Telecardiology and remote monitoring of implanted electrical devices: the potential for fresh clinical care perspectives.
Telecardiology may help confront the growing burden of monitoring the reliability of implantable defibrillators/pacemakers. Herein, we suggest that the evolving capabilities of implanted devices to monitor patients' status (heart rhythm, fluid overload, right ventricular pressure, oximetry, etc.) may imply a shift from strictly device-centered follow-up to perspectives centered on the patient (and patient-device interactions). Such approaches could provide improvements in health care delivery and clinical outcomes, especially in the field of heart failure. Major professional, policy, and ethical issues will have to be overcome to enable real-world implementation. This challenge may be relevant for the evolution of our health care systems.
Boriani
Giuseppe
G
Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. giuseppe.boriani@unibo.it
Diemberger
Igor
I
Martignani
Cristian
C
Biffi
Mauro
M
Valzania
Cinzia
C
Bertini
Matteo
M
Domenichini
Giulia
G
Saporito
Davide
D
Ziacchi
Matteo
M
Branzi
Angelo
A
D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods*