4 RTM Technology Mistakes That Cost Practices $100K+ Annually (And How to Avoid Them)

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) is one of the most powerful new tools in musculoskeletal care. It can drive meaningful outcomes, increase patient engagement, and unlock significant recurring revenue. But getting it wrong is expensive.

We’ve seen practices lose well over $100,000 per year because they chose the wrong tools or launched without a clear strategy. Below are the four most common mistakes that lead to those losses, and how clinics using Orva are avoiding them.

Mistake #1: Using Consumer-Grade Devices That Don’t Meet Medical Standards

Many clinics assume that popular fitness trackers and wearables are enough to support RTM billing. That assumption is almost always wrong. Devices used for RTM must have FDA 510(k) clearance for therapeutic use. A general wellness tracker does not qualify.

Beyond regulatory issues, most consumer devices require patients to take manual steps to sync data, charge the device, or input information. CMS requires that RTM data be collected and transmitted automatically. If the technology depends on patient effort to function, it is not compliant.

Data accuracy also matters. Consumer-grade wearables are not reliable enough to inform clinical decisions, and payers know it. If you are using non-compliant devices, billing audits can force you to repay what you collected, while also starting over with new technology, retraining staff, and re-engaging patients. By the time it is fixed, six figures in revenue may be lost.

Mistake #2: Launching Without a Clear Workflow or Ownership

RTM is not a set-it-and-forget-it program. It requires structure. Without a defined workflow, clear roles, and accountability, even the best technology will fall flat.

Every clinic needs to answer simple questions. Who introduces RTM to the patient? Who monitors patient activity and flags issues? Who ensures billing is triggered accurately? When no one owns the process, patient enrollment stalls, data does not flow, and billing opportunities are missed.

Orva helps clinics avoid this by creating a simple, repeatable workflow that fits into the way care is already delivered. We support your team with onboarding, set clear targets for success, and provide visibility into progress. That keeps the program moving and the revenue consistent.

Mistake #3: Using Tools That Were Not Built for RTM

Some platforms were designed for clinician education or patient content libraries, and later added RTM as an extra feature. These systems often lack the infrastructure needed to support compliant RTM billing.

If the platform was not built with RTM at the core, it likely has gaps in how data is collected, verified, and submitted. That might include missing patient attestations, lack of automatic data capture, or unclear segmentation of activity by billing code. These are not minor issues. They can make the entire program non-compliant.

Orva is built from the ground up around RTM. Every feature serves a clinical and billing purpose. That means providers can trust the data, the documentation, and the outcome of every billed interaction.

Mistake #4: Choosing Tools Patients Will Not Use

The best-designed RTM system is worthless if patients do not engage with it. Engagement is not just a nice bonus. It is the key to billing. If patients are not active on the platform, there is no data, no clinical value, and no reimbursement.

This is where many platforms fail. They overwhelm patients with long modules, confusing navigation, or low-quality content. Patients stop using the system, and clinics are left with a tool that generates no return.

Orva is designed for daily use. It guides patients with simple tasks, tracks progress visually, and keeps things focused on recovery. No fluff. Just the right prompts at the right time to keep people moving forward. The result is higher adherence, better outcomes, and billable activity that stands up to payer scrutiny.

The Bottom Line

RTM works, but only when it is done correctly. The wrong choices around technology and workflow can cost clinics hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. At Orva, we help practices avoid these pitfalls by delivering a platform that is built for results from day one.

Want to see how Orva can help you build a compliant and profitable RTM program? Schedule a demo today.