Care teams want to know whether home monitoring changes what happens between visits. A growing body of remote therapeutic monitoring research now offers some answers. Remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) tracks non-physiologic data, such as exercise completion, inhaler use, pain scores or therapy engagement, and sends it to the care team. Recent RTM outcomes studies from 2023 to 2026 point to gains in adherence and engagement, with more mixed results on hard clinical endpoints.
This article reviews peer-reviewed studies in three areas where RTM is used most: musculoskeletal and physical therapy, respiratory care, and cognitive behavioral or behavioral health programs. It also covers the current RTM code set, including the codes added for 2026, so practices can match the evidence to how the service is defined.
What Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Measures
RTM and remote patient monitoring (RPM) are related but distinct. RPM collects physiologic readings like blood pressure, weight or blood glucose. RTM focuses on how a patient is responding to and following a treatment plan.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Telehealth and Remote Monitoring booklet (MLN901705, December 2025), RTM captures non-physiologic data that can be self-reported. It can monitor treatment adherence and treatment response, and a connected medical device transmits the patient’s information. CMS also notes that RPM and RTM cannot be billed together for the same patient.
In practice, RTM data often includes:
- Home exercise program completion and repetitions
- Patient-reported pain and function scores
- Inhaler use, timing and technique
- Engagement with a digital cognitive behavioral therapy program
- Medication-taking events for therapies tied to a monitored condition
The common thread is adherence. A care plan only works if the patient follows it at home, and RTM gives clinicians a view into that part of care.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Research in Physical Therapy
Musculoskeletal care has produced some of the most direct RTM evidence so far.
In-Person Physical Therapy With RTM
A 2025 retrospective case-control study in Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation compared in-person physical therapy alone with in-person physical therapy plus RTM. The Marshall study drew from 95 private practice clinics. It matched 306 patients who used RTM with 918 controls by age, sex, case type and starting functional score.
Patients in the RTM group used a home exercise program in a mobile app, with exercise videos and care coordination support. The results:
- 72% of the RTM group met their functional status benchmark at discharge, compared with 63% of controls.
- 36% of the RTM group attended more than two visits per week, compared with 24% of controls.
- After adjusting for other factors, RTM participation was linked to higher odds of reaching the benchmark (adjusted odds ratio 1.53).
The authors concluded that adding RTM was associated with better engagement and patient-reported outcomes. Because the design was retrospective, the findings show association, not proof of cause.
Stroke Rehabilitation and Home Exercise
Stroke recovery depends on consistent practice at home, often for months. A 2026 secondary analysis of a five-site randomized trial, published in Healthcare by Gauthier and colleagues, looked at adults living with chronic stroke and mild to moderate arm weakness.
Participants completed a video game-based home exercise program over three weeks. Some received telehealth visits supported by RTM, built on behavior change techniques such as goal setting, feedback and problem solving. Six RTM-supported telehealth visits were linked to about 3.3 more hours of completed home exercise. Each consultation, remote or in person, was associated with roughly 34 more minutes of exercise.
The authors noted that RTM does not require travel to a clinic, which matters for stroke survivors with limited mobility.
Respiratory RTM Studies: Inhaler Adherence in COPD and Asthma
Inhaled maintenance therapy works only when patients take it as prescribed and use the right technique. Electronic inhaler monitors, which record each actuation, are a common RTM data source for respiratory care.
COPD
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in the European Respiratory Review pooled 10 studies with 1,432 people with COPD. The Aung review found that baseline adherence was generally suboptimal.
Interventions led by a healthcare provider and paired with electronic inhaler monitoring improved mean adherence by 18% compared with passive monitoring alone. Most participants found the platforms convenient (85%) and the reminders helpful (91%). Technical problems affected about 14%. Effects on exacerbation rates and quality of life were small or uncertain, and the authors called for longer-term studies.
One detail stands out for care teams. Monitoring alone did less than monitoring plus clinician follow-up. The data was most useful when someone on the care team acted on it.
Asthma and Mixed Populations
A 2023 meta-analysis in Pharmaceuticals by Garin and colleagues reviewed 18 studies of electronic monitoring devices in adults with asthma or COPD. Over periods of three months or longer, five studies with 1,223 participants favored the monitoring group for adherence. Shorter studies showed no clear difference. Results for asthma control and exacerbations were mixed.
Together, these reviews suggest respiratory RTM is most consistent at improving adherence over time. Its effect on downstream outcomes like flare-ups still needs stronger trials.
Behavioral Health and Digital CBT Research
RTM codes also cover devices that support cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Research on digital behavioral programs has grown quickly, including large randomized trials.
A 2025 randomized clinical trial in JAMA Internal Medicine tested a self-directed digital behavioral activation app for adults with at least moderate depression in primary care. The Dahne trial enrolled 649 patients from 22 clinics. Over 12 weeks, both app groups showed greater improvement on a standard depression scale than usual care.
One study arm also shared app use data with primary care providers through the EHR. That arm improved about as much as the app-only arm, so this trial did not show added benefit from EHR sharing alone.
Behavioral activation is closely related to CBT, but this trial was not designed as an RTM billing study. Practices should treat it as evidence for digital behavioral programs in general.
What the Evidence Suggests So Far
Across these studies, a few patterns appear:
- Adherence improves most consistently. Exercise completion, visit attendance and inhaler use rise across settings.
- Clinician involvement matters. In COPD, provider-led follow-up added to monitoring outperformed passive monitoring alone. In stroke rehab, each consultation was linked to more home exercise.
- Clinical endpoint data is still maturing. Functional benchmarks and depression scores improved in some studies. Exacerbation and long-term outcome data remain limited.
- Study designs vary. Several studies are retrospective or secondary analyses, which limits firm conclusions.
For practices, this points to a practical approach. Choose monitoring that patients will use without extra effort, and build a clear routine for reviewing the data and following up.
Current RTM Codes, Including 2026 Updates
RTM is described by a set of CPT codes. CMS confirmed new codes for 2026 in its therapy code list update. The full set includes:
- 98975: Initial setup and patient education on use of equipment
- 98976: Device supply, respiratory system, 16 to 30 days in a 30-day period
- 98977: Device supply, musculoskeletal system, 16 to 30 days in a 30-day period
- 98978: Device supply, cognitive behavioral therapy, 16 to 30 days in a 30-day period
- 98984 (new for 2026): Device supply, respiratory system, 2 to 15 days in a 30-day period
- 98985 (new for 2026): Device supply, musculoskeletal system, 2 to 15 days in a 30-day period
- 98986 (new for 2026): Device supply, cognitive behavioral therapy, 2 to 15 days in a 30-day period
- 98979 (new for 2026): Treatment management, first 10 minutes in a calendar month, with at least one real-time interaction
- 98980: Treatment management, first 20 minutes in a calendar month
- 98981: Treatment management, each additional 20 minutes in a calendar month
The 2026 additions recognize shorter monitoring periods and shorter management time. This may fit patients whose therapy naturally involves fewer days of data, such as short post-surgical rehab episodes. Payer coverage varies, especially for the CBT device codes, so practices should confirm policy with each payer. Our overview of RTM codes covers billing rules in more detail.
This material is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, compliance, billing, coding, or reimbursement advice. CPT® codes, descriptions, and Medicare payment rates referenced here are drawn from publicly available sources, are subject to change, and may vary by payer, locality, and patient circumstances. Tenovi makes no representation or guarantee regarding coverage, payment, or the appropriateness of any code for a particular patient or service, and any presented are illustrative only. Providers are solely responsible for independently determining medical necessity and applicable coding, coverage, documentation, and billing requirements and for submitting accurate claims. Consult applicable payer guidance and qualified billing, coding, compliance, or legal professionals before making billing decisions. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
Making RTM Work for Patients and Care Teams
The research points to two needs: patients who use the device consistently and care teams who can act on the data quickly.
On the patient side, setup burden can affect adherence. Tenovi offers 60+ cellular-connected devices through the Tenovi Gateway or SIM-embedded devices. Patients do not need apps, syncing or Wi-Fi. That includes options for medication adherence and other therapy-related monitoring. We handle fulfillment, provisioning and support, so clinical staff can focus on care.
On the care team side, data is only useful if it fits the workflow. Tenovi has partnered with eClinicalWorks (eCW). Readings flow through the Tenovi Cloud into the eCW dashboard and patient record. Staff can review trends and follow up without switching systems or re-keying data. For practices already building patient adherence programs, that keeps RTM part of the daily routine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Research
This section answers common questions about what recent studies show, how RTM differs from RPM, which conditions have the most evidence, and what changed in the 2026 code set.
1) What does remote therapeutic monitoring research show about adherence?
Recent studies consistently link RTM with better adherence. A 2025 physical therapy study found higher visit attendance and more patients meeting functional benchmarks, and a 2024 COPD meta-analysis found an 18% improvement in inhaler adherence when clinicians acted on monitoring data.
2) How is RTM different from RPM?
RTM tracks non-physiologic data such as therapy adherence, therapy response and self-reported symptoms. RPM tracks physiologic readings such as blood pressure or weight. CMS states the two cannot be billed together for the same patient.
3) Which conditions have the most RTM evidence?
Musculoskeletal and physical therapy care has the most direct RTM studies. Respiratory care has a strong base of research on electronic inhaler monitoring. Digital behavioral health programs have large randomized trials, though few are framed as RTM studies.
4) Does RTM help stroke survivors?
A 2026 secondary analysis of a multisite randomized trial found that RTM-supported telehealth visits were linked to more completed home exercise in adults with chronic stroke. The authors noted that RTM removes the need to travel to a clinic.
5) What RTM codes were added for 2026?
New codes for 2026 include 98984 and 98985 for respiratory and musculoskeletal device supply over 2 to 15 days, and 98979 for the first 10 minutes of treatment management. A CBT device code for 2 to 15 days, 98986, was also added to the CPT code set. Coverage varies by payer.
6) What limits the current RTM research?
Many studies are retrospective, secondary analyses or short in duration. Adherence gains are well documented, but effects on exacerbations, hospital use and long-term outcomes need more randomized trials with longer follow-up.
Understanding Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Research
Remote therapeutic monitoring research from 2023 to 2026 shows a consistent pattern. RTM helps patients follow their therapy plans at home, whether that means completing exercises after a stroke, using a maintenance inhaler or working through a digital behavioral program. The strongest results appear when monitoring is paired with active clinician follow-up. Longer-term clinical outcomes are still being studied, and the 2026 code updates now recognize shorter monitoring periods and management time. More research on home-based therapy is in our RTM research roundup.
Tenovi provides cellular-connected devices and remote monitoring infrastructure for RTM and RPM programs, with no apps or Wi-Fi required for patients. Care that goes home with the patient. Contact us for a free demo and consultation to see how Tenovi can support your RTM program.
This material is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, compliance, billing, coding, or reimbursement advice. CPT® codes, descriptions, and Medicare payment rates referenced here are drawn from publicly available sources, are subject to change, and may vary by payer, locality, and patient circumstances. Tenovi makes no representation or guarantee regarding coverage, payment, or the appropriateness of any code for a particular patient or service, and any presented are illustrative only. Providers are solely responsible for independently determining medical necessity and applicable coding, coverage, documentation, and billing requirements and for submitting accurate claims. Consult applicable payer guidance and qualified billing, coding, compliance, or legal professionals before making billing decisions. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
