Remote Monitoring
World-class cardiac care, wherever you are.
Stay connected to your cardiac care team, wherever you are. Our remote monitoring services allow your heart health to be monitored without the need for frequent in-person visits, providing reassurance and supporting timely clinical care. Whether you’re at home or enjoying time with family, we help you stay connected to your care so you can focus on living well.
What is Device Remote Monitoring?
Cardiac device remote monitoring allows implanted devices (such as pacemakers and defibrillators) to be monitored and checked remotely, without a patient needing to attend a clinic. This is done using mobile network coverage, a standard telephone landline connection or a wireless internet service, depending on the monitor type.
Improvements in pacemakers and defibrillators mean that the latest devices and monitors are very sophisticated. If they are wireless, they will automatically check that your implanted device is working properly every day while you sleep. Once remote monitoring is set up, there’s usually nothing else for you to do unless you hear from us.
What are the benefits of remote monitoring?
You want to get on with your life, whether that means spending time with family or going for a walk with the dog. Remote monitoring means you can spend less time attending clinics and more time doing the things that matter to you. We monitor your device remotely and let you know if and when you need to come in for a check-up.
Remote monitoring is designed to make it safer and more convenient for you and your cardiologist to manage your heart condition and implanted cardiac device.
A ‘device’ is the implanted equipment that helps support or monitor your heart. The ‘monitor’ is the equipment that checks your device and securely transmits information to your cardiac care team.
Traditionally, patients may need an in-clinic, face-to-face follow-up every six to 12 months to check their device and, where necessary, make changes to its settings.
Unlike traditional monitoring, current-generation cardiac devices and remote monitors can:
Faster access to important information: Helps device alerts and information reach your cardiologist sooner.
Fewer clinic visits: Remote device checks can save you the time and inconvenience of unnecessary in-person appointments.
How does it work?
We provide our remote monitoring services in conjunction with our partner CardioNexus.
The combined service seamlessly connects you and your Advara HeartCare cardiologist, with CardioNexus’ expert technicians and support team.
If you have a wireless monitor, this works as follows:
If your monitor is not wireless, the process is slightly different (see below).
As well as continuously monitoring and regulating your heart’s rhythm, your device also stores information about your heart’s performance (e.g. heart rate, normal and abnormal rhythms, etc.), as well as the performance and integrity of the device itself (e.g. battery life, lead function, etc.).
When a monitor records the information stored in your device, it can then “talk” with a special computer using the mobile network (most commonly), or a standard telephone landline or wireless internet service. The information available from the device manufacturer’s Remote Monitoring Network is essentially the same as the information which is available from your implanted device during a routine in-clinic visit.
You do not need access to a computer or mobile phone to use this service. You only need to have mobile network coverage, a standard telephone landline connection or a wireless internet service. The type of connection you can use will be discussed when you see your cardiologist at the first visit after your implant procedure.
Types of Monitors
There are two types of monitors:
Wireless monitor
The wireless monitor works completely automatically. Once the wireless monitor has been set up, it will check your implanted device once every day. If the monitor detects an issue, it will send the data to the clinic where it will be reviewed during normal office hours. You will be contacted if there are any concerns.
Non-wireless monitor
The non-wireless monitor is not automatic. You will need to transmit data manually to the clinic every three months. This is very simple and should take less than five minutes. Our remote monitoring team will show you how to manually send your data.
Patient Portal
You can also access a Patient Portal (provided by CardioNexus). Through the patient portal, you can view the battery life and transmission status. It is also one of the many ways you can contact your care team. You do not however need to use the Patient Portal if you don’t wish to (and you can receive our remote monitoring services without using this).
Important information:
- The remote monitoring service is not an emergency information (or treatment) system and is not monitored 24 hours a day. In an emergency or in case of any type of medical complaint, notify your cardiologist or GP immediately or call 000 as appropriate. Do not try to send information or transmissions via your monitor.
- Your monitor should only be used when you are instructed by your care team to do so
- Your care team will only evaluate data during standard office hours, and will contact you if necessary
- The remote monitoring service does not totally replace the need for standard in-clinic (i.e. face-to-face) follow-up visits, which may be necessary from time to time e.g. to maintain optimal device performance