Approximately 6.7 million Americans over the age of 20 currently live with heart failure, with this number projected to rise to 8.5 million by 2030. The lifetime risk of developing heart failure has increased to 24%​.

Despite advances in treatment, heart failure remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Heart failure-related hospitalizations and deaths have been on the rise, reversing earlier improvements​.

In addition, heart failure is one of the most expensive conditions to manage, leading to high healthcare costs due to frequent hospitalizations and complex treatment regimens​.

But there is hope in the form of health IT. Namely remote patient monitoring.

Alexandria Foley, RN, is vice president of nursing and care delivery at Brook Health, an AI-powered RPM company. We sat down with Foley to discuss why she's seeing so many providers now looking for new solutions for congestive heart failure and how advancements in RPM technology are allowing more patients to be cared for at home.

Q. How is treating congestive heart failure a good fit for remote patient monitoring?

A. In my experience, remote patient monitoring is an excellent fit for treating congestive heart failure. CHF patients require frequent medication adjustments and follow-ups, which makes them particularly vulnerable to complications, especially after hospital discharge. With RPM, we can continuously monitor these patients, providing timely interventions and reducing unnecessary hospital readmissions.

One of the biggest challenges we face with CHF patients is their anxiety and uncertainty about their condition. They often contact their doctors frequently or visit the emergency room unnecessarily. RPM addresses this by giving patients direct access to our healthcare professionals.

We can evaluate and assess their condition remotely, offer reassurance, and determine whether in-person care is truly needed. This not only improves patient care but also reduces the strain on health systems by preventing avoidable hospital visits, which can also impact quality of life for these individuals.

Another reason RPM works so well for CHF is that it allows us to track crucial indicators, like weight fluctuations due to fluid retention, in real time. This means we can detect worsening conditions early and intervene promptly, potentially preventing severe complications and hospitalizations.

The continuous monitoring and data collection also help us make more informed decisions, leading to better overall management of the condition. It's really about providing the right care at the right time, and RPM gives us the tools to do that effectively for CHF patients.

Q. What are some advancements in RPM technology that are making it easier to treat congestive heart failure at home?

A. Recent advancements in RPM technology have significantly improved our ability to treat CHF at home. One of the most notable improvements is in the devices themselves, particularly the scales used for daily weight monitoring.

Modern scales now provide more comprehensive data, including not just weight but also body composition information. This additional insight allows healthcare providers to better understand changes in a patient's fluid retention, which is crucial for managing CHF.

Another major advancement is the real-time connectivity of these devices. Scales and other monitoring equipment can now automatically transmit data to a centralized dashboard, enabling healthcare professionals to immediately access and analyze patient information.

This real-time data transmission allows for quicker interventions when necessary. For instance, if a patient's weight suddenly increases, indicating potential fluid retention, a nurse can promptly contact the patient to verify the reading and assess their condition.

The integration of RPM devices with smartphone apps has enhanced patient engagement and data accessibility. Patients can now view their health data through these apps, which can also trigger automated surveys for symptom checks based on the recorded data. This immediate feedback loop helps in early detection of worsening conditions and allows for timely interventions.

The combination of real-time data, automated alerts, and easy-to-use interfaces has made it much more feasible to effectively manage CHF patients in their homes, reducing the need for frequent hospital visits and improving overall quality of life.

Q. What role can artificial intelligence play in treating congestive heart failure with RPM?

A. Artificial Intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in enhancing the effectiveness of RPM for CHF treatment. One of the primary applications of AI in this context is in data analysis and trend identification.

AI algorithms can process vast amounts of physiological data much more quickly and effectively than human observers. For instance, AI can analyze weight trends over various time periods – three-day, five-day, seven-day, 30-day – to identify patterns that might indicate worsening CHF symptoms.

AI also contributes significantly to the triage process, helping to prioritize which patients need immediate attention from healthcare providers. By analyzing multiple data points simultaneously – such as weight fluctuations, blood pressure readings and symptom reports – AI can flag high-risk cases for urgent review. This ensures that healthcare professionals can focus their attention on the patients who need it most, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery.

Another valuable application of AI in CHF management is in facilitating more comprehensive symptom checks. When a patient's data falls outside of predetermined parameters, AI systems can automatically trigger symptom surveys.

These surveys, combined with the physiological data, provide a more complete picture of the patient's condition. AI can then correlate this information to help identify cases where minimal physiological changes are accompanied by significant symptom increases, or vice versa.

This nuanced analysis helps healthcare providers make more informed decisions about patient care, potentially preventing unnecessary emergency room visits or catching developing issues before they become critical.

Q. What are some of your observations on treating congestive heart failure and RPM from your experience?

A. From my experience with RPM in treating CHF, I've observed several significant benefits. One of the most important is the improved continuity of real-time care. RPM helps bridge the gap between hospital discharge and follow-up appointments with specialists.

We can call patients within 24 to 48 hours after discharge, review their medications, reinforce the treatment plan, and schedule follow-ups. This ensures that patients receive consistent care and monitoring during this critical period, which helps prevent complications and reduces the likelihood of hospital readmissions.

I've also noticed a positive impact on patient engagement and empowerment. Tech-savvy patients, in particular, really appreciate being able to see their health data and trends through an RPM app. It gives them a sense of control over their condition that they might not have had before.

Even for less tech-savvy patients, regular check-ins and the attention provided through RPM give them a sense of security and support. It's important to be able to adapt the approach based on the patient's comfort level with technology, which helps providers reach a broader patient population.

The reception from both patients and healthcare providers has been overwhelmingly positive. Patients feel more supported and connected to their care team. They know they can reach out to us directly if they have concerns, which reduces their anxiety.

On the provider side, specialists appreciate getting timely information and being able to intervene early when necessary. This has led to improved communication between different healthcare providers involved in a patient's care, resulting in more coordinated and effective treatment strategies.

We've seen significant increases in beneficial outcomes and reductions in readmission rates since implementing RPM for our CHF patients. This suggests that RPM is not only improving patient care but also potentially reducing healthcare costs associated with frequent hospitalizations. It's really been a win-win situation for everyone involved – patients, providers and the healthcare system as a whole.