Ethical SWOT Analysis of RPM

·         Lack of physical contact reduces the risk of exposure because contact is via telecommunication.

·         Leads better utilization of human resources because one physician can see more patients in a day.

·         Teleconsultation makes primary and tertiary healthcare accesible to all even those geologically marginalized.

·         The current digitalized trends means that most patients are confortable with telecommunication. For instance, most patients know how to use a smartphone or a computer.

·         The technology requires mínimum infrastructure, only internet access and a digital device, specifically a smartphone or computer.

·         Internet speed, reliability, and connectivity impacts the effectiveness and efficiency of the RPM.

·         Telemedicine through RPM provides mínimum emergency services.

·         Report exchange is limited because of lack of physical contact.

·         Services might not be equitable because RPM services can be inaccessible to illeterate individuals or those without internet connectivity.

·         Most contacts made through RPM are primarily for inquiry rather than consultation.

·         Patient data collected can be of poor quality.

·         There is a shortage of trained staff to operate RPM systems.

·         The same physician might be unavailable during follow-up.

·         Increased use of RPM can help strengthen the referral mechanism, increasing healthcare utilization.

·         EHR digitazes patient’s records and helps link to patients’ Unique Health Identification Number (UHID), increasing quality of data collected and stored.

·         Patient’s geolocations can help with early disease identification, especially during an outbreak.

·         Stringest guidelines like the HIPPA can be adopted in using RPM to avoid legal issues associated with violation of privacy to enhance patient safety.

·         Record keeping is an issue of concern linked to RPM because of hackers and unauthorized access.

·         Vulnerable groups can be exposed to privacy violations when communicating with physicians.

·         Poor internet speeds and connectivity impact negatively on quality of patient care.

·         Beneficiaries or patients lack awareness regarding specific services offered by the RPM system, impacting growth in use.

·         Social media trends regarding risk of patients’ privacy violations and stealing of patient data impacts the acceptance of the RPM system. Patients need assurance of the safety of their data.