Digital Care with Device Based Monitoring can have effects on hospital capacity use per patient. How this effect is established is to be determined, just adding the technology is not sufficient as explanation. This systematic review of RCTs examines four aspects of device-based remote monitoring (DRM): the technology itself, pathway design related aspects such as patient monitoring and support, integration of DRM into clinical care, and patient engagement, and presents their impact on hospital service use, which decreased in DRM in 72% of the 116 included RCTs. Non-implantable devices were most commonly used to measure data, but showed a lower decrease in hospital service use than implanted or mobile devices (69% vs 89% and76%). Especially adding 24/7 support for patients led to a decrease (81% of the studies) in capacity use. DRM replacing usual care, involving designated healthcare providers, and patient-performed data transmission led to a greater decrease in service use. DRM has the potential to further reduce hospital service use with additional factors such as sufficient support, automated processes, direct integration of the data into the EMR and optimized care redesign.
Device based monitoring in digital care and its impact on hospital service use
Much is expected of efficiency improvement in Digital Care. What is exactly the mechanism that determines reduced hospital capacity use in Digital Care with Device Based Monitoring ? Just adding the technology, and/or redesign (pathway integration and virtual services) and patients self management?