Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) is redefining how physical therapy practices improve patient adherence, supervise care between visits, and generate revenue beyond traditional in-clinic billing.
In this conversation, Ellen Morello speaks with Susan Sanford, PT, DPT, CEO of Vineyard Complementary Medicine, about implementing RTM in a multidisciplinary outpatient orthopedic practice and why it is becoming foundational to value-based healthcare.
We are a multidisciplinary outpatient private practice located on Martha’s Vineyard. Our team includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists, with a primary focus on outpatient orthopedic care.
Like many private practices, we pride ourselves on strong in-clinic treatment. But we recognized that what happens between visits has a major impact on outcomes. That realization led us to explore Remote Therapeutic Monitoring.
Accountability was our biggest challenge.
We did not have a structured system to track home exercise program adherence between visits. We could prescribe exercises, but we lacked visibility into whether patients were actually completing them.
For clinic owners asking:
That was exactly our situation.
There was also a productivity component. When cancellations occurred, there was no way to meaningfully engage those patients. RTM created a framework for supervision outside in-person appointments.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring allows us to supervise patient care plans between visits using technology-supported tracking and engagement.
Instead of care ending at discharge, we now establish structured three-month supervised plans that reinforce accountability and self-care habits.
It shifted our model from episodic care to supervised care.
From a workflow standpoint, it became integrated into how we manage caseloads. Clinicians maintain connection to patients, even when they are not physically in the clinic.
That continuity changes outcomes.
Yes.
RTM generates reimbursable revenue using CPT codes 98975, 98977, 98980, and 98981. But it is more than billing.
It extends the patient relationship beyond discharge. It allows us to generate revenue outside traditional visit-based care. And it helps offset financial pressures like declining reimbursements and rising salaries.
For clinics wondering:
Our experience shows that when implemented intentionally, RTM strengthens financial sustainability.
Three reasons: customer service, responsiveness, and coaching.
Implementing Remote Therapeutic Monitoring requires more than software. It requires workflow integration and clinical adoption.
The guidance and support we received were critical. We felt like we had a partner, not just a platform. That made adoption smoother and more successful.
RTM created real accountability.
Patients understand they are being supervised between visits. That structure reinforces consistency and self-care habits.
Instead of discharge marking the end of engagement, we maintain a defined plan that supports longer-term outcomes.
For value-based healthcare, that level of oversight is essential.
I believe Remote Therapeutic Monitoring will be a cornerstone of value-based healthcare.
We are moving toward fewer in-clinic visits and more supervised care supported by technology.
Practices that adopt RTM position themselves for long-term relevance. It establishes lifelong self-care habits for patients while allowing practices to generate revenue beyond their physical walls.
This is not just operational. It is strategic.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring is not about replacing in-person care.
It is about extending it.
For Vineyard Complementary Medicine, RTM:
As reimbursement models evolve, the practices that thrive will be those that supervise care beyond the visit.
RTM makes that possible.
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