Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Overview & Benefits

Common physiological data that can be collected with RPM programs include vital signs, weight, blood pressure and heart rate. Data is transferred directly back to providers which allows the care team to track data quickly and efficiently.  Seamless RPM programs and services engage patients, improve health outcomes and deliver a consistent revenue stream to providers.

RPM is frequently used to help patients that require chronic, post-discharge or senior care. By connecting high-risk patients with remote monitoring, it can notify healthcare organizations of potential health issues or keep track of patient data between visits.The goal of RPM technology is to reduce costs, provide proactive care and allow patients to go on with their normal activity while tracking health outcomes.

A growing area of care, RPM programs indicate a trending shift from expensive healthcare innovations to enhanced productivity solutions, which make way for improved outcomes and costs.

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For 2024, CMS provided a lot of clarifications to language and rules regarding RPM and RTM existing policies and codes, but no new codes. They clarified that you can bill remote monitoring RPM or RTM with other patient care management services - but not both RPM and RTM; that 16-days of monitoring is not a requirement for RPM or RTM programs; that only one practitioner can bill Medicare RPM or RTM device data collection services; that you can not bill for RPM or RTM if receiving global surgery payments; and that RPM can only be furnished to an established patient. This was a standard policy suspended during the COVID public health emergency (PHE), and has been re-established since the declared end of the PHE in May 2023. Medsien however, maintained this requirement throughout the suspension to ensure complete accuracy and the most rigorous compliance for our programs. New for 2024 - FQHCs and RHSCs can bill Medicare for RPM and RTM. The 2024 Final rule reflects a continued fine tuning of RPM and RTM Medicare billing guidance.  See the CMS 2024 update to learn more.

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Benefits of RPM

RPMs allow providers to track and manage a patient’s health status via regular, automatic feedback and updates through patient devices. Access to this data helps manage health status and track problems and emergencies in a timely way.  RPMs offer a constant, automated feedback loop for accurate, efficient, up-to-date patient monitoring.

RPM programs yield huge clinical benefits. Consistent monitoring of patients' chronic health conditions - with immediate, real time data -  leads to quick intervention if necessary.  This brings up the quality of care, and keeps emergency and other costs down.

- Enhances quality of care

- Improves clinical effectiveness and efficiency

- Reduces healthcare costs

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Some of the other benefits of an RPM program include:

- Maximizing patient engagement

- Increase patient engagement and buy-in

- Improving patient satisfaction and peace of mind

- Improving health outcomes

- Monitoring of health trends

- Creating new revenue streams

- Creating seamless support for patient and provider

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Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) bill for CCM or PCM services performed by clinical staff under HSPCS G0511.  An RHC/FQHC can bill only one unit of G0511 per beneficiary per month, regardless of time spent on PCM or CCM for the patient.

To learn more about Medsien RPM services visit Remote Patient Monitoring.

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Updated 1/1/24