 days.

The program not only helped patients avoid hospital admissions, but it also yielded high satisfaction rates. Of the more than half of the participants answering a patient satisfaction survey after completing the program, 94 percent said they were satisfied with the quality of care they received and would recommend the program to others, according to the study.

The researchers also noted the value of the pulse oximeter to the program. At times, patients indicated that they were feeling fine, but their oxygen saturation levels were low. This alerted providers of a problem and gave them ample time to act accordingly.

The study results clearly show the value of remote patient monitoring and its ability to improve several aspects of healthcare delivery. It presented an alternative to COVID-19 hospital admissions, helping to reduce the spread of the virus as well as freeing up hospital space for other emergencies. The program also gave patients the chance to remain at home and recover in a comfortable, familiar space as opposed to a hospital room.

The success of the program will be important not only in continued COVID-19 treatment - especially with surges caused by variants like the Delta variant - but with other populations in the future, such as those with acute or chronic conditions.

“Initial results of the COVID-19 Home Monitoring program appear to be promising,” researchers concluded in the study. “A high volume of patients was managed in a short time frame and the program served as a safe alternative for managing sick patients outside of our brick-and-mortar facilities. Patient adherence and satisfaction was high, which is encouraging as we see increasingly more care shift into the home.”