SHORTER WAIT TIME

Ref: SFL Kidney CTR.

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Context: The SFLKA Clinic in South Florida, with three doctors on its team, manages a high volume of daily appointments. Many of their patients suffer from type 2 diabetes and hypertension, requiring constant monitoring. Typically, wait times for appointments can exceed 45 minutes, leading to patient frustration and a high rate of rescheduling.

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Challenge: The high demand for appointments and long wait times were affecting patient satisfaction and the clinic's operational efficiency. Patients, frustrated by long waits, tended to reschedule their appointments, further complicating clinic management and resulting in significant revenue loss.

Intervention: One of the doctors decided to implement a remote patient monitoring (RPM) program for most of their patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The program allowed patients to monitor their glucose levels and blood pressure from home and send real-time data to their doctors.

Results:

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1. Reduction in Hospitalizations and Emergency Visits: Thanks to RPM, problems could be detected before they worsened, leading to a 25% reduction in hospitalizations related to diabetes and hypertension complications. Emergency room visits also decreased significantly.

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2. Improvement in Glucose and Blood Pressure Control: Patients showed significant improvement in their blood glucose and blood pressure levels. Average HbA1c levels decreased from 8.5% to 7.0% in six months, and average blood pressure also decreased noticeably.

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3. Increased Treatment Adherence: Treatment adherence improved significantly. Patients followed medical and dietary recommendations more closely, with a 35% increase in regular medication intake and adherence to exercise recommendations.

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4. Reduction in Wait Times and Improvement in Patient Satisfaction: By reducing the need for frequent in-person appointments, clinic wait times decreased to less than 20 minutes on average. Patient satisfaction improved significantly, rescheduling rates decreased by 40%, and monthly revenues increased by 85%. Each physician, now supported by reliable data received through the Aquanova Medsat platform, scheduled telemedicine appointments at specific times of the day, reserving in-person appointments for new patients or those needing more time.

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Individual Example: Mrs. Lopez, 62, used to wait over an hour for her appointments due to high demand at the clinic. Since starting to use the remote monitoring device, her glucose and blood pressure levels have remained stable. Additionally, she has not needed to reschedule her appointments due to reduced wait times. Mrs. Lopez commented that remote monitoring allowed her to feel more secure and in control of her health under her doctor's supervision.

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Conclusions: The implementation of remote patient monitoring at the SFLKA Clinic has proven to be an effective tool in managing type 2 diabetes and hypertension, reducing complications, and improving patients' quality of life. The clinic plans to expand the program to other chronic patients, given the positive outcomes achieved. This case demonstrates how remote monitoring can transform the management of chronic diseases, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers.