Remote monitoring in peritoneal dialysis: an underutilized tool

Remote monitoring in peritoneal dialysis and its practical implementation is an important technology to leverage in optimizing automated peritoneal dialysis delivery. The more advanced our remote monitoring capabilities become, the greater the urgency to implement protocols to appropriately utilize and leverage the technology for the betterment of patient care. Debates about its utility tend to center around two main issues: responsibility and skepticism around the findings of studies that examined its utility, owing to a combination of hyperbolic claims and methodology variations. This review discusses the theory behind remote monitoring, the available data and capabilities, and a path forward towards adopting remote monitoring in peritoneal dialysis.

Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the association of remote monitoring protocol implementation with reduced hospitalization rates, shorter hospital stays, decreased automated peritoneal dialysis technique failure, and longer time on peritoneal dialysis.

There is a need for standardized remote monitoring in peritoneal dialysis protocols. Fewer reported hospitalization rates, shorter hospital stays, and lower automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) technique rates are some of the findings demonstrated in remote monitoring studies. While it is more costly to implement than traditional automated peritoneal dialysis, the reported benefits of remote monitoring outweigh the cost burden. Patients have an overall positive perception and experiences with remote monitoring-APD. Remote patient monitoring provides an additional invaluable resource to enhance the quality of care delivered to.