The Impact of Remote Patient Monitoring on Psychiatric Care

Medication adherence poses a major challenge for psychiatric healthcare providers and patients. It is vital to the well-being of those living with mental health conditions to follow a prescribed medication plan to manage symptoms and prevent relapse and hospitalizations.

Additionally, a persistent nationwide shortage of psychiatrists can compromise the quality of care patients and support patients need to stay true to their treatment.^[1]  Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) represents a hopeful solution and a powerful tool to help psychiatrists provide care and patients adhere to their medication. By providing a system that offers personalized treatment and regular check-ins outside of a clinical setting, RPM could revolutionize how people with mental health conditions receive medical care.

Challenges Surrounding Medication Adherence in Psychiatry

Long-term medication management and mood-stabilizing medications are often necessary for mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression to control symptoms and improve quality of life. Unfortunately, in psychiatric care, the adherence rate to medication plans is low. According to a study posted on Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, about half of patients with a major psychiatric disorder are non-adherent, and the reasons for this include negative attitudes towards medication, a perceived lack of efficacy, high side effect rates, and perceived stigma.^[2] Here are some other factors:

• Lack of insight—For patients who suffer from severe mental health conditions like paranoid schizophrenia, distrust and negative associations with medicines and care providers are common. They may lack insight into their illness, meaning they may not understand or believe they are ill. Additionally, they may discontinue medication when their symptoms subside.
• Forgetfulness—Cognitive impairments, such as inattention, memory recall, planning, and organization accompany some mental health conditions, which can result in inconsistent medication habits.
• The complexity of treatment—Treatment schedules that involve multiple medications and varying dosages can cause a lack of adherence by overwhelming patients.

Failure to follow a prescribed treatment plan can have serious consequences for patients with mental illness including increased risk of worsening symptoms, relapse, hospitalizations, inability to function in society, and even homelessness. According to U.S. News & World Report, about two-thirds of homeless people are experiencing some form of mental illness.^[3]  Moreover, the entire healthcare system suffers under the burden of mental health patients lacking adequate medication and support services.

The Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring and Psychiatric Care

RPM utilizes wearable devices, mobile apps, and other digital health tools to track and monitor patients’ vital signs and medication intake. RPM can increase patient fidelity to their treatment plans in several ways, including:

• Real-time reminders—RPM sends timely medication reminders to patients, a feature that helps prevent missed doses. For patients with cognitive impairment, these alerts can make a notable difference in their medication intake.
• Data-driven insights—RPM systems can monitor how regularly patients take their medication by collecting and analyzing data. Patterns of medication infidelity can trigger an early intervention from a healthcare provider.
• Personalized care and support—RPM allows healthcare providers to give prompt, personalized attention to patients’ needs. Providers can make adjustments to the medication, dosage, or treatment plan and patients feel addressed. Positive interactions through RPM increase the chance of medication adherence.
• Increased engagement—RPM tools such as mobile apps encourage patients to take ownership of their care. They foster engagement because patients can follow their medication intake, set goals for themselves, and get feedback on their progress.

Reducing Hospitalizations and Relapse

The combined benefits of RPM ultimately increase patients’ commitment to their treatment thereby reducing relapses, hospitalizations, and other negative consequences. RPM can alert providers to changes in mood, sleep patterns, or activity levels, which may be indicators of early relapse. They can take active measures to stabilize patients, changing the frequency of check-ins or adjusting treatment. This enhanced support has positive implications for long-term medication fidelity and recovery.

Medication adherence is one of the biggest obstacles to successful psychiatric care. RPM can improve quality of life and positively change outcomes for many who suffer from mental health conditions by implementing steps to address this issue. RPM is transforming the delivery of psychiatric care, empowering patients to engage with and commit to their treatment and providers to strengthen their services. 

To learn more about how RPM through Nsight Health can help you click HERE to schedule a demo today.  Whether you are a patient or provider looking to learn more about RPM, we would love to hear from you.

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