BACKGROUND
Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases, with an ever-growing health care burden. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has gained increasing importance in the respiratory care area with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this pilot study, we introduced a novel platform that remotely monitors patients with chronic respiratory illnesses using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to understand patient and physician engagement with a new virtual care solution (KevaTalk app and Keva365 platform) and the value, for both patients and providers, of using an RPM tool. We assessed real-world use of the platform from both physician and patient perspectives and the impact of devices on engagement and monitoring.
METHODS
Participants with a history of moderate to severe persistent asthma, seen by a pulmonologist at a hospital, were included in this study. The inclusion criteria involved being aged ≥18 years and having access to an Android or iOS mobile device with internet. We provided patient questionnaires to assess the app’s usefulness and evaluate its features. We monitored remote spirometry and oximetry data, app check-ins, alerts, and escalations during this study’s time window. Data were reviewed daily and predetermined criteria were set to escalate for physician review based on the patient’s symptoms and objective data.
RESULTS
Overall, 25 patients were included in this pilot. The mean age was 57 (SD 10.7) years and a majority (n=23, 92%) were female. A baseline questionnaire, which was used to rate the app, indicated that the ease of check-in and ease of modification to the patient’s asthma plan were the 2 highest rated features. In total, 2066 check-ins (1550 green, 506 yellow, and 10 red check-ins) and 1155 spirometry sessions were recorded during this 3-month period. Further, 64% (14/22) and 91% (20/22) of patients were found to have peak flows in their red and yellow zones at least once, respectively. During the course of this study, 484 alerts were recorded and evaluated by the team, of which 37.2% (n=180) required an escalation to the physician; this included a transfer to a medical facility, change in respiratory medication, or further education.
CONCLUSIONS
In this pilot study, we demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a novel RPM platform in patients with asthma. Our platform showed high patient engagement and satisfaction and provided physicians with real-time subjective data to evaluate patients remotely that aids in clinical decision-making. The escalations prevented patients from having an exacerbation or flare up, which led to the prevention of an emergency department visit. Continuous monitoring of chronic disease has benefits over episodic monitoring. It allows for improved quality of life, better outcomes, and huge health care savings.