RESOURCES AND RESULTS TELEHEALTH OUTCOMES

SELECT TELEHEALTH CLINICAL OUTCOMES

Using Remote Patient Monitoring to Improve Care and Cut Costs 
Mercy Medical Group partnered with Dignity Health and Medtronic to implement a remote patient monitoring program (RPM) to monitor COVID-positive patients and patients with multiple chronic diseases. Early results have shown: 

  • RPM-enrolled COVID-positive patients had a 76% reduction in hospitalizations.1
  • RPM-enrolled patients with chronic diseases saw a 38% reduction in hospitalizations and 28% reduction in ER visits.1
  • RPM-enrolled post-operative patients showed a 30% reduction in length of stay.

Overall, Mercy Medical Group has found their RPM program to have helped bend the cost curve while also improving patient outcomes.1

 
An analysis by Paschke, S. et al (2021) reviews the effectiveness of remote home monitoring with a telehealth system in reducing hospital readmissions of patients treated with transfemoral-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Patients who were discharged home with a telehealth system reported their symptoms and vital sign readings, including weight, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate. Hospital readmissions were reduced by almost half in the patients who were discharged with telehealth, versus the patients who were discharged without telehealth. This preliminary analysis concludes remote home monitoring with a telehealth system may be helpful in mitigating 30-day hospital readmissions post-TAVR procedures.2
 

Safety and Effectiveness of an Individualized Risk Stratification Based Medication Intervention Strategy: The Intervene HF Study 
This novel heart failure management trial developed by Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure scientists and Medtronic Care Management Services Program Design Director Lindsay Streeter, RN, BSN, CHFN-K, ICST used cardiac rhythm device data and oversight by certified heart failure nurses to manage patient volume status. The trial finds that a physician-directed, nurse-implemented ambulatory medication intervention strategy can be safely and effectively instituted in heart failure patients with an increased heart failure risk score.3

COPD Hospital Admission Reduction Playbook: Incorporating Telehealth in the Home
This study by Dowe, A. et al (2019) reviews the effectiveness of combining nurse management, patient education, and telehealth technology at Middlesex Hospital Homecare to help reduce hospitalizations in patients with COPD.4

Improving CHF Re-Admission Rates Through Telehealth Program
This study by Garcia, M., and Bradford, M., (2017) reviews the impact of Medtronic Care Management Services (referred to as Cardiocom*) telehealth services for patients with congestive heart failure. It concludes that the telehealth program contributed to reduced hospitalizations, improved lifestyle behaviors, and improved quality of life for these patients.5

Telemonitoring Reduced Costs and Inpatient Visitation Rates for Patients with Advanced Cardiovascular Diseases 
A study by Stanhope (2016) concludes that remote telemonitoring of advanced cardiovascular disease patients can reduce inpatient visits and associated medical costs. 6

Heart Failure Care Management Program Utilizing Telehealth Technology Yields Readmission Rates Lower than the State Average
A study by Stampehl, M. et al (2017) aims to assess the impact on heart failure disease management using Medtronic Care Management Services telehealth technology in conjunction with a tele-homecare program. It concludes the heart failure care management program saw readmission rates below the state average in Illinois.7

Adherence to a Telehealth Heart Failure Program was Associated with Fewer Hospitalizations 
A study by Stampehl, M. et al (2017) finds that heart failure patients who stick to their care management program with telehealth technology had fewer hospitalizations and better heart failure outcomes.8

Reduced Cost and Mortality Using Home Telehealth to Promote Self-Management of Complex Chronic Conditions: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study of 4,999 Veteran Patients
This study by Darkins A, et al (2015) aims to assess the efficacy of care coordinated telehealth to reduce institutional care. It concludes the care coordinated telehealth model was successful in reducing cost of care.9

Overcoming Barriers to Mobile Health Technology Use in the Aging Population
Research by Fletcher, J., and Jensen, R., (2015) aims to understand solutions to barriers for the elderly population when using mobile health technology platforms. The barriers studied related to physical, acceptance, and technological design barriers. It concludes the use of mobile health platforms for with the elderly can be effective if concerns are addressed and assistance resources made available.10

The Effect of Telehealth on Mortality and ER Visits 
A study by Steventon (2012) finds home-based telehealth to be associated with lower emergency room admission rates and patient mortality.11

*

Medtronic Care Management Services is formerly Cardiocom.

This study is based on third-party solutions and data, which is not necessarily identical to the MCMS solution or Medtronic Data.

1

Valenzuela, P., Braid, C., Farhadpour, B. (2021). Using remote patient monitoring to improve care and cut costs. MGMA. 2021;70–72.

2

Paschke, S. et al (2021). Remote home monitoring post transcatheter aortic valve replacement reduces 30-day hospital readmissions. JACC. 2021;77(18).

3

Zile, M., et al. (2019). Safety and effectiveness of an individualized risk stratification based medication intervention strategy: the intervene HF study. JCF. 2019;25:8,S101.

4

Dowe , A. et al. (2019). COPD hospital admission playbook: incorporating telehealth in the home. AJRCCM. 2019;199:A2644.

5

Garcia, M., and Bradford, M. (2017). Improving CHF re-admission rates through Cardiocom telehealth program. Heart & Lung. 2017;46;211–214.

6

Stanhope, KM, et al. (2016). Telemonitoring reduced costs and inpatient visitation rates for patients with advanced cardiovascular disease: a matched cohort study. JCF. 2016;22(8S) S89–S90.

7

Stampehl, M. Jennison, S., Call, C., Pope, S., Sarkar, S., Norman, H.S. (2017). Heart failure care management program utilizing telehealth technology yields readmission rates lower than the state average. JCF. 2017;23:8,S80.

8

Stampehl, M. Jennison, S., Call, C., Pope, S., Venkatagiri-Kasaba, B., Parrott, K., Norman, H.S. (2017). Adherence to a telehealth heart failure program was associated fewer hospitalizations. JCF. 2017;23:8,S80.

9

Darkins A., Kendall S., Edmonson E., Young M., Stressel P. Reduced cost and mortality using home telehealth to promote self-management of complex chronic conditions: a retrospective matched cohort study of 4,999 veteran patients. Telemed J E Health. 2015;21(1):70–6.

10

Fletcher, J. and Jensen, R. (2015). Overcoming barriers to mobile health technology use in the aging population. OJNI. 2015;19(3).

11

Steventon (2012). Effect of telehealth on use of secondary care and mortality: findings from the Whole System Demonstrator cluster randomized trial. BMJ. 2012;344:e3874.