Association Between Remote Monitoring and Acute Care Visits in High-Risk Patients Initiating Intravenous...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Digital Health
• Patient Monitoring

Background:

• Traditional oncology care struggles to proactively manage at-risk patients, leading to preventable acute care visits.
• Technological advancements offer opportunities for continuous patient symptom monitoring and management.
• Identifying and supporting high-risk patients during antineoplastic therapy is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a digital platform for identifying and remotely monitoring high-risk patients starting antineoplastic therapy.
• To assess the platform's effectiveness in preventing acute care visits.

Main Methods:

• A single-institution matched cohort quality improvement study.
• Patients initiating intravenous antineoplastic therapy identified as high-risk were enrolled.
• A digital platform monitored patient symptoms, with a dedicated clinical team managing reported issues.

Main Results:

• The intervention cohort (digital monitoring) showed a significantly lower cumulative incidence of emergency department visits (0.27 vs. 0.47, P=.01) and hospitalizations (0.23 vs. 0.41, P=.02) at six months compared to the control cohort.
• Matched cohorts had similar baseline characteristics, ensuring reliable comparison.

Conclusions:

• Implementing technology solutions in oncology care can enhance patient outcomes.
• A digital platform combined with a remote clinical team effectively improved symptom management for high-risk patients, reducing acute care utilization.