Adopting Remote Patient Monitoring at Robustus Health

Robustus Health, a leading hospital network in the Midwest, faces operational challenges such as high patient readmission rates, staffing shortages, and bed capacity issues. With the healthcare industry's shift toward value-based payment models, reducing readmissions while maintaining quality care has become a priority. To address this, Robustus launched a pilot Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) program in partnership with CareSignal, targeting COPD patients. The pilot demonstrated notable success, reducing readmission rates by 8-12%, increasing patient retention to 80% after one year, and improving cost efficiency. However, scaling the RPM initiative across Robustus' hospital network presents significant challenges. Key stakeholders, including clinical, IT, and nursing leaders, expressed concerns about seamless EMR integration, workflow disruption, operational sustainability amidst staffing shortages, and program adaptability for diverse patient populations. While RPM promises improved clinical outcomes, early intervention, and cost savings, its success depends on aligning with existing systems, ensuring staff adoption, and addressing patient engagement barriers. The case highlights critical considerations for enterprise-wide RPM adoption, including financial investment, data privacy, and operational models (centralized vs. decentralized). Robustus must strategically navigate these complexities to achieve clinical integration and long-term value while fostering stakeholder consensus.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the role of RPM in achieving clinical integration and improving patient outcomes.
2. Evaluate stakeholder concerns regarding the adoption of RPM technology.
3. Assess the cost-benefit analysis of scaling RPM across hospitals.
4. Identify the key implementation challenges and risks of RPM.
5. Evaluate the capabilities of RPM solutions and compare their strengths and limitations for healthcare integration.
6. Explore operational models (centralized vs decentralized) for RPM implementation.