The Complete Guide to Remote Patient Monitoring with IoT

Behind the scenes of many hospitals and clinics, a quiet revolution is underway. It doesn’t involve dramatic technology shifts, but it is transforming how care is delivered. Remote Patient Monitoring (medical RPM) empowers clinicians with continuous, real-time data to personalize treatment and intervene earlier. As healthcare systems face aging populations, chronic disease, and staffing shortages, remote patient monitoring devices has become a vital solution. According to McKinsey, RPM, telehealth and digital health tools could save the U.S. healthcare system up to $250 billion annually. For providers and patients alike, that’s not just efficiency—it’s empowerment.

Fact! The adoption of RPM is rapidly increasing. As of 2024, 87% of healthcare organizations have integrated RPM into their treatment plans, reflecting a growing recognition of its benefits (PubMed Central).

However, the success of RPM requires secure, scalable, and efficient connectivity. That’s where LoRaWAN® technology stands out. Unlike Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, LoRaWAN offers long-range, low-power communication—ideal for hospitals, clinics, and remote care environments.

At TEKTELIC, we design complete RPM systems powered by LoRaWAN®. Our solutions—like the eHealth Solution —provide continuous vitals monitoring, near-instant alerting for nurse teams, and seamless integration with clinical workflows.

Understanding Remote Patient Monitoring

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) uses connected medical devices to collect a patient’s health data outside traditional healthcare settings—often directly from home. These connected health devices transmit data such as heart rate, oxygen levels, and glucose readings securely to care providers. This enables timely decisions without requiring in-person visits.

RPM devices shift care from episodic checkups to continuous oversight—transforming healthcare into a proactive, real-time service. Rather than snapshots during checkups, clinicians get a live stream of patient health data.

Why Remote Patient Monitoring Matters Now More Than Ever? The demand for RPM is growing rapidly—and for good reason.

• Aging populations: By 2030, 1 in 6 people globally will be over 60, many with chronic conditions.
• Chronic diseases: Conditions like diabetes and COPD drive most healthcare costs.
• Staff shortages: With clinician burnout rising, healthcare systems need scalable solutions.
• Patient expectations: People now expect more flexible, tech-enabled care.

RPM meets these needs by improving outcomes, reducing hospital visits, and raising patient satisfaction.

The Role of IoT and LoRaWAN® in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

Internet of Things (IoT) devices are central to RPM. These sensors track vitals, movement, or environmental data, and send it through a LoRaWAN network to clinical applications.

Key Components:

• Sensors: Measure medical data like temperature, heart rate and daily blood pressure monitoring, or room humidity.
• Gateways: Collect data from sensors and send it to cloud or on-premise servers.
• Applications: Display data trends and alerts to clinicians.

This setup allows healthcare teams to monitor patients in hospitals, homes, or rural areas—without relying on heavy infrastructure.

Why LoRaWAN® is the Best Connectivity Option for RPM?

LoRaWAN® (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a wireless communication protocol specifically designed for IoT (Internet of Things). In the context of remote patient monitoring solutions, it offers several unmatched advantages:

• Long range: Covers large hospitals and care campuses easily.
• Low power: Devices last months or years without recharging.
• Secure: End-to-end encryption ensures patient privacy.
• Cost-effective: Scales across departments with minimal infrastructure.

TEKTELIC’s End-to-End RPM Ecosystem

TEKTELIC’s LoRaWAN® ecosystem elevates RPM by combining clinical-grade sensors, reliable wireless infrastructure, and actionable data—all in a scalable, hospital-ready solution. LoRaWAN® ecosystem takes Remote Patient Monitoring to an entirely new level—bridging clinical precision with real-world practicality. By seamlessly combining long-range wireless infrastructure, ultra-reliable gateways, and medical-grade sensors, our patient monitoring systems empower healthcare providers to deliver continuou How Does RPM Benefit Facilities? s, data-driven care wherever the patient is—at home, in a clinic, or across a care facility.

At the core of this system is a streamlined, scalable end-to-end architecture that transforms raw sensor data into actionable clinical insights.

Our Ecosystem includes:

• Sensors: Devices like the e-Doctor, eBeat Armband, and TUNDRA collect health and environmental data.
• Gateways: KONA Micro (indoor) and KONA Macro (outdoor) gateways ensure secure, uninterrupted data transfer.
• Network Server: Manages devices and routes messages reliably.
• eDoctor Dashboard: A user-friendly platform to view real-time vitals and alerts.

Together, this architecture forms a comprehensive, interoperable rpm services that remove the friction from RPM deployment—making it easier to scale care across multiple sites, monitor patients remotely with confidence, and respond to health changes before they escalate.

Top Use Cases of IoT in Hospital Environments

How Healthcare Facilities Are Using RPM Devices Today

1. Real-Time Monitoring During Clinical Trials

Clinical trials demand precise, real-time patient data to assess treatment efficacy, ensure safety, and meet compliance standards—but traditional methods often fall short, relying on manual checks and outdated equipment that delay interventions and compromise data quality. To overcome this, a Calgary hospital implemented TEKTELIC’s eDoctor Respiratoy Health Monitoring Device – a compact, wearable IoT solution powered by LoRaWAN® that continuously tracks vital health indicators and delivers real-time insights to clinicians without requiring patient interaction or relying on Wi-Fi.

eDoctor respiratory health monitor is an all-in-one wearable device designed for medical-grade monitoring with the following capabilities:

• Body Temperature: Continuous tracking for early detection of fever or hypothermia.
• Respiration Rate & Chest Expansion: Provides insights into pulmonary health—essential for managing asthma, COPD, and respiratory infections.
• Cough & Sneeze Detection: Helps track symptomatic changes in patients with viral or allergic conditions.
• Body Position: Monitors patient movement and posture to prevent falls and support rehabilitation monitoring.
• Heart Rate: Heart monitors capture ECG-quality data to support cardiac assessments during clinical trials.
• By using Activity Trackers Features, physicians can identify deviations from normal activity and take swift, informed action.

TEKTELIC’s smart medicine device uses long-range, low-power LoRaWAN® connectivity, eliminating the need for Wi-Fi or cellular networks within the hospital. This ensures:

• Uninterrupted data transmission even across large or congested hospital environments.
• Long battery life, reducing the burden on hospital staff.
• Secure, encrypted communication to protect patient data.

This deployment showcases how TEKTELIC’s Medical Complete Solution transforms healthcare workflows—offering hospitals and researchers the tools they need to deliver smarter, safer, and more efficient care.

2. Emergency Alerts and Location Tracking

In healthcare settings, where every second counts, delayed emergency response can have serious consequences—whether it’s a nurse in distress, a patient who has fallen, or an elderly resident who has wandered off. Large facilities and limited staffing often hinder rapid action, while traditional tools like call buttons or surveillance cameras provide limited context and delayed visibility. To solve this, TEKTELIC developed the FINCH Indoor Panic Button —a discreet, wearable device that enables instant emergency alerts, real-time indoor location tracking, and direct communication between staff and responders to ensure fast, coordinated intervention.

FINCH Panic Button Indoor Sensor – a compact IoT device tailored for healthcare and high-risk facilities:

• Emergency Alert Button: Sends immediate SOS notifications to centralized monitoring systems or mobile responders with a single press.
• Real-Time Indoor Location Tracking: Leverages LoRaWAN® to deliver accurate positioning—even inside large or multi-floor buildings. Ideal for elderly or mobility-challenged patients.
• LoRaWAN® Connectivity: Enables secure, long-range communication with extremely low power consumption, minimizing battery maintenance and ensuring system reliability 24/7.

For healthcare facilities, the FINCH Sensor is more than just a panic button—it’s a connected safety solution that’s always ready. With this compact device, hospitals gain faster emergency response capabilities and real-time indoor location tracking, allowing staff to quickly locate patients or colleagues. The result is enhanced safety, reduced response times, and more efficient day-to-day operations.

3. Continuous Patient Monitoring in Rehabilitation Clinicians

In post-acute and rehabilitation care, continuous monitoring plays a critical role in guiding recovery and preventing complications. Patients recovering from surgery, stroke, or chronic illness—and especially elderly individuals—require close oversight of vital signs and mobility to ensure timely interventions. However, traditional monitoring methods often lack consistency and disrupt patient comfort. TEKTELIC’s eBeat continuous health monitor changes that by providing a discreet, wearable IoT solution that delivers 24/7 physiological and movement data via LoRaWAN®. With no need for manual input or Wi-Fi, care teams gain real-time insights to track recovery progress, detect early warning signs, and support better outcomes—without adding burden to patients or staff.

eBeat Continuous Health Monitor is a medical-grade wearable ideal for rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facility, assisted living, and hospital step-down units:

• Continuous Body Temperature Monitoring: Tracks temperature changes in real time, useful for early detection of infections or inflammatory responses.
• Motion & Activity Tracking: Detects movement intensity, activity levels, and rest periods—valuable for assessing recovery progress or identifying fall risks.
• LoRaWAN® Connectivity: Enables long-range data transmission in indoor facilities without relying on Wi-Fi or manual syncing.
• Ultra-Low Power Operation: Ensures multi-year battery life with no recharging needed, reducing maintenance workload for staff.
• Comfortable, Non-Intrusive Design: Lightweight and discreet, allowing patients to wear it day and night without disruption.

With TEKTELIC’s eBeat remote patient monitoring services gain a powerful tool that delivers enhanced recovery oversight, a more comfortable patient experience, and reduced staff workload—all without compromise.

Smart IoT Devices Supporting Healthcare Provider Efficiency

1. Critical Equipment Tracking and Optimization

In hospital settings, a significant amount of staff time is lost not to patient care—but to tracking down essential medical equipment. Items like infusion pumps, wheelchairs, and diagnostic tools are often misplaced or unevenly distributed, leading to workflow delays and unnecessary overstocking. To address this, TEKTELIC introduced the SPARROW Enterprise Asset Tracker – a smart, low-power solution that delivers continuous visibility into the exact location and usage of critical assets. With this real-time data, hospitals can streamline equipment management, cut operational waste, and ensure that staff spend less time searching and more time delivering care.

SPARROW Indoor Asset Tracker designed specifically for indoor healthcare environments, the SPARROW delivers precise, room-level location data through BLE and LoRaWAN® technology:

• Compact & Durable Form Factor: Easily attaches to a wide range of medical equipment without interfering with operation.
• Real-Time Location Tracking: Provides continuous monitoring equipment throughout hospital wards, storage areas, and utility rooms.
• Movement History & Usage Analytics: Offers insights into device usage, dwell time, and relocation patterns to optimize asset deployment.
• LoRaWAN® Connectivity: Ensures long battery life, secure data transmission, and seamless network integration—without relying on Wi-Fi or manual scanning.
• Low Maintenance: Multi-year battery life and zero-touch deployment reduce burden on IT and clinical teams.

With the SPARROW tracker, TEKTELIC helps hospitals eliminate the guesswork around medical equipment location and utilization. It’s a small device with a big impact—unlocking efficiency, transparency, and smarter care delivery across every department.

2. Smart Storage of Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines

Maintaining strict temperature and humidity control for vaccines, medications, and biological samples is a constant challenge in hospitals and pharmacies. Even slight deviations can compromise product efficacy, trigger compliance issues, and result in expensive losses. Relying on manual checks or outdated systems often means problems go unnoticed until it’s too late. TEKTELIC’s TUNDRA IoT Cold Chain Monitoring Sensor offers a smarter solution—providing real-time, automated monitoring of storage conditions with instant alerts when thresholds are breached. Whether it’s a vaccine fridge or a medical storeroom, TUNDRA ensures critical inventory is safeguarded with precision, reliability, and minimal staff intervention.

By automating environmental oversight, TUNDRA helps healthcare providers maintain compliance with strict safety standards, reduce product spoilage, and eliminate the need for manual logging—allowing staff to focus on patient care, not paperwork.

TUNDRA Cold Chain Monitoring Sensor a rugged, precision-built IoT sensor designed for smart medical and pharmaceutical storage:

1. Accurate Temperature & Humidity Monitoring: Tracks conditions in real time to ensure critical products are stored safely.
2. 15-Year Battery Life: Supports ultra-low maintenance operations with dependable, long-term performance.
3. Onboard Data Storage: Stores up to 125 days (3,000 entries) of data to prevent loss during connectivity outages.
4. Optional External Probe: Enables precise monitoring inside refrigerators, freezers, or insulated containers.
5. LoRaWAN® Connectivity: Supports seamless integration with TEKTELIC gateways and networks for reliable, long-range, low-power communication.
6. Industrial-Grade Durability: Built to operate in harsh or demanding environments, with wide temperature range and IP-rated enclosure options.

In a healthcare system the TUNDRA Sensor brings peace of mind to every fridge, storage room, and cold chain link. With TEKTELIC’s proven IoT expertise behind it, hospitals and pharmacies gain a powerful edge in protecting both their inventory and their patients.

Learn more! Explore our project “TUNDRA with Display: Reliable Cold Storage Monitoring for Medical & Retail Industries”.

Benefits of RPM in Modern Healthcare

1. Continuous Monitoring without reliance on Wi-Fi;
2. Facility-Wide Coverage with long-range gateways;
3. Battery-Efficient Devices for low maintenance;
4. Instant Alerts for emergencies and fall detection;
5. Environmental Safety for cold chain storage;
6. Highly Scalable for large networks;
7. Secure and Compliant with HIPAA-ready encryption;
8. Easy EHR Integration for streamlined workflows;
9. Fast Deployment in both new and legacy buildings.

Conclusion

By integrating LoRaWAN® into their RPM strategies, healthcare organizations gain a future-ready infrastructure that supports better patient outcomes, more efficient workflows, and lower operational costs.

TEKTELIC’s complete LoRaWAN® ecosystem—sensors, gateways, and interactive platform—is purpose-built to meet the challenges of modern healthcare. Whether you’re starting a pilot remote patient monitoring programs or scaling remote patient monitoring devices across an entire network, TEKTELIC is the trusted partner to make it work.

Ready to Launch or Expand Your Remote Patient Monitoring Program?
TEKTELIC’s healthcare IoT experts can help you select the right devices, integrate them securely, and scale your RPM network with confidence—based on proven deployments and clinical outcomes. From smart patient wearables to cold chain sensors and asset tracking, we’ve got your connected care journey covered.

Have questions about implementing RPM? Contact TEKTELIC—experts in secure, scalable LoRaWAN® solutions tailored to your needs

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies a device as an RPM tool?

A device qualifies as an RPM tool if it remotely collects and transmits a patient’s health data—such as vitals or symptoms—to care teams for clinical review. It must be secure, reliable, and support medical decision-making outside traditional care settings.

How does LoRaWAN® support RPM?

LoRaWAN® supports RPM by enabling long-range, low-power, and secure wireless communication between medical-grade sensors and healthcare systems. It ensures reliable data transmission across large facilities or remote areas—without relying on Wi-Fi or frequent battery changes—making it ideal for continuous, scalable patient monitoring.

What does rpm mean in medical terms?

In medical terms, rpm stands for “revolutions per minute”. It is a unit of measurement used to describe the speed of rotation of a mechanical device, such as a wheel or engine. In the context of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), rpm may also refer to the rate at which a patient’s vital signs or health data are being monitored and recorded by digital devices for remote monitoring purposes.