Protocols, best practices and practical insights to help clinicians successfully navigate remote patient management (RPM) are the focus of a new workbook released by the ACC Innovation Program. The workbook is part of ongoing efforts to provide clinicians with best practices for using direct-to-consumer devices as a tool for patient care.

With an increase in patients using consumer-grade RPM devices, such as smartwatches and other wearables, alongside a growing prevalence of advanced computer platforms that facilitate real-time tracking of data trends, the workbook addresses several foundational topics, including categories of current RPM technology, objectives of RPM, and the current evidence-base surrounding RPM.

"As the cardiovascular landscape continues to become more complex, the addition of remote monitoring tools to gain valuable insights into patient care when they are away from the hospital and office setting has become critical to patient care," said Tony Das, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC RPM Workbook writing group."

In addition to guiding cardiovascular health care professionals on definition, types, clinical uses, benefits, and limitations of RPM, the workbook also aims to help practices determine whether they are ready for RPM utilization and provides considerations about how to set up an RPM program. Among the key considerations:

• Types of conditions being monitored
• Staffing needs
• Role of artificial intelligence in remote monitoring.
• Integration of RPM devices into the clinical workflow
• Reimbursement options

According to the workbook authors, understanding the potential benefits of RPM, along with the challenges and limitations, is important given that "devices which integrate into clinician workflow will truly lead the transition to untether cardiovascular care from traditional bricks and mortar office or hospital visits to a more decentralized monitoring program that holds potential to improve patient outcomes."

Download the workbook here.