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FAQs

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) FAQs

This list covers common questions about RPM, providing a comprehensive overview for patients and healthcare providers interested in remote health monitoring.

RPM is a healthcare delivery method that uses digital technology to monitor patients’ health data outside of a traditional clinical setting. It allows healthcare providers to track vital signs, symptoms, and other health metrics in real-time, improving patient care and outcomes.
RPM devices, such as blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, and heart rate monitors, are provided to patients. These devices collect health data, which is then transmitted securely to healthcare providers for review, analysis, and follow-up.
RPM is ideal for patients with chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, heart disease) or those recovering from surgery or illness. It’s also useful for elderly individuals or those with mobility issues who need regular monitoring but cannot frequently visit healthcare facilities.

Common RPM devices include:

  • Blood pressure monitors
  • Glucose meters
  • Pulse oximeters
  • Heart rate monitors
  • Weight scales
  • Wearable fitness trackers
  • Spirometers (for lung function)
Yes, RPM systems use encryption and secure communication protocols to ensure that patient health data is kept confidential and complies with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA in the U.S.
Telemedicine involves live consultations with a healthcare provider via video or phone calls, while RPM focuses on continuously collecting health data from patients in real time. RPM provides ongoing monitoring rather than one-time interactions.
RPM helps healthcare providers detect health issues early, track trends, and intervene before conditions worsen. It also helps patients manage their health more effectively by providing feedback and promoting lifestyle changes.
Many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid in the U.S., cover RPM services for chronic disease management. However, coverage may vary by plan, so it’s important to check with your provider.
Data is typically collected continuously or at regular intervals, depending on the device. Healthcare providers review this data based on preset thresholds or alerts when there are significant changes in a patient’s condition.
Yes, RPM is designed for home use, making it convenient for patients to manage their health from the comfort of their home while staying connected to their healthcare team.
RPM helps providers monitor patient health remotely, reduce hospital readmissions, improve patient outcomes, and manage more patients efficiently by focusing attention on those in need of immediate care.
Challenges include the need for reliable internet connectivity, patient adherence to using devices, and potential technical issues with devices. Additionally, not all patients may be comfortable with technology, requiring additional support.
Talk to your healthcare provider to see if RPM is appropriate for your condition. If recommended, your provider will supply the necessary devices and set up a system for monitoring your health data.
RPM devices are generally user-friendly and often require minimal technical skills. Many devices are plug-and-play or come with simple instructions. Some services also offer support to help patients with setup and use.
If abnormal data is detected, healthcare providers may be alerted automatically. They will contact the patient to discuss the data and, if necessary, adjust the treatment plan or recommend immediate action.

Chronic Care Management (CCM) FAQs

These FAQs offer a comprehensive overview of the CCM program, highlighting the benefits and practicalities of ongoing chronic care support for patients and their families.

CCM is a Medicare program designed to help patients with two or more chronic conditions manage their health. It provides ongoing care coordination, education, and support between regular in-person visits to ensure patients receive consistent care.
Patients with two or more chronic conditions that are expected to last at least 12 months or longer and place the patient at significant risk of death, acute exacerbation, or functional decline are eligible for CCM services.

CCM services may include:

  • Care coordination with healthcare providers and specialists
  • Regular check-ins via phone, email, or patient portals
  • Medication management
  • Help with managing symptoms and setting health goals
  • Access to a 24/7 care team for urgent needs
  • Personalized care plans
CCM focuses on ongoing support and care coordination outside of office visits. It allows for continuous management of chronic conditions between in-person appointments, helping patients stay on track with treatment plans and manage their symptoms daily.

CCM offers many benefits, including:

  • Better control over chronic conditions
  • Reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits
  • Improved quality of life
  • Personalized, comprehensive care
  • Enhanced communication with healthcare providers
Patients typically receive at least 20 minutes of clinical staff time each month through phone calls, secure messaging, or other forms of communication. This helps track progress, adjust care plans, and answer any questions.
Yes, Medicare Part B covers CCM services, but there may be a small copayment or coinsurance depending on the specifics of your plan. It’s important to check with your provider or Medicare to confirm any costs.
Yes, CCM can often be provided alongside other programs such as Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) or Transitional Care Management (TCM), but it must be clearly coordinated to avoid duplicative services.
You need to talk to your primary care physician or healthcare provider about enrolling in CCM. They will explain the program, have you sign a consent form, and begin coordinating your care.
A personalized care plan outlines your health goals, treatment strategies, medication regimens, and any recommended lifestyle changes. It also includes instructions for managing your chronic conditions and when to contact your healthcare team.
Yes, CCM provides patients with 24/7 access to their care team for urgent needs. This ensures that you can get help when needed, even during evenings or weekends.
Yes, by providing ongoing monitoring, support, and early intervention, CCM can help prevent the escalation of chronic conditions, which may reduce the need for emergency room visits or hospital admissions.
CCM teams work to ensure that all of your healthcare providers—such as specialists, primary care physicians, and pharmacists—are informed about your health status and care plan. This reduces the chances of conflicting treatments or medications.
CCM can help ensure that patients are taking their medications as prescribed and avoid dangerous interactions. The care team can also help adjust medications as needed based on patient feedback or health data.
Yes, with the patient’s consent, family members or caregivers can be involved in the CCM plan. This helps ensure that they are informed and can assist in managing care and supporting the patient’s health goals.
If your condition changes, the care team will adjust your care plan accordingly. This might involve altering medications, scheduling in-person visits, or referring you to specialists. CCM allows for proactive management to address changes in your health.
Yes, CCM can be used to manage mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or dementia when they are part of a broader set of chronic health concerns.
As long as you meet the eligibility criteria (having two or more chronic conditions), you can stay enrolled in CCM indefinitely. The goal is to provide ongoing support to improve your long-term health outcomes.
Yes, your care plan may include guidance and support for lifestyle changes such as improving diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, or managing stress, all of which can help manage chronic conditions more effectively.
Yes, before receiving CCM services, you will need to sign a consent form that explains the services, the role of your care team, and any associated costs. This ensures you understand and agree to participate in the program.

Using Telehealth

Visits last around 7 to 10 minutes on average. Urgent care visits start with a 10-minute time limit, but clinicians can extend them another 10 minutes when needed.

You can conduct video visits with either a computer with an internal or external camera or a smartphone or tablet with the provider app downloaded. If using a tablet or smartphone, you should consider using a stand to keep the device steady during your appointments.

You can use any of the major web browsers, including Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari.

Through the virtual video visit, you can assess patients visually and examine symptoms like skin tone, clarity of thought and speech, respiratory rate, gait, work of breathing, and general distress.

You should also have the patient assist you by instructing them to palpate areas of tenderness, assist in ROM, move their camera to help you see different areas, and instruct them through an abdominal self-examination.

Many physicians find that the information extracted from a virtual visit, combined with thorough health history documentation, can provide an accurate diagnosis of many common conditions.

Patients can access physicians directly through ViTel Health, or they may receive benefits from their employer or insurance provider contracted with ViTel Health.

ViTel Health’s administrative team handles billing and payment for the patient, and these are not part of your responsibilities as a clinician.

Patients come through the ViTel Health patient platform. They can search services by specialty or practice name, and they’ll only see physicians licensed to practice in their state of residence.

ViTel Health offers partnerships with health insurance providers and employers in addition to our direct marketing efforts that create a large patient base for you to work with.

You have access to video training as well as the opportunity for one-on-one training with an expert on our team. We’ll give you an overview of the ViTel Health platform and cover telehealth best practices. You must complete this training and pass a final exam in order to start seeing patients.

If you have additional questions about the platform not covered in training or are interested in features from higher tiers of ViTel health, our team is happy to meet with you to address these.

ViTel Health’s Clinical Quality Assurance team works with our clinicians to develop the proper policies, guidelines, and protocols to maintain quality of care. The QA team also reviews visits and associated documentation and provides supplemental training and feedback. 

Physicians will be trained on how to connect a patient with emergy care in their area, should an emergency arise. The Network Operations Center (NOC) and our medical leadership are also available to assist with emergency situations.

Clinicians have access to our Network Operations Center (NOC), which is a round-the-clock support team for any clinician on our system. The NOC is trained to assist with any concerns from technology issues to scheduling.

To be successful with telehealth, our physicians should:

  • Be comfortable with learning and navigating new software and different web browsers
  • Be able to use a smartphone or tablet to install and use the app

Appointments can be taken from any private location. You cannot take an appointment while there is anyone else in the room in order to maintain patient privacy. We recommend having a dedicated room in your home or office with a closed door to take appointments.

To cut down on patient distractions during appointments, we recommend having a solid background that is preferably a light color.

ViTel Health is a telehealth-EHR platform for physicians to see patients virtually. Our video platform is secure and HIPAA-compliant. Our medical services are provided by board-certified physicians and clinicians in a variety of specialties. We have single and multi-state licensed physicians credentialed to work with patients around the country.

Patients typically have acute, urgent care needs that do not require a trip to the emergency room. Some examples include:

  • Acute Bronchitis
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Influenza
  • Back Pain
  • UTI
  • Respiratory Infection
  • Sprains & strains
  • Sinusitis
  • Diarrhea
  • Pharyngitis
  • Exacerbations of chronic disease (asthma, diabetes)

 

Patients may also be seen for triage or prescription refills.

Prescribing & Documentation

You can e-prescribe and manage medications, which includes:

  • A full formulary
  • Up-to-date prescriptions
  • Geolocation pharmacy selection

 

Note: You must have a video connection to prescribe medications. Physicians cannot prescribe medications based solely on a phone call or chat encounter.

You will be able to write prescriptions through the ViTel Health platform based on your credentials and verification. Not all medications can be prescribed through virtual appointments. Medications listed here are excluded from the formulary:

  • Controlled substances (narcotics, anxiety medications, ADHD medications)
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Medications for erectile dysfunction
  • Any additional state-specific controlled medications (additional pain medications, pseudoephedrine)

 

A reminder that you cannot prescribe through a phone call or chat encounter. A video connection must be established in order to prescribe.

You will document your visits on our proprietary EMR within the ViTel Health platform. Through the platform, you can also direct message patients, distribute patient education materials, e-prescribe medications, and generate work or school sick notes.

Join ViTel Access Today

Our growing network of healthcare professionals is designed to service every aspect of the care continuum.

Contact us

ViTel Health, Inc. Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 1400 San Francisco, CA 94111