Device Clinic Management—Part 3: The Burden of Disconnected Monitors

by Robin Leahy, MSPH, BSN, RN, FHRS, CCDS, PaceMate VP of Customer Experience, and Rebecca N. Revell, RN, BSN, CCDS, PaceMate Director of Patient Communications

The Remote Monitoring Workload

Evidence supporting the benefits of remote monitoring of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) has propelled the adoption of remote monitoring globally. But multiple aspects of remote monitoring contribute to a burdensome workload for device clinicians and physicians: Widespread adoption, the increasing complexity of devices, constant dataflow, and expanding indications for device use combine to create genuine healthcare challenges. The remote monitoring struggle is real, and the burden of managing it effectively is non-sustainable for today’s cardiac practices without the addition of significant resources. 

Never Enough Time

Device teams are challenged to keep up with increasing demands on their time. In-clinic patient care, the deluge of remote monitoring data—both scheduled and alerts, patient triage, documentation, provider communication, billing, scheduling, and technology troubleshooting—all of these responsibilities fight to take precedence over the daily “housekeeping” requirements for remote monitoring.

A common pain point named by device clinic colleagues is the management of patients’ loss of connectivity to remote monitors and transmitters. This time-consuming work is not reimbursable and is often unrecognized by outsiders as a necessary component of a CIED remote monitoring program. Yet, the benefits of mortality/morbidity improvements and reduction in healthcare utilization cannot be realized if the patient is not participating in remote monitoring.

Realizing Advantages

Successful device clinics operate on a basic principle: The benefits of remote monitoring are dependent on the effectiveness of a device’s connection to the remote monitor or transmitter and on the link between those devices and the industry-hosted website.

Messages and reports from the remote monitoring websites which indicate “no messages received,” “disconnected monitor,” “disconnected transmitter,” and “not monitored” all require timely management. Prompt restoration of connectivity is critical to optimal remote CIED management.

What about the manufacturers’ responsibility? While device makers do provide transmitter technical support for patients, they do not proactively notify patients of a disconnected status in most circumstances. So, following up on disconnected monitors may consume hours of dedicated clinician time, and the demand increases as the volume of monitored patients grows.

PaceMate Software+Service

PaceMate’s CIED remote monitoring platform identifies patients who fall out of compliance with remote monitoring prescriptions. Our groundbreaking cardiac device monitoring workflow technology helps reestablish remote monitoring connectivity, and our auto-call feature facilitates this proactive patient engagement.

Device clinics that utilize PaceMate remote monitoring have access to dedicated PaceMate patient communications service, helping them realize multiple clinical and operational efficiencies. These patient communications specialists leverage technology and provide a direct patient connection when needed. This highly specialized team proactively provides one-on-one monitor education and technical support to ensure future compliance as well. By taking this workload off our customers, we enable clinicians to focus their expertise on patient care.

Learn more about our unique cardiac data management service and PaceMate’s ability to make your work easier and more efficient.