Telehealth solutions such as ExpressMD are bringing the kind of personalized care, previously only available in acute and post-acute care settings, to patients in the home. In acute care settings, patient monitoring systems, charting applications and records systems, provide the information needed for analysis and action by clinicians. Doctors and nurses use the clinical information to ensure that patients are treated effectively so that they can return to their daily lives. This combination of technology, people and coordination, enables rapid diagnosis, treatment and recovery for patients.

Until recently, patient monitoring technology was not widely used in the home for a myriad of reasons. However, as the population ages and more individuals deal with chronic diseases on a daily basis, it has become evident that the volume of patients can’t be treated just in acute-care settings. More and more patients want care in their homes and healthcare stakeholders are realizing that remote patient monitoring can enable data collection, analysis and care coordination similar to that prevalent in acute-care settings.

Remote patient monitoring, online health assessments and other messaging applications are enabling patients to live independently with chronic diseases, while minimizing their time in the emergency room and hospitals. Providers can monitor and stay in touch with thousands of patients, intervening only when the data collected indicates that a problem may be developing. Health insurers and employers also have a proven way to reduce medical claim costs and keep their members and employees well, active and productive.