Winter_ How to Incorporate RPM With Chronic Care Management (CCM) Programs.pdf

The winter months are particularly tough for those who suffer from health conditions. It is harder to stay well in this chilly weather, with its reduction in mobility and increased flu and respiratory illness risks.

1. Winter: How to Incorporate RPM With Chronic Care
Management (CCM) Programs
The winter months are particularly tough for those who suffer from health conditions. It
is harder to stay well in this chilly weather, with its reduction in mobility and increased flu
and respiratory illness risks. To improve the care of patients, healthcare organizations
are increasingly using Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) services in conjunction with
Chronic Care Management (CCM). Combined, these solutions not only help the patients
achieve better results with a higher standard of living; they also streamline effectiveness
for those professionals utilizing the best chronic care management software and
advanced RPM platforms.

2. Why RPM and CCM are more critical in winter
Limited Mobility: Snowfall and icy roads prevent patients from accessing clinics.
Risks in Flu Season: Sobering Statistics There is no other way to put it: This flu season
has been deadly, and we are only partway through. The numbers bear this out. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there have been at least 26
million cases of the flu so far in the United States, with close to 250,000 hospitalizations
and more than 14,000 deaths from the strain that the agency tracks most effectively.
Wealthy countries are averaging one anxious or depressed year of life per person a
decade. Seasonal changes exacerbate chronic conditions, causing blood pressures to spike,
blood sugar levels to fluctuate, and respiratory battles to intensify.
With CCM, providers can monitor patients’ vitals remotely in real time to treat them
before their conditions elevate using remote monitoring platforms that connect with
CCM and provide ongoing care during harsh winters.
How RPM Strengthens CCM Programs
Continuous Data Collection
Another popular example of devices that fall into the category of RPM equipment, such
as healthcare scales, pulse oximeters, and glucose monitors, send data directly to a
provider’s electronic health record system. That way, care managers have daily
actionable insights—not just monthly check-ins.
Early Intervention and Prevention
When oxygen saturation suddenly drops in a patient with COPD, RPM platforms may
send an alert. Care coordinators in a CCM system can titrate medications or escalate
care immediately.
Enhanced Care Coordination
The marriage of remote patient monitoring and chronic care management allows
providers, nurses, and patients to operate from a single data site. This minimizes
repetition and simplifies the possible interventions.
Better Patient Engagement

3. RPM systems have patients participate in self-reporting progress. Paired with the
chronic care management software, they also receive education and reminders to stick
with the plan.
Compliance and Security Considerations
When both RPM and CCM are bundled together, tight requirements apply. Choose
solutions certified by SOC 2 and HIPAA to ensure data security and privacy. Knowing
that SOC 2 and HIPAA requirements are alike and different, providers can choose
remote access software that meets HIPAA standards and follows the rules.
Cost and Vendor Selection
We frequently hear questions about the pricing of chronic care management software.
Prices differ based on the number of features that include RPM platform integration,
automation, and reporting. When determining the fate of a CCM, it is critical to review
multiple vendors to select the best fit for scalability, reimbursement, and ease of use.
Benefits for Providers
Consistent reimbursement flows from Medicare and commercial payers.
Decrease in hospital readmission rates in winter.
Better results were recorded in the software CCM solutions.
Flexible workflows that optimize practices for care delivery across 4 seasons.
Conclusion
Wintertime brings special healthcare obstacles, but RPM combined with CCM is a
proven strategy for delivering reliable and proactive care in a secure manner. Using the
top chronic care management software, strong RPM platforms, and HIPAA SOC 2
compliant tools, practices can better protect patients and their resources.
By leveraging HealthArc’s RPM platform—integrated with CCM, RTM, PCM, TCM,
device-portals, and automated workflows—healthcare providers can ensure that winter
challenges never translate into setbacks in patient care.