Remote Patient Monitor Equipment Reduces Hospital Stay Times, Can Improve Patient Morale
Technological advances in the patient monitor industry have made it possible to track the conditions of patients with remote monitoring equipment that records vital statistics and other data, and reports them back to a doctor. While remote patient monitoring is nothing new – its commercial advent was during the 1980s – the technology has grown rapidly in use over the past few years. In fact, reports state that $7.1 billion was spent on patient monitoring equipment in 2010, and the industry is estimated to swell to $22 billion by 2015. Part of the driving force behind the expansion of remote patient monitor use is the projected shortage of nurses and doctors in the coming years, a phenomenon tied to the increase of patients as members of the Baby Boom generation age into their senior years.
While remote patient monitor equipment cannot totally replace doctors and nurses, what they can do is allow medical staff to track more patients more efficiently, without sacrificing the level of care that each patient needs. Primarily, remote patient monitor systems are most effective in the outpatient setting in which chronically ill, but easily manageable, individuals can monitor their conditions and report back to their doctor. Perhaps the most common example of this would be the individual with heart disease or diabetes, in which the former takes daily blood pressure and pulse rate readings, and the latter glucose levels.
With more patients tracking their health at home rather than in a hospital, more beds are available for individuals with more acutely critical needs, allowing doctors to focus their attention on those who need bedside care. While this does not mean individuals who use remote patient monitor equipment will not see their doctor, it will mean they will receive one-on-one care during checkups and regular follow ups.
For more information about remote patient monitor equipment and how it may best be implemented by your medical facility, contact Infinium Medical today to speak with one of our product specialists.