Using IoMT to serve medically high-risk populations.

With global health care spending expected to increase to $10 trillion by 2022, the need for new health care solutions that can help reduce costs for both patients and providers is undeniable.

Today, health care providers turn to technology to help find ways to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care to a growing, aging population. As a result, IoT implementation and adoption in the market is increasing. In fact, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) market in North America is expected to be valued at $45 billion by 2022.

So, when former nurse and predictive modeling expert Susan Cordts saw an opportunity to help high-risk, low-income patients in Phoenix, Arizona get the care they deserve, she had a vision for using IoMT to make it happen. But she needed to find a technology partner to help make it a reality.

Cordts knew she needed a cost-effective wireless service to bring her vision to life. She teamed up with T-Mobile for Business and created Catalytic Health Partners, a population health management model that leverages innovative IoMT solutions on T-Mobile’s advanced cellular network to help health providers care for individuals in their homes.

Catalytic Health Partners gives each of its members monitoring equipment and a customized tablet connected to T-Mobile’s network, enabling them to speak face-to-face with a team of health professionals, track their vitals, get reminders to take their medication, and more—all without having to leave their home or pay for the data that helps keep them connected.

And with telemonitoring devices like blood pressure cuffs, oximeters, and glucometers connected to the tablets via Bluetooth, Catalytic Health Partners collects and stores data through their proprietary electronic medical­ record system, which helps keep members healthy by identifying worrisome trends before they become real problems.

The results? A 40% reduction in acute care utilization, 65% reduction in ER utilization, and a 30% increase in workflow efficiency, all of which add up to costs savings for both patients and providers.

Due in part to the healthcare market’s shift from a fee-for-service to a value-based payment model, where providers are incentivized based on the quality of care rather than the quantity of patients seen, competition in the health population market is heating up. In fact, according to a recent study by Grand View Research, the market is expected to see a CAGR of 20.1% over the next seven years.

Leveraging IoMT technology over a mobile network is a key part of Catalytic Health Partner’s plans to stay ahead of the competition. To be successful, they must engage with members more frequently and more in-depth than other health care providers, which requires a large amount of data to be collected. The wireless network gives the organization the flexibility to use IoMT-connected devices and frequent patient teleconferences to maintain and strengthen these connections. 

As Cordts works towards her goal of serving one million members, she leverages her partnership with T-Mobile for Business to help her get there. With less time spent worrying about managing her connectivity, she can put more time back into what matters most: helping patients.