Aging baby boomers are the "major drivers" behind the increasing popularity of remote patient monitoring, according to a study by Spyglass Consulting Group, Healthcare IT News reports.
Gregg Malkary, managing director of Spyglass, says baby boomers are the leading consumers in health care and notes that they are helping to transform how care will be delivered in the future. Also, with labor shortages in the health care industry, it makes sense to deliver care "at more appropriate times" and to focus on preventive measures, Malkary said.
However, the survey of more than 100 health care organizations involved in telehealth found that 65% of organizations were making only limited investments in remote patient monitoring solutions that focus on high-risk, high-cost patients with multiple chronic diseases, Healthcare IT News reports. The organizations said they were hesitant to make more investments until the technology is proven clinically and financially effective.
Malkary said the technology is still "a bit immature," according to Healthcare IT News. Dr. Joseph Kvedar, director of Partners Telemedicine, said "As we more fully integrate telemedicine programs into primary care practices, patients, providers and payers will benefit from improved treatment outcomes, more effective wellness programs and cost savings to the health care system" (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 4/7).