Effects of Remote Patient Monitoring Use on Care Outcomes Among Medicare Patients With Hypertension

Observational study matching 192 high remote patient monitoring (RPM) practices with 942 low-RPM control practices in US found patients in high-RPM practices had improved hypertension care outcomes but increased spending and outpatient visits.

SPS commentary:

From 2019 to 2021, compared with patients at matched control practices, amongst patients with hypertension at high-RPM practices, there was a:

  • 3.3% (95% CI, 1.9% to 4.8%) relative increase in hypertension medication fills (+0.29 fills)
  • 1.6% (CI, 0.7% to 2.5%) increase in hypertension medication days’ supply (+8.69 days’ supply)
  • 1.3% (CI, 0.2% to 2.4%) increase in the number of unique hypertension medications received (+0.03 unique medications filled)
  • 9.3% (CI, −20.6% to 2.1%) fewer hypertension-related acute care encounters
  • 7.2% (CI, −0.1% to 14.6%) increase in outpatient visits

Annals of Internal Medicine