Dr Essell Discusses the Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring

Watch the first part of the interview with Dr Essell here.

James Essell, MD, Sarah Cannon Research Institute at OHC, the US Oncology Network, discusses the benefits of a remote therapeutic monitoring system in reducing hospitalizations for patients with hematologic malignancies.

Initially, there was a concern that implementing a Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) program would increase the workload due to the influx of communications; however, the system is designed to streamline and actually reduce administrative burden on clinic staff.

The system utilizes an "auto-enrollment" feature. Previously, manual patient enrollment was time-consuming and often neglected when staff were busy. When a patient begins a new therapy, they automatically receive a text message inviting them to join the program. Patients can decline if they choose, and the system sends reminders to those who have not yet enrolled. Depending on the specific therapy, messages are sent for symptom check-ins. For example, bispecific therapies might require check-ins every four hours during the step-up phase.

The RTM software prioritizes incoming communications to maximize staff efficiency. Severe symptoms, such as fever, weakness, or shortness of breath, automatically move to the top of the nurse navigator's queue and are marked in red. This ensures that patients requiring immediate attention are addressed right away (eg, getting them into the office). The system helps staff avoid sorting through lower-priority issues, like medication refill requests, all day long. Notes taken by staff during patient discussions are automatically incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR).