Within the world of physical therapy, remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) has changed rehabilitation, making physical therapy more accessible, personalized, and effective for patients. Upstream Rehabilitation is taking advantage of technological advancements like RTM to provide patients with the highest quality of care. Leveraging digital tools like remote therapeutic monitoring allows Upstream Rehabilitation to help patients to speed up the recovery process, stay on top of how patients are progressing towards their clinical outcomes, and achieve their goals.

Learn more as we take a look into what remote therapeutic monitoring entails, how it benefits patients and physical therapists, and how it complements Upstream’s commitment to providing the highest quality of care within the world of rehabilitation services by piloting technology like RTM across select locations in our outpatient family of brands.

What is Remote Therapeutic Monitoring?

Remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) uses digital tools to monitor patients’ progress between therapy sessions. In addition to monitoring one’s progress, RTM can collect patients’ data and incorporate it into one’s recovery or treatment plan. This data can be tracked remotely, which helps to enable clinicians to provide real-time feedback. This technology typically assesses certain factors such as range of motion, heart rate, and other metrics that can be crucial to rehabilitation.

With the help of remote therapeutic monitoring, physical therapists can better understand a patient’s recovery journey by tracking data that might otherwise be missed between sessions. This continuous monitoring further allows for accurate adjustments to be made in treatment plans and streamline the recovery process.

What are the Benefits of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring?

Utilizing remote therapeutic monitoring can offer multiple benefits to both patients and providers within the physical therapy field. Here are some of those benefits:

1. Expanded Accessibility

One of the advantages of RTM is its accessibility. Because of the restraints that can come with commuting from certain areas where patients may not be very close to a nearby clinic, RTM allows patients to perform their exercises anywhere, but especially in the comfort of their own home. Doing so can help reduce travel time and expenses. Increasing one’s accessibility allows for patients to receive the care needed to overcome without being left behind because of geographical barriers.

2. Increased Patient Engagement

Engaging patients in their own care can be a challenge, especially when it comes to exercises and routines that need to be performed daily. With the help of RTM, patients can foster accountability through a variety of ways, such as receiving reminders and tracking daily progress with the telehealth tool. When patients can view their improvements in real time, they can feel more motivated and empowered to stay committed to their treatment plan and recovery journey.

3. Collecting Real-Time Data and Insights

Data and insights from RTM benefit physical therapists because of the accurate and ongoing record it provides regarding the patient’s progress. These insights can reveal patterns and insights that traditional therapy sessions might overlook, which could negatively impact the patients’ progress. Because of this real-time information, physical therapists can make the adjustments needed to craft their treatment plans and tailor interventions to each patient’s specific needs.

Using RTM helps to ensure that they stay on track to meet their recovery goals.

4. Better Communication Between Patients and Providers

Another benefit of RTM is that it can provide communication features that allow patients to check in with their providers regularly. Doing so can help to not only improve communication between the patient and their provider, but to also establish trust as well. At Upstream Rehabilitation, we believe that communication is essential to an effective recovery and believe that tools like RTM can help us to carry out that mindset despite any geographical barriers as mentioned previously.

Upstream and Remote Therapeutic Monitoring

As the largest provider of outpatient physical therapy services in the United States, Upstream Rehabilitation has an expansive network of providers that prioritizes providing patients with consistent, high-quality care, whether in-person or remotely. Through Remote Therapeutic Monitoring, Upstream Rehabilitation is piloting several technologies to choose the most effective system in select locations to connect patients and therapists in a way that is convenient, safe, and demonstrates its effectiveness while on the journey to recovery. We are focused on piloting technology that will create the best experience for both the patient and clinicians.

Remote therapeutic monitoring is an approach that is changing how we handle the outcomes and care of our patients. From accessibility to patient engagement, Upstream is excited to use RTM’s real-time insights to provide the quality care that our patients deserve. Integrating this technology into our approach can allow us to not only improve our communications with our patients but also provide them with the support needed to motivate them on their recovery journey. Piloting and utilizing RTM in select locations allows us to stay at the forefront and continue to set the standard for patient-centered care.

Make an Impact at Upstream Rehabilitation

Are you passionate about helping others and excited by the latest innovations in healthcare? Upstream Rehabilitation is the place for you. By joining Upstream Rehabilitation, you’ll be a part of a dedicated team that is interested in piloting technology like remote therapeutic monitoring to improve outcomes and transform patients’ rehab journeys.

Through this technology and other innovations that we’re testing in locations throughout the country, our focus is to continue to elevate the standard of patient centered care within the physical therapy field.

If you are interested in providing quality care to patients, browse and apply to physical therapy career opportunities and job openings with Upstream Rehabilitation. Whether you are a student or a decorated therapist, we encourage you to be a part of an organization that not only continues to utilize the technologies and innovations available to stay ahead of the trends, but also elevate the standard of high quality, patient-centered care.

 

  1. “What Is Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)?” MedBridge Help Center, 2022, support.medbridge.com/hc/en-us/articles/7155388256403-What-is-Remote-Therapeutic-Monitoring-RTM. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
  2. Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Remote Therapeutic Monitoring.” Hopkinsmedicine.org, 2024, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/physical-medicine-rehabilitation/specialty-areas/remote-therapeutic-monitoring.
  3. Sharma, Prabhat. “An Overview of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM).” Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023, www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/02/21/an-overview-of-remote-therapeutic-monitoring-rtm/.
  4. Moreo, Kathleen, and Tamar Sapir. “Growth of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Lands New Opportunities for Case Management.” Professional case management vol. 29,2 (2024): 63-69. doi:10.1097/NCM.0000000000000688