Patient experiences of remote patient monitoring: implications for health literacy and therapeutic relationships

This study explores patients’ experiences participating in a home-based remote patient monitoring program for chronic disease management. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and surveys from participants with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and diabetes. Two key themes emerged: “knowing” and “relationship.” The “knowing” theme encompassed data-driven awareness and contextualized education that empowered patients in their health management. The “relationship” theme highlighted the importance of interpersonal connections with healthcare providers and the sense of security from clinical oversight. Technology served as a communication platform supporting patient-clinician interactions rather than replacing them. The findings demonstrate that remote monitoring programs enhance chronic disease self-management through two interconnected mechanisms: the development of ‘situated health literacy’ through real-time, personalized data interpretation, and strengthened therapeutic relationships enabled by technology-mediated clinical oversight. Rather than replacing human interaction, technology serves as a platform for meaningful patient-provider communication that supports both immediate health management and long-term self-management capability development. These exploratory findings suggest potential design considerations for patient-centered telehealth services that integrate health literacy enhancement with relationship-centered care.