5 Factors Holding Back Healthcare Practices From Adopting RPM

5 Factors Holding Back Healthcare Practices From Adopting RPM Katie Adams

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology saw a significant rise in adoption during the pandemic, but it hasn’t gone completely mainstream, according to a new report from analytics company Definitive Healthcare.

Just a quarter of healthcare practices offer RPM, and the majority of them aren’t too eager to adopt the technology any time soon, the report said. The technology has potential to alleviate staff burnout and enable better at-home care, so why aren’t providers more enthusiastic about integrating RPM into their practices? The report unpacked five reasons.

Data security

Some providers are reluctant to adopt RPM technology due to concerns about data privacy. It’s understandable why they might feel this way — healthcare organizations with more than 70% of their devices connected to the internet are 24% more likely to experience a cyberattack than organizations with 50% or fewer connected devices, according to a report released in November by software review and selection platform Capterra.

Providers have also expressed concerns about the physical security of some RPM devices and how that security can affect the accuracy of the data a device transmits. For example, a Wi-Fi-connected blood pressure cuff could easily be misplaced, stolen or used by a curious child. These scenarios could all lead to inaccurate readings and clinical trial noncompliance, Definitive Healthcare’s report pointed out.

Fee-for-service payment structures

Many healthcare providers are under severe financial pressure right now. And the vast majority of them rely on fee-for-service payment models for their revenue streams.

By continuously monitoring patients’ health, RPM can reduce hospital readmissions and emergency room visits. Unfortunately, the benefits associated with this technology could mean that providers have fewer opportunities to bill for services and therefore generate revenue.

Aware of this conundrum, CMS has introduced some CPT codes that allow providers to be reimbursed for RPM-related tasks, such as equipment delivery, patient education and data interpretation. But many practices are unwilling to deal with the time and data volume restrictions associated with these codes, the report said.

Training and IT infrastructure requirements

If a practice wants to adopt an RPM system, they need to train their staff on the ins and outs of using the software. Amid the clinician burnout crisis, many practices aren’t eager to do this — especially since most healthcare professionals are already required to take part in continuing medical education each year.

Additionally, some practices may not have the IT infrastructure needed to go live with RPM technology — this is especially true among rural practices with unreliable internet connectivity or proprietary software systems, the report pointed out.

And integrating RPM into existing IT systems can be a complicated process. Many healthcare IT system vendors offer ways to integrate RPM into the electronic health record, but the process usually requires cooperation from multiple stakeholders. Some providers are reluctant to embark on that journey, according to the report.

Variance among reimbursement policies

About 70 private insurers reimburse providers for RPM services, and only 34 state Medicaid programs reimburse for RPM, according to the Center for Connected Health Policy.

Providers’ profitability when it comes to RPM varies widely — it is calculated by the state in which they operate and the payer mix among their patient base.

Patients’ technology barriers

About 19 million Americans don’t have access to high speed internet, according to the latest Federal Communications Commission Broadband Progress Report. Almost a quarter of the country’s rural population and about one-third of those living in tribal jurisdictions lack this access.

Poverty and insufficient health literacy also disproportionately affect these regions, so it can be incredibly difficult to deploy RPM on a wide scale in these areas. This situation is unfortunate because rural practices have some of the best use cases for RPM, as patients often have to travel long distances to access care.

Photo: Maria Symchych-Navrotska, Getty Images