Remote Monitoring and Telemedicine in IBD: Are We There Yet?

Current methods of telemedicine include telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and the use of mobile applications. Remote patient monitoring via web applications has been studied with improvement in patient-reported quality of life, medication adherence, and decreased heath care costs. Mobile applications can be used for symptom reporting and alert the medical team if a patient is reporting increased symptoms. These web and mobile applications allow for treatment decisions to occur without the delay of an office visit. There remain limitations to telehealth including technological concerns, physician acceptance, and licensing and reimbursement inequities. Telemedicine is a safe, effective, and accepted method of meeting the growing demand for complex IBD care throughout the world. The use of telehealth video conference and remote patient monitoring with web-based applications and text messaging has been shown to ease financial burdens of chronic disease, improve patient quality of life, and lead to improved clinical outcomes.