title: Feasibility of a telemedicine framework for collaborative pacemaker follow-up.
abstract: We propose a telemedicine framework for remote and manufacturer independent pacemaker (PM) follow-up. The main goal is to provide the caregiver at the point-of-care with an efficient screening method to identify possible malfunction of the pacing system in collaboration with the specialist at the PM clinic. The concept was evaluated in a clinical trial on 44 patients (mean age 76 years). A total of 62 electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were transmitted using a mobile PM follow-up unit. Using the automatic classification algorithm, 32 PMs were classified as 'OK' and eight PMs were classified as 'not OK'. In four cases a prediction regarding the working status of the PM was not possible. The signal processing classification was confirmed by expert classification (manual review of the ECG). The results indicate that the proposed PM follow-up concept has the potential to work as an efficient screening method and may spare a significant number of patients the burden of having to travel to specialized PM clinics.
authors.affiliation: Austrian Research Centers GmbH, ARC, eHealth Systems, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kollmann
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hayn
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Jesús Daniel
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Trigo
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kastner
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rotman
authors.forename: Karlheinz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tscheliessnigg
authors.forename: Guenter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schreier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D017216:Telemedicine; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation*