Preventing Hospitalization Through a No-Frills Remote Monitoring Program

Mackenzie Health, a healthcare organization in Ontario, Canada, with two hospitals and community programs, adapted their plan for a COPD virtual clinic into a Virtual Acute Respiratory Clinic (ARC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using basic home monitoring devices and virtual visits, they treated moderately at-risk COVID-19 patients with automated triage algorithms, reducing hospitalizations. The program, running from July 2020 to June 2021, enrolled 6065 patients, conducted 10,236 virtual visits, prevented 1065 hospital admissions, and saved around $4.3 to 7.8 million CAD. This approach showcased efficient remote monitoring without costly technology investments.