How Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) Enables Data-Driven Decision Making in Outpatient Physical Therapy

Sangwon Lim

Jul 22, 2025 — 5 min read

Ask any outpatient physical therapist. Even if you’re seeing a patient twice a week, there’s a whole lot you don’t see.

You can assess strength, range of motion, or gait during in-clinic sessions. But what about the rest of the week? What’s happening between visits in your patient’s daily life? Their pain levels, activity habits, or adherence to their home program?

To fill in the gaps, therapists ask:

“How did it feel between visits?”

“Were you able to do your home program?”

“Did anything make it worse?”

These are valid questions. But the answers? They rely entirely on patient memory which is often vague, partial, or forgotten.

That’s not a sign of disinterest. It’s just human nature. Our memory isn’t perfect, especially when life is busy and symptoms fluctuate.

That’s where Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) comes in.

What Is Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) in Physical Therapy?

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Remote Therapeutic Monitoring, or RTM, is a set of Medicare-recognized CPT codes (98975–98981) designed to support digital, non-face-to-face monitoring of patients receiving outpatient rehab services.

It enables providers to remotely track:

Adherence to home exercise programs (HEPs)
Symptom progression (pain, fatigue, range of motion)
Patient-reported outcomes and barriers

And yes, providers can bill for the time spent reviewing and responding to this data.

But RTM is more than a billing opportunity. It’s a clinical tool that fills the information gap between visits, helping make rehab more tailored, efficient, and effective.

Why Clinical Decisions Without RTM Fall Short

Even with the best clinical assessments such as strength testing, outcome measures, and functional evaluations, what happens outside the clinic often remains a mystery.

Imagine this scenario:

You’re treating a post-op ACL patient who comes in twice a week. Over the weekend, they:

Skipped their exercises
Experienced a spike in knee pain after taking stairs
Walked significantly less than usual

If they don’t remember to mention these details or choose not to, you’ll never know. You’ll update the plan of care based on guesswork, not facts.

That can lead to:

Overloading a joint that hasn’t recovered
Missing warning signs of regression
Failing to advance care when the patient is actually ready

Even the most motivated patients forget things. Your sessions start to feel like detective work:

“Did you complete your exercises last weekend?”
“Which activity triggered the pain again?”
“Was it your left or right knee that got worse?”

This back-and-forth isn’t a result of poor compliance. It’s a limitation of memory.

RTM: Filling the Gaps Between Visits with Real-Time Data

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RTM allows clinicians to collect and review real-time data on how patients are doing outside the clinic.

A digital RTM platform like PhyxUp Health can track:

Daily or weekly HEP adherence
Pain scores and symptom changes
Step counts or activity levels
Patient-reported outcomes

Now, you’re not starting each visit by asking. You’re already informed.

You can lead with:

“I noticed you skipped Sunday’s routine. Was something going on?”

“Your shoulder pain spiked after Wednesday. Let’s modify that exercise.”

“You’ve been consistent for 10 days. Let’s progress the protocol.”

This turns visits into meaningful, action-based sessions, not memory tests.

The Benefits of RTM for Physical Therapists

Here’s how RTM improves both clinical quality and operational efficiency:

1. Real-Time Alerts and Recovery Trends

Know immediately when something’s off. Pain spike? Skipped sessions? RTM platforms flag it right away so you can intervene early and adjust care proactively.

2. Better Plan of Care Updates

Make treatment decisions using current data instead of guesswork. It helps avoid both under-dosing and over-dosing, ensuring the plan of care stays aligned with the patient’s real-time needs.

3. Streamlined Sessions

Skip the “catch-up” phase during each visit. Get straight to assessment, progression, or modification. This efficiency benefits both the patient and the clinic’s productivity.

4. Improved Documentation and Reimbursement Support

RTM provides data that justifies every decision. That helps with audits, clinical notes, and insurance claims. It also strengthens your clinic’s compliance posture.

5. Higher HEP Compliance

Patients who know they’re being monitored tend to stick to their home programs. Engagement leads to better outcomes, and the accountability built into RTM motivates consistency.

How RTM Gets Reimbursed: CPT Codes and Revenue Potential

RTM is not just a care tool. It’s a revenue opportunity. These CPT codes enable billing for digital care you’re already providing.

CPT Code	Description	Frequency	Avg. Reimbursement
98975	Initial setup and onboarding	Once per episode	~$19
98977	HEP monitoring technology	Monthly	~$55
98980	First 20 mins clinical review	Monthly	~$50
98981	Additional 20 mins review	Monthly	~$40

Clinics using RTM have reported over $10,000/month in additional revenue without hiring more staff or increasing in-person sessions.

Real-Life Impact of RTM in Outpatient Rehab

Clinics using RTM consistently report:

Higher HEP adherence (2–3x improvement)
Reduced no-shows and late cancellations
Better patient engagement and follow-through
Faster recovery due to timely intervention

Patients, too, notice the difference. One said:

“I finally stayed consistent with my exercises because someone was checking in, even when I wasn’t at the clinic.”

RTM helps build a continuous care experience that patients feel and appreciate. It makes rehab more than just a once-or-twice-a-week appointment.

RTM in Action: Supporting Proactive Physical Therapy

RTM enables clinicians to:

Identify early signs of non-compliance
Catch setbacks in real time
Progress patients with confidence
Monitor at-risk patients more closely

Whether you’re treating a weekend warrior, a post-op shoulder, or a chronic low back case, RTM lets you tailor the plan based on real behavior, not assumptions.

It empowers therapists to shift from reactive to proactive care. That’s a game changer in outpatient physical therapy.

Final Thoughts: Better Data Equals Better Decisions

Outpatient care doesn’t begin and end in the clinic. The real rehab happens between visits, and RTM makes that visible.

By incorporating Remote Therapeutic Monitoring into your practice, you gain:

Objective insights into patient behavior
Stronger engagement and accountability
Reimbursable support for digital care
The ability to make smarter, faster clinical decisions

At PhyxUp Health, our mission is to empower physical therapists with the tools and support to deliver modern, effective care — and RTM is one of the most powerful ways to do just that.

Because in physical therapy, the more you know, the better you can help. And RTM helps you know more.

Learn More at PhyxUp Health