BACKGROUND
Community health center (CHC) patients experience a disproportionately high prevalence of chronic conditions and barriers to accessing technologies that might support the management of these conditions. One such technology includes tools utilized for remote patient monitoring (RPM), the use of which surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess how one CHC implemented an RPM program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
This retrospective case study used a mixed methods explanatory sequential design to evaluate one CHC’s implementation of a suite of RPM tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses used EHR-extracted health outcomes data and semi-structured interviews with CHC staff and patients participating in the RPM program.
RESULTS
The CHC enrolled 147 patients in a hypertension RPM program. After 6 months of RPM use, mean systolic blood pressure (BP) was 13.4 mmHg lower and mean diastolic BP 6.4 mmHg lower, corresponding with an increase in hypertension control (BP<140/90) from 33.3% of patients to 81.5%. Considerable effort was dedicated to standing up the program, reinforced by organizational prioritization of chronic disease management, and by a clinician who championed program implementation. Noted barriers to implementation of the RPM program were limited initial training, lack of sustained support, and complexities related to the RPM device technology.
CONCLUSIONS
While RPM technology holds promise for addressing chronic disease management, successful RPM program requires substantial investment in implementation support and technical assistance.