Remote Cardiac Device Monitoring

Routine care of your implantable device (pacemaker, loop recorder, defibrillator) includes in-office checks but also the option of additional remote home monitoring to allow for collection of data at home to provide improved care between in-office visits. This may also allow for some patients to have less often in-office device checks or for those patients with either transient transportation issues or health issues to be checked from home.
With remote home monitoring, information is sent from your device wirelessly to the home monitoring unit you received either at the time of your implant or directly from your implantable device company thereafter. This home monitoring unit will relay the device interrogation information to your cardiac electrophysiologist office if there are any deemed significant events and at other times of programmable time intervals as dictated by your physician. Your home monitoring unit can be as large as a box, as small as a mobile phone, or indeed could even be done by an app on your own mobile phone.

This data collected from your device is encrypted by your device company and then sent automatically to your physician’s office as deemed by your individual set schedule. The routine data is evaluated on a secure internet site and downloaded into your chart. Most of the time this data is seamlessly incorporated into your chart, but your physician may elect to share this data as possible via your “patient portal page” via the office electronic medical record system (EMR). Therefore, it is important to make sure you have access to your electronic medical records via your physician’s office.

If you are travelling abroad for extending periods, you can consult with your doctor regarding taking your home monitoring with you – even abroad. However, this will depend on your length of absence and individual patient comfort level. Please consult the office as necessary.

EMERGENCIES: Seek medical attention immediately or call 911 if you are not feeling well. If you are feeling symptoms that you think are related to your pacemaker or defibrillator please call the office during working hours and we will instruct you whether to use the monitor or come in for a check. Please remember your home monitoring unit is NOT AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT AND IS NOT MONITORED 24/7. You must call 911 for immediate medical emergencies.