Healthcare Technology Featured Article

January 07, 2015

Remote Patient Monitoring Offers Better Care Options for Aging Baby Boomers


Aside from retirement savings and the need for better insurance systems, today’s baby boomers do have something to look forward to when it comes to their health as they age. The growth of remote monitoring services is making it easier to live more independently and safely.

The technology involved makes use of wireless technologies and Internet connectivity to monitor and send important information about patients to healthcare professionals. Not only was this kind of care once only possible by visiting a doctor’s office but it also meant consuming more insurance savings.

In fact, the industry for patient monitoring technologies in the U.S. is growing so rapidly that it’s set to hit $5B by 2020, according to iData Research.

This comes at a perfect time since the aging population is one that’s already become familiar with technologies of today, like mobile devices, and is more focused on improving their health than generations before.

Kalorama Information also recently released finding of its report on Baby Boomers and says the generation is ripe for these technologies because it is one that, “expects to stay in their homes, rather than going into nursing homes or other facilities, and PM devices are a practical strategy to help them do it."

To test this theory out, Fallon Health, a health insurer and care provider, and Healthsense, a provider of technology-enabled care solutions, surveyed the use of Healthsense’s in-home remote monitoring system for the elderly and chronically ill for one year.

In just the first eight months, the group was able to reduce ER visits by 38 percent for every 1,000 members and spent 14 less days in long-term care facilities. In addition, members were able to recognize over $700 in savings per month on healthcare costs.

“With Healthsense’s remote monitoring pilot, our care managers and Navigator team receive timely updates regarding member changes. We’re then able to follow established protocols to communicate these changes to the member’s primary care physician. This communication drives assessment and interventions that help us avoid complications that may hinder our members’ ability to continue to live in their homes alone. It’s a great partnership,” said Dr. Sarika Aggarwal, Chief Medical Officer at Fallon Health.

This kind of continual, virtual monitoring will be a driving force in changing how we live and how we are cared for in the future. Becoming comfortable with technologies today will ensure we can continue to use these innovations with ease as we age. 




Edited by Maurice Nagle
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