Instead of going to the emergency department, higher-risk patients—including older adults or immune-compromised individuals and anyone with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease—can be monitored using our connected blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, SpO2, weight scales, infrared thermometers, and nebulizers, at home for flu-like symptoms or for general chronic disease management. Physicians are immediately alerted to any abnormal readings through the FORA 24/7 HealthView Telehealth System, an online platform accessible anywhere, anytime to communicate and quickly treat via a tele-assisted case management program.

Tools to monitor COVID-19 symptoms

The ideal telehealth tool(s) to monitor symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever and shortness of breath includes the FORA IR42 non-contact forehead thermometer or the IR20b and IR18 infrared ear thermometers along with the FORA SpO2 pulse oximeter. All FORA thermometers have a red backlit fever indicator to let patients know instantaneously if they have a fever. The SpO2 device will alert patients to low oxygen readings, which can cause low oxygen in the tissue of their organs and can lead to cough and shortness of breath.

New reimbursement options

In addition, CMS seems to be relaxing the restrictions on how clinicians can communicate during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Therefore, utilizing  Medicare’s new HCPCS codes (U0001 and U0002), healthcare providers can bill for tests and track new cases of the virus. This can be in conjunction with existing remote patient monitoring services, which include reimbursement codes 99453, 99454, 99457, 99458.