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Most cardiac devices (pacemakers, defibrillators, and implantable loop recorders) are wireless and/or Bluetooth capable. This functionality allows remote monitoring of your device either via a bedside monitor or via an app on your phone. Your implanted device will typically connect to your remote monitor on a nightly basis, and then your monitor will notify our office of any abnormalities. Remote monitoring can also be done on a scheduled basis in which a complete interrogation of your device is done and transmitted to our office. This allows us to decrease the number of times you need to physically come into the office.
You will not have to do anything with your monitor besides have it plugged in and within 10 feet of where you sleep. If your monitor is not connecting properly, our office will call you to send in a manual remote transmission. The device companies request that you call their technical services line with any questions about the remote monitoring process (see telephone numbers below).
You will need to send a manual remote transmission for every scheduled remote appointment. There is no specific location your monitor needs to be in. We recommend keeping your monitor plugged in at all times so that the monitor can do automatic software updates. If you do not keep the monitor plugged in at all times, you will need to plug the monitor in about an hour before sending a manual remote transmission.
Please do not send in a manual transmission without contacting our office first.
If you are having symptoms that are heart-related and/or related to the reason your implanted cardiac device was implanted, please contact our office at 435-215-0400. At that time, we will have you send a manual transmission to see if there are alerts or stored episodes on your implanted cardiac device. The transmission will also show us your present rhythm. We ask that you keep track of your symptoms, symptom time, and date of your symptom.
According to published medical device guidelines, we typically recommend alternating remote monitoring with in-person office visits, unless your medical scenario requires more frequent in-office evaluations. Even with that scenario, we still recommend using remote monitoring in conjunction with in-office visits to allow for real time monitoring of your device and heart rhythm. Remote monitoring has the following advantages:
Remote monitoring appointments are scheduled through our office and are sent to us automatically without any inconvenience to you. A complete interrogation of your device is done at that time, which allows us to see the overall device functionality, battery life, diagnostic trends, and arrhythmia burden. The remote interrogation is reviewed by one of our providers and you get alerted if there is anything that warrants further evaluation or management. The frequency of remote monitoring appointments vary depending on your medical history and the type of cardiac device you have.
Your personal health history and the type of cardiac device you have will determine how often you need to be evaluated in the office, which is once a year at a minimum. In the office, your device will be interrogated by one of our providers who have specialized training in interrogating and programming pacemaker, defibrillators, and loop recorders, and is done with the use of a device programmer. On occasion, you may also meet a cardiac device representative that works for the company that manufactured your device.
Remote monitoring is encouraged for all capable devices. Any patient that has a new cardiac device implanted will automatically have this service offered to them. If you already have an implantable cardiac device and are not currently remote monitored, please talk to us and we can typically get you set up for remote monitoring. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about remote monitoring, please reach out to our office and schedule an appointment today at a location near you.
If you have specific questions for the device company, you may contact customer service / technical support.
Medtronic: 1-800-633-8766
Biotronik: 1-800-547-0394
Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical): 877-696-3754
Boston Scientific: 800-227-3422
Remote monitoring is encouraged for all capable devices. Any patient that has a new cardiac device implanted will automatically have this service offered to them. If you already have an implantable cardiac device and are not currently remote monitored, please talk to us and we can typically get you set up for remote monitoring. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about remote monitoring, please reach out to our office and schedule an appointment today at a location near you.
If you have specific questions for the device company, you may contact customer service / technical support.
Medtronic: 1-800-633-8766
Biotronik: 1-800-547-0394
Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical): 877-696-3754
Boston Scientific: 800-227-3422
Heart of Dixie Cardiology is a specialty subset of the Revere Health group. We have over a dozen cardiology providers throughout our locations to give you the specialized heart care that you deserve.
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