News

Self-service pacemaker monitor frees up health care staff

August 1, 2014

Southampton, U.K., pacemaker patients can now monitor their device without the wait, according to Engineering and Technology Magazine.

A new mobile monitoring station installed at Bitterne Park Medical Care Center allows patients to have instant pacemaker checkups. The CareLink Express station, made by Medtronic, is part of a remote monitoring pilot study by Southampton NHS Foundation Trust to decrease waiting and allot staff more time to treat hospital patients. 

Regular pacemaker checkups permit health care providers opportunities to catch changes in rhythm and intervene before a patient becomes ill, the article said. Traditionally, these appointments have required recurring visits to physicians. The self-service kiosk eliminates the need for these visits and gives patients flexibility for completing checkups, the article said.

"We are constantly looking at ways we can free up patients who don't need to see medical staff from having to attend clinics while focusing staff time on the minority of patients who actually need to see a doctor," said Professor John Morgan, remote monitoring lead and cardiologist consultant. "It's the sort of innovation we need to see more of in the health service to improve the use of NHS resources."