What to Look for in a Remote Patient Monitoring Partner

Why the partner matters

An RPM program is only as reliable as the people, devices, and processes behind it. Before signing with a vendor, it helps to ask the same questions your compliance, clinical, and billing teams will ask later.

1. Security and HIPAA

Health data should be encrypted and access-controlled, and the partner should sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) before any patient information is shared.

2. Devices patients can actually use

Ask how devices connect. Cellular-enabled devices send readings without Wi-Fi or pairing, which helps patients stay consistent. Confirm that devices are FDA-cleared, and ask who handles shipping, replacements, and troubleshooting.

3. Who does the clinical work

Find out who contacts patients, who reviews readings, and what credentials they hold. Ask where the team is based, which hours they cover, and how readings outside those hours are handled under your protocols.

4. Escalation that follows your protocols

Your providers should set alert thresholds and decide when a concern is escalated. The partner’s role is to follow those protocols consistently and document each step.

5. EMR integration

Ask which EMR systems are supported and what flows into the patient chart. A program that lives outside the chart creates extra work for your staff.

6. Documentation and provider control

Documentation should be organized for provider review, and providers should approve it before billing. Be cautious of any promise that billing happens without provider involvement.

7. Clear pricing

Ask about upfront costs, device costs, contract length, and what happens if a patient leaves the program. Pricing should be easy to explain to your leadership.

How EasyLink MD approaches these questions

EasyLink MD provides FDA-cleared cellular devices, a U.S.-based clinical coordination team, AI-assisted monitoring, integrations with athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, and Veradigm, and a signed BAA, with no upfront cost to your organization.