Remote Monitoring for Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Current Status and the Future of the Field.

Abstract

As a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many advances in telehealth have been made that save time and reduce travel costs for patients. Telehealth, specifically video visits, was especially embraced by patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, remote clinic visits are only one part of the equation for remote IBD care. Patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis have a significant testing burden, and many strides still need to be made to improve all aspects of their care, including remote monitoring (testing at home) of biochemical markers (eg, C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin) and drug concentrations. Remote monitoring has the potential to decrease the burden of chronic disease on patients through improved ease of access, both when patients are feeling well and when they are having an exacerbation of symptoms. Numerous technologies are available in other countries, are used in other disease states, or are in the animal or early human testing phases. These innovations in home testing have the potential to improve testing adherence, disease control, and monitoring of IBD for all patients, and will have a particularly significant effect on those living in rural communities. This article reviews the current modalities for remote monitoring of patients with IBD as well as the methods in development to make monitoring of IBD easier for patients.