In a study published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation Open (JHLT Open), Mayo Clinic researchers found that remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a feasible and effective way to detect early health changes and support care decisions for lung transplant recipients during their first year after discharge from the hospital.
Lung transplant recipients require intensive, ongoing monitoring after transplant to detect complications such as rejection or infection.
"Many of these patients live far from the transplant center, making frequent in-person follow-up challenging," says Cassie Kennedy, M.D., co-senior author and medical director of the lung transplant program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "In recent years, we have transplanted patients from 25 states, including Hawaii. RPM allows us to stay closely connected to our patients - no matter where they live - after they return home and respond quickly when changes occur."
While remote patient monitoring has shown benefits in other patient populations, evidence in lung transplant recipients has been limited.
Throughout the 12-month study, researchers monitored 116 lung transplant recipients who lived a median distance of 234 miles from Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Patients used a home device kit to track symptoms and physiological data, including lung function, vital signs and weight, with results transmitted to their electronic health record and care team.
When abnormal values were detected, alerts were generated and reviewed by the clinical team to determine next steps. In total, nearly 470 alerts were triggered during the study. Most alerts were managed with continued monitoring, while about 1 in 4 prompted changes in care, including earlier clinic visits, diagnostic testing, medication adjustments or emergency evaluation.
"Just as important, when no abnormalities are detected, patients can be reassured and remain at home," says Dr. Kennedy.
Nearly half of hospitalizations among patients with available monitoring data were preceded by an RPM alert within the prior week, suggesting the system may help identify early signs of clinical deterioration and support earlier intervention.
"This study shows that a multiparameter, at-home monitoring approach can be successfully implemented in a high-risk population and generate actionable data to support clinical care," says Ali El Mokahal, M.D., first author and pulmonary and critical care medicine fellow at Mayo Clinic.
In addition to supporting earlier detection, the program demonstrated strong patient participation and ease of use. Of the 116 patients enrolled, only 15 discontinued participation during the study period.
"These findings provide important real-world evidence supporting the use of remote patient monitoring in lung transplant recipients," says Kelly Pennington, M.D., co-senior author and pulmonologist in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Mayo Clinic. "As these models evolve, they have the potential to transform how we deliver transplant care - expanding access, reducing burden and improving outcomes for patients."
The team will continue to monitor RPM program participants while exploring opportunities to expand this approach across Mayo Clinic sites and transplant programs.
For a complete list of authors, review the study.
