Book your remote monitoring consultation with Dr Segal
Traditionally, if you have had a pacemaker or other implantable cardiac device, like a defibrillator, you have had to visit a hospital or clinic once or twice a year for it to be checked. But what happens in between these visits, or if there is a problem and you are abroad or away from home? It may be time to consider remote monitoring.
In the past, this has meant making frequent trips to the hospital (sometimes unnecessarily) or to an overseas hospital that has no previous records on you. Sometimes it means not being able to have your device checked at all.
Remote monitoring was developed several years ago and allows patients to send information from their device from the comfort of their own home at any time. I use Medtronic devices and the Medtronic CareLink remote monitoring network. This system can now transmit information wirelessly with many devices using a 3G cellular phone network. I can then review your device information on the secure CareLink internet website, allowing me to do routine device follow-up or to review device function in special situations, including if you feel unwell. Some devices send information automatically, so I can contact you even before you might know there is a problem.
For most people, this means you won’t have to travel to the clinic as often for device checks. With remote monitoring, the majority of people need only one physical device check each year. People who use remote monitoring report a sense of reassurance knowing their doctor has access to important information about their heart, giving them peace of mind. This is especially true if you don’t have easy access to a clinic where your device can be checked or if you travel frequently and are often out of the country.
More Information:
Who is remote monitoring for?
I offer remote monitoring to all my patients with ICDs (defibrillators), biventricular devices (CRT) and Reveal Linq devices (implantable loop recorders), as all of these devices can require frequent or urgent attention in certain situations. I also offer remote monitoring to patients with pacemakers who live far away from London, find it difficult to come to clinic for other reasons or people with pacemakers who travel frequently who want the peace of mind knowing that I can check their device when abroad.
How does it work?
Wireless devices
Wireless Medtronic devices e.g. ICDs (defibrillators), some biventricular devices (CRT) and the Medtronic Reveal Linq implantable loop recorder come with a monitor, called a MyCareLink monitor. This monitor is usually kept in your bedroom and plugged into a power socket. Each night, at about 2am, your device and the monitor ‘talk to each other’ wirelessly. Any abnormalities with your device are detected and sent to the CareLink web-portal via the monitor using a 3G phone signal. If a significant problem is identified, I am alerted via an email, meaning you are monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Every three months I will ask you to send me a manual transmission from your device. A manual transmission sends me everything from your device since its last check but you can also send information at other times, if you have had symptoms.
The CareLink Monitor is very easy to use. It has a screen with diagrams telling you what to do to make a transmission and effectively only has one button. A green tick is displayed to tell you a transmission has been sent successfully. It sends information over any cellular 3G phone network in any country you happen to be in. You don’t need to be signed up to any network; it works on all of them.
We schedules dates for you to routinely send information from your device to us using your MyCareLink monitor (usually every 3 months)
Device information is also sent automatically for the Reveal Linq device while you sleep if abnormal heart rhythms are detected
Device information is sent automatically from the remote monitor to a secure computer server
I review the device information on a secure website and alert you if there are any problems.
Using the Medtronic MyCareLink Monitor to manually send information
It is often useful for you to send a manual transmission using the MyCareLink monitor. This ensures all the device’s information is transmitted and clears the device for new information. This is the same process you will need to do when first setting up the monitor or if you take it abroad. Please follow the instructions below for how to do this:
Make sure the MyCareLink monitor is plugged into a power socket.
The MyCareLink will show it is receiving a 3G wireless phone signal by showing a picture of an aerial mast and some blue bars. An arrow will point to the grey button
Press the grey button
Lift up the transmission module
Place the transmission module over your device and watch the MyCareLink monitor screen for the green bar. This shows the device is relaying information.
The module can be replaced in its dock. When the green tick is displayed, the information has been successfully sent to the CareLink portal and will be available for me to examine.
Automatic Remote Monitoring
If you have an ICD (defibrillator), CRT-D (biventricular ICD) or Reveal Linq device, information from your device is sent to the monitor every night at approximately 2am, as long as you are within 2m of the monitor and there is a cellular signal. This is why we ask patients to locate the monitor in their bedroom on their bedside table if possible. Any device malfunctions that are detected generate an email alert to me. It is sometimes necessary to ask you to also perform a manual transmission (as per the section above) to ensure all device information is sent.
Benefits of using remote monitoring
- Freedom – With CareLink Monitoring, you’re free to live life more fully. You may not have to travel to the clinic as often for heart device follow-up appointments.
- Convenience – The CareLink Monitor is easy to use. With only one-button and a screen to guide you, you transmit device information over a standard a 3g cellular phone network. If you have an ICD (defibrillator), CRT-D (biventricular ICD) or Reveal Linq device information is sent automatically whilst you sleep.
- Piece of mind – People who use CareLink Monitoring report a sense of reassurance knowing their doctor has access to important information about their heart. If you feel symptoms, we may ask you to send information so we can review your device information. If you have an ICD (defibrillator), CRT-D (biventricular ICD) or Reveal Linq device, alert notifications are sent directly to me 24 hours a day.
Security
If you have an ICD (defibrillator), CRT-D (biventricular ICD) or Reveal Linq device, information from your device is sent to the monitor every night at approximately 2am, as long as you are within 2m of the monitor and there is a cellular signal. This is why we ask patients to locate the monitor in their bedroom on their bedside table if possible. Any device malfunctions that are detected generate an email alert to me. It is sometimes necessary to ask you to also perform a manual transmission (as per the section above) to ensure all device information is sent.
Patient confidentiality is a priority of the CareLink Network. The website is secure, protected by username and password. Only I have access to your device information.
If you have further questions please get in touch with my PA at pa@oliversegal.com or on 02070348278.
For further information please also see Medtronic’s MyCareLink website:
For information and insights into heart conditions and treatments
Find out more about Dr Oliver Segal
Contact Dr Segal to book an appointment
For information and insights into heart conditions and treatments
Find out more about Dr Oliver Segal
Contact Dr Segal to book an appointment