Inspired by Experience to Modernize Blood Pressure Monitoring with RPM

My experience with hypertension is deeply personal. While health outcomes are often measured in quality metrics and value-based measurements, it's crucial to remember that real people are behind those numbers, facing uncertain consequences and outcomes.

My grandmother suffered a devastating stroke, which left her with slurred speech and partial paralysis. I was 10 at the time, and during the following years, she had several other strokes due to unmanaged hypertension. Ultimately, her independence was gradually eroded.

My mother’s passing from Alzheimer’s complications three years ago also left a lasting impact. Her neurologist shared her brain autopsy results with me, prompting a crucial question: How can I prevent this devastating disease? He advised me to manage my blood pressure and lipids diligently over the next 30-40 years. 

My mother's autopsy revealed Alzheimer's hallmark neurofibrillary tangles and plaques, alongside severe arteriosclerotic changes likely caused by inadequate blood pressure management. Despite being healthy, active, and physically fit, her moderately elevated blood pressure and LDL levels went untreated, highlighting a critical oversight. This underscores why blood pressure control is a pivotal metric for quality healthcare, as its impact on vital organs like the brain, kidneys, and heart can be both immediate and insidiously devastating over time.

The Importance of Accurate Blood Pressure Control Data

Quality measurement initiatives, such as the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) for commercial insurers and Medicare's Star Ratings, prioritize blood pressure control as a key performance indicator for healthcare effectiveness. The rise of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) offer new opportunities to reevaluate and enhance blood pressure measurement and management strategies.

RPM has experienced rapid expansion, driven by value-based care (VBC) adopters recognizing the reliability and benefits of home blood pressure readings. Reflecting on my family's experiences, I believe that regular home monitoring would have prompted my mother and grandmother to prioritize their elevated blood pressure and encouraged their healthcare providers to take more proactive treatment approaches.

Of course, even with the best treatment, there’s still that one big pain point the American healthcare system struggles with – patients' health journeys outside of clinical settings are difficult to monitor. This issue has been a longstanding concern for me, driving my decision to establish Rimidi.

As a physician, I grew frustrated with the systemic inefficiencies in clinical practice that limited a provider’s view. EHR systems were clunky, requiring numerous clicks to access relevant patient data. Most troubling, despite hefty healthcare expenditures, patient outcomes remained subpar.

I tested the idea of integrating remotely generated patient data with EHR insights, and the early prototype improved patient outcomes by giving providers a clear view of the big picture. Bridging clinical expertise with cutting-edge technology empowers providers to enhance outcomes across multiple conditions, including diabetes, heart failure, and cardiovascular disease.

RPM Advancements Modernized Blood Pressure Monitoring

My family's struggles with blood pressure control underscored the urgency for innovative solutions. Limited options for managing their conditions compromised my mother and grandmother's health, fueling my passion for transformative healthcare. 

Today, blood pressure control is a pivotal metric in the transition to VBC. It can be more effectively managed thanks to technology like RPM, enabling providers and patients to achieve superior health outcomes that were unattainable decades ago for my mother and grandmother. Patients can now take an active role in continuously monitoring their blood pressure to get the accurate measurements needed by clinicians. The pairing combines next-level innovation with the impactful data required to truly transform healthcare delivery.

As Rimidi continues on our mission to improve healthcare and lives, we hope you’ll follow our journey.