What remote patient monitoring is
Remote patient monitoring at home means using a device to take a health measurement and having that reading sent electronically to your clinician’s practice. The practice sees your numbers between visits instead of only on the day of an appointment.
It is not something you sign up for on your own. A treating clinician orders monitoring for a specific reason, such as blood pressure that is hard to control or heart failure with fluid buildup, and decides what to measure and how often.
Devices you might be asked to use
- Blood pressure cuff. Measures blood pressure and pulse.
- Scale. Tracks weight from day to day. In heart failure, a quick gain can be an early sign of fluid buildup.
- Pulse oximeter. A fingertip clip that estimates the oxygen level in your blood.
- Glucose meter or sensor. Measures blood sugar for people with diabetes.
Many devices send readings automatically over a built-in cellular connection. Others pair with an app on a phone or tablet. The devices offered, and how they are supplied, depend on the practice and your plan.
Who reviews the readings
Your readings go to the treating practice. Clinical staff working under the clinician’s direction review them on a schedule the practice sets. They look for trends, and they contact you when a number falls outside the range the clinician chose for you.
The clinician decides what a reading means. The response might be a phone call, a visit, a test or a change in treatment.
Monitoring is not an alarm system. No one is watching your numbers at the moment you take them, and a reading sent at midnight may not be seen until the next business day. Ask the practice:
- When are my readings reviewed, including on weekends and holidays?
- Which numbers should make me call instead of waiting?
- What phone number do I use, and who answers?
How monitoring connects to wound healing
Several of the numbers that monitoring tracks affect how well skin can repair itself.
Blood sugar. High blood sugar can slow healing and raise the risk of infection. A pattern over several days tells the clinician more than one reading. Our guide on wound care and blood sugar explains the link.
Weight and swelling. When the body holds fluid, weight climbs and the legs swell. Swollen tissue heals slowly, and leg wounds may drain more.
Blood pressure. Readings that run low can cause dizziness and falls. Readings that run high over time can damage blood vessels, including the small ones that feed the skin. Both are part of blood pressure and heart follow-up.
Monitoring does not measure the wound itself. A wound still needs to be seen and assessed by the wound clinician.
What you will be asked to do
The practice will explain the program and ask for your consent before it starts. That is the time to ask about cost, how your information is used and how to stop if you change your mind.
After that, take readings on the schedule you were given, at about the same time each day. Answer calls from the practice. Report a device that stops working or gives readings that seem wrong.
Ask a staff member to watch you take a reading once, so small mistakes are caught early. Our guide to what to expect from remote monitoring at home goes through the first weeks.
What Gateway arranges
Gateway arranges in-home primary care follow-up with Gateway clinicians in Greater St. Louis and the Metro East. We keep your existing physician involved when you have one and help connect you with a practice when you do not.
Not every practice offers a monitoring program, and not every patient needs one. When a treating clinician orders monitoring, Gateway can help with the coordination around it:
- Following up on the device order and delivery
- Scheduling the visit or call where you learn to use it
- Telling the wound care team that monitoring is in place
Monitoring often works alongside chronic care management and diabetes care at home.
When not to wait for a call back
A monitoring program is for trends, not emergencies. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, sudden confusion, or signs of a stroke such as a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech. Do not wait for the practice to notice a reading.
For symptoms that worry you but are not an emergency, call the practice directly.
How to start
Call 314-325-0126 or request a callback using only a name and phone number. We can ask whether monitoring is an option with the treating practice.
Common questions
Is someone watching my readings all the time?
No. Readings are stored and reviewed by the practice’s staff on a set schedule. An unusual number may prompt a call, but not right away. If you feel unwell, call the practice yourself. If it could be an emergency, call 911.
Do I need Wi-Fi or a smartphone?
Not always. Many monitoring devices have a cellular connection built in and send readings without any setup at home. Others need a smartphone app and a wireless connection. Tell the practice what you have, and say so if you are not comfortable with apps.
Will I have to pay for the device or the monitoring?
It depends on your plan, the treating practice and the program. Some plans apply a copayment or coinsurance to monitoring services. Before you agree to enroll, ask the practice what you may owe each month and whether the device must be returned. Your plan can confirm your benefits.
Can a family member take the readings for me?
A caregiver can help you use the device, as long as the measurement is yours and it is taken the way the practice showed you. Let the practice know who is helping and whom to call about results. That matters most when memory or eyesight makes the device hard to manage.
Related pages
General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.