Remote Patient Monitoring, Health Coaching Assists Patients With COPD

By Mark Melchionna

August 18, 2022 - While exploring methods for improving the quality of life (QoL) among patients with COPD, a study from the Annals of the American Thoracic Society found that remote patient monitoring (RPM) and health coaching are effective treatment options.

Among patients with COPD, quality of life is an essential factor to consider, as it often determines the extent of healthcare use and survival rates.

To determine the effectiveness of RPM in treating those with COPD, researchers gathered 375 patients between the ages of 60 and 78 to participate in a 12-week trial. All patients received care through either an RPM system, including health coaching (intervention group) or a standard care method (control group).

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Following the 12 weeks, researchers had study participants engage in the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ), which uses physical and emotional QoL as the primary unit of measurement. They immediately noticed that CRQ scores were significantly different between the two cohorts, with those in the intervention group reporting a steeper improvement in QoL.

Alongside measuring QoL, researchers established secondary outcomes of their research. They noticed that, among those in the intervention group, 8.8 percent ended up in the ER during the study period, which is lower than the 16.9 percent reported by the control group.

Based on the results, researchers concluded that delivering COPD care using RPM with health coaching is highly effective, leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced risk levels.

However, the study has several limitations, mainly relating to the lack of ability to apply the success of the model universally. Study participants were also mainly Caucasians and there was an absence of comparative effectiveness being addressed following the study period. Finally, exercise capacity was not measured.

Research has shown that RPM is an effective method of treatment for patients with chronic conditions.

A study from July 2022 indicated that the use of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) was effective in treating ESRD patients. The CGM facilitated the collection of data regarding blood sugar levels among patients on dialysis, which is critical due to the need to avoid hypoglycemia.

Another study from May 2022 shared data regarding the various conditions RPM can treat. These included diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and COPD. The study said that RPM has a large wingspan and can include various devices and tools in its application process. It also stated there are high levels of credibility associated with its collection of personal health data, and the option for patients and providers to remain in separate locations is a benefit.

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