Estimated benefits and willingness of remote monitoring in IBD patients in remission under maintenance therapy: results of a questionnaire in a tertiary referral centre

Background: STRIDE II guidelines highlight the importance of closely monitoring patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to assess therapy effectiveness and predict or manage flares. However, with a growing patient population, the outpatient clinic capacity is strained, and many patients, especially those in longterm remission, may not require frequent in-person visits. This study aims to assess the interest for optimizing resources through remote monitoring for patients with IBD in a high-volume referral centre.

Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted in 281 adult IBD patients, either untreated or on stable subcutaneous or oral maintenance therapy for more than one year. We assessed interest in a remote monitoring program and insights into their preferences for its implementation as well as eventual cost and time savings.

Results: Of the 281 patients (52% female, 67% Crohn’s disease, 32% ulcerative colitis, 1% IBD type unclassified), 76% expressed interest in reducing their outpatient visits in favour of remote monitoring. Of note, 79% of these 214 patients were willing to attend outpatient clinic visits every two years. However, patients emphasized the importance of personal contact in establishing a trustworthy and safe remote monitoring system. Additionally, the study identified cost and time savings for patients, as a visit to the outpatient visit took a median (interquartile range) of 3 (2-4) hours.

Conclusion: Remote monitoring is a promising program for IBD patients in stable remission, offering potential financial and time savings for employers, patients, and society. However, further research is required to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this approach.

Keywords: inflammatory bowel diseases, remote monitoring, patient’s preferences, remission, outpatient clinic.