Trends in utilization of remote monitoring in the United States.

Abstract

Remote monitoring can help clinicians provide timely services and enable patients to engage in managing their medical conditions. Unfortunately, little is known about the national utilization of remote monitoring across the United States. Using 2019-2023 Medicare data encompassing 100% of professional services billed to and reimbursed by Medicare, we conducted a national analysis of remote-monitoring utilization. A total of 13 529 594 remote-monitoring services (remote patient monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring), corresponding to $664 518 754, occurred between 2019 and 2023. Remote patient monitoring was most frequently delivered by primary care clinicians, accounting for 6 377 468 (48%) of all services, whereas remote therapeutic monitoring was most frequently delivered by other specialists, accounting for 173 621 (51%) services. With respect to place of service, most remote patient monitoring occurred in physician offices (12 135 569; 92%) compared with at home (540 219; 4%), or other care sites (515 302; 4%). Most remote therapeutic monitoring occurred in physician offices (322 156; 95%) compared with at home (12 560; 4%), or other care sites (3788; 1%). Our study results highlight the salient use of remote monitoring across clinical specialties and the need to address adoption barriers in certain care sites to further enhance utilization.