What is Remote Patient Monitoring?

The devices that may be provided are; weight scale, blood pressure monitor, thermometer, blood glucometer, and pulse oximeter to gather and transmit patient data. Community home care nurses review the data and quickly identify patients requiring prioritized interventions, including care, education and other supports. The RPM program is currently deployed in Siksika and Cold Lake to serve 25 patients, including those requiring support for chronic disease management, palliative care and post hospital discharge. As well, patients are now monitored by the Virtual Diabetes Clinic. These patients enter their data into the RPM application on their own smartphones and do not have medical monitoring devices. Our vision is to offer RPM to all home care patients in First Nations communities in Alberta, one community at a time.

Each First Nation determines the approach that best meets their community’s health care needs. TSAG provides operations, technology and project supports to community health providers. Currently, Siksika, Cold Lake and the Virtual Diabetes Clinic are piloting or planning the service with a select group of patients. mmHg inc. Sphygmo is the RPM technology vendor for this initial trial.
This initiative receives funding from First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Indigenous Services Canada.

Improved patient outcomes
⦁ Monitoring patients’ health status in real-time can lead to earlier detection of health issues and more timely interventions.
⦁ RPM is particularly beneficial for chronic disease management, post surgery care, and aging in place.
Enhanced patient engagement
⦁ Having real-time data on their health status can enable patients and their caregivers to take a more active role in their healthcare, make more informed decisions and improve their overall health.
Increased efficiency
⦁ Remote monitoring can reduce the need for in-person visits, saving time and money for patients while allowing health care providers to prioritize patients who require more urgent care.
Cost savings
⦁ More timely interventions have demonstrated savings for both patients and the health system through reduced hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and other costly medical procedures and expenses.