Remote pulse oximetry helps manage chronic respiratory conditions at home by continuously tracking blood oxygen (SpO2) levels and pulse rate. Connected pulse oximeters provide real-time alerts, so physicians can intervene early if a patient’s readings fall outside personalized thresholds. This approach has had positive results for those with asthma, COPD and COVID-19 recovery, because frequent monitoring detects subtle drops in oxygen levels that signal worsening lung function.
Studies show remote patient monitoring (RPM) improves symptom control, reduces hospitalizations, and over time lowers healthcare costs. This article explores the impact of remote pulse oximetry on both patients and providers. It covers the capabilities of FDA-cleared monitoring devices and outlines five key benefits over standard care.
What is Remote Pulse Oximetry Monitoring?
Remote patient monitoring in general, involves using FDA-cleared medical devices in the home to measure vital signs as prescribed: pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation. RPM is also used to measure weight and medication adherence.
In brief, pulse oximetry determines how well a patient’s lungs function by using a light that measures oxygen levels in red blood cells. Blood-oxygen levels are typically tested at the fingertips with a pulse oximeter to measure how well oxygen is distributed to areas far from the heart. Pulse oximeters give clinicians blood oxygen levels, pulse rate, and perfusion index to develop patient treatment plans.
Which Respiratory Conditions Can be Monitored?
Remote pulse oximetry monitoring may be used for many clinical conditions. Some use cases include:
- COPD: Monitoring leads to early identification and prompt treatment, preventing symptoms from worsening.
- Congestive Heart Failure: Keeps check on low oxygen saturation, which is a common symptom.
- Asthma: When an asthmatic’s oxygen levels trend downward, it can indicate impending respiratory failure.
- Lung cancer: Used to predict cardiopulmonary morbidity after lung resection in cancer patients.
- COVID-19: Shows effectiveness and safety for monitoring lung deterioration at home.
Monitoring blood oxygen levels for pulmonary diseases is used to track respiratory symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) between office visits. For instance, a COPD patient with mild symptoms may experience critical drops in blood-oxygen levels and not even know it. Frequent monitoring of lung capacity or blood oxygen levels promotes management of treatment plans and timely treatment.
Cleveland Clinic reports that a normal saturation number (SpO2) is between 95% and 100%, and if oxygen saturation level is 92% or lower, a healthcare provider should be notified. If it is at 88% or lower, emergency care is needed right away. With RPM, notifications can be set to automatically alert a clinician if a patient’s blood oxygen saturation level (SpO2) is under normal limits.
Remote Pulse Oximetry Monitoring Devices: What’s Safe?
According to the FDA, there are categories of pulse oximeters: prescription use and over-the-counter (OTC). During COVID-19 there was a surge in pulse oximeter usage, and studies found that over-the-counter pulse oximeters can be flawed. The risk of inaccuracy under certain circumstances can be dangerous. As a result, the FDA issued urgent alerts warning patients and healthcare providers that OTC pulse oximeters have limitations that can affect accuracy.
In addition, proper pulse oximeter placement varies by the type of device. Therefore, patients should always review the manufacturer’s instructions for how to take a proper measurement.
Below is a list of details of prescription vs. OTC pulse oximeters:
Prescription Pulse Oximeters
The FDA requires that these pulse oximeters undergo the following clinical testing to confirm their accuracy.
- Fully reviewed and cleared by the FDA
- Received 510(k) clearance
- For use in hospitals, physician offices, and health clinics
- Available only with a prescription when prescribed for home use
Over-the-counter (OTC) Pulse Oximeters
It is important to note that the FDA does not clear all OTC oximeters and those without clearance should not be used for medical purposes. The may pulse oximeters that:
- are sold directly to consumers in stores or online
- may be smartphone apps developed for estimating oxygen saturation
- could be sold as general wellness products; not intended for medical purposes
- could not have received FDA clearance
Effectiveness of Remote Pulse Oximetry Monitoring
Effective management of chronic conditions focuses on proactive care. Benefits of remote patient monitoring include accessible and convenient healthcare. RPM can reduce the risk of hospitalization because it is preventive care. With care services and RPM, patients are encouraged to engage in healthier choices because the results of their lifestyle choices can be evidenced in their regular biometric readings.
Below, we list some benefits of remote pulse oximetry monitoring.
1) Accurate & Reliable Data
Before remote pulse oximetry monitoring, patients had to log vital sign measurements and present them to their physician during an office visit. The data provided to a physician could be invalid and unreliable for several reasons, such as human error, missed medication, and so on.
Accurate data is critical to reducing the risk of hospitalization by focusing on prevention over management. Well-designed remote care programs offer significant benefits for seniors and chronic care patients. One study assessing the reliability of a remote patient monitoring program, found that the device used was “quite” effective in providing accurate data, and that it functioned well among the geriatric population.
Another benefit of remote monitoring is that remote patient monitoring services companies provide devices as well as qualified clinical staff that can assist and support patients. Since devices and RPM programs vary considerably, it is essential to research connected health devices, care services, and software quality before choosing an RPM company.
2) Improving COVID-19 & Chronic Condition Health Outcomes.
With remote patient monitoring clinicians are able to monitor their at-risk patients between visits for optimal care. Regular monitoring also keeps patients actively managing their health and aware of their readings. Because respiratory symptoms aren’t always noticeable, frequent monitoring of lung capacity or blood oxygen level promotes early detection and timely treatment.
A 2022 systematic review published in the Lancet reported that monitoring COVID-19 patients’ pulse oximetry levels at home was deemed safe and could help pinpoint signs of condition deterioration. Another recent study of over 15,000 patients found that remote pulse oximetry monitoring is a safe and highly effective tool for detecting hypoxia early. While patients using remote monitoring had higher rates of emergency department visits and hospital admissions, their overall outcomes were significantly better.
Takeaways from the study include:
- Decreased Mortality: Monitored patients experienced a 52% lower risk of death compared to the control group.
- Reduced Severity: If admitted to the hospital, monitored patients had a 53% lower risk of requiring critical care.
- No Change in Hospital Stay: Remote monitoring did not significantly impact the overall length of a patient’s hospital stay.
3) Reducing Costs with Remote Pulse Oximetry
Chronic diseases are the leading causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States. Remote monitoring can reduce emergency care use and hospital admissions, which significantly reduces healthcare costs. Healthcare IT News estimated that for every 500 high-risk Medicare patients with multiple chronic conditions, health systems could realize $5.2 million in annual cost savings. In addition, remote patient monitoring allows clinicians to manage more patients, efficiently using their time and resources while increasing revenue.
4) Remote Monitoring Shows Improved Patient Adherence
With traditional at-home vital signs monitoring, patients are not reminded to take regular readings. As a result, providers do not know if patients are compliant with taking measurements. Moreover, the time between the reading and a face-to-face visit with a provider can be quite long, and their health might deteriorate during that period.
Remote patient monitoring improves patient treatment and medication adherence. A 2019 study found that chronic disease patients who utilized RPM devices had increased knowledge of their conditions and enhanced ability to manage their health and make care decisions.
5) RPM Pulse Oximeters: No Real Risks Involved
The American Lung Association best says the final benefit: there are no known risks or dangers of using an FDA-cleared pulse oximeter when a qualified healthcare professional reviews and monitors the values. As mentioned, there are risks associated with OTC pulse oximeters. If you have a problem with a pulse oximeter, the FDA encourages you to report the issue through the MedWatch Voluntary Reporting Form.
Tenovi serves companies interested in offering remote patient monitoring solutions to healthcare providers. Schedule your free demo and consultation today!
