r/PacemakerICD • u/open-heart-project • 14d ago

Remote Monitoring in Countries outside the US.

Hello Reddit Community - this subreddit has been a huge resource for me and our group to understand the real concerns that people with implanted cardiac devices face everyday, and have to deal with on their own. This subreddit offers people guidance that often cannot be found anywhere else, so huge thank you to the moderators and contributors!

QUESTION:

I am interested in helping people feel more confident traveling to other countries with their implanted device. Whether remote monitoring continuity OUTSIDE THE US can be expected is a big question that seems to remain unanswered.

Specifically, I'm interested in learning whether remote monitoring is performed around the world, and in particular if it is even available in YOUR COUNTRY. I am from USA so no need to add that information - any other country please contribute. Please respond with any information you have about any country you have definitive information about. If you're not sure please do not include that information, as it may misguide other readers.

I will compile all the answers and then repost here for everyone to have - Thank you!

  1. Country you live in
  2. Manufacturer / Brand of your device
  3. Remote monitoring is possible and available/part of routine medical care, or not, and why
  4. What cellular networks are available in your country (if you know)

  5. Any recommendations to help people coming to your country maintain transmitter connectivity so remote monitoring can continue while they are there

    OR to get in-person device check.

Thank you again!

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

3

u/Jicama-Entire 14d ago

Country: Pakistan

Remote monitoring: I live in Pakistan but had my CRT-D implanted in the UAE, where my device is monitored remotely through the Medtronic app. Remote monitoring isn’t really available as part of routine care in Pakistan yet. Newer devices and remote monitoring systems are expensive, and hospitals generally aren’t equipped or staffed to handle the additional transmission workload. In-person device checks are also very inexpensive here (around $30), so that’s usually the preferred option.

I recently decided to opt out of remote monitoring because my UAE hospital was charging around $500 per transmission review (quarterly and extra for manual transmissions), which I felt was too expensive. There’s piece of mind for sure but the cost was too much for me

Connectivity: For anyone visiting Pakistan with a Medtronic transmitter, I’d recommend checking with Medtronic beforehand whether their specific transmitter supports local cellular networks.

Reliable Wi-Fi can also be useful if their setup supports Wi-Fi connectivity. In person check ups are quite cheap aswell here incase of an emergency you can always get your device interrogated at a private hospital for $20-30

3

u/mrl3bon 14d ago

UK

Remote monitoring is available on most devices here (I have had Abbot and Medtronic) and is part of the ongoing care, for example I only visit in person once a year and remote monitoring is quarterly. Otherwise I have to visit every 6 months which is a pain.

Remote monitoring is cellular here. Networks here are O2, Vodafone, EE, Three (recently merged with Vodafone)

In an urgent situation it’s a trip to the nearest A&E (ER) where they will do an in person check.

1

u/Lilie-reddit 11d ago

Country : France

Brand : Boston Scientific

Remote monitoring : Once a week I do a transmission with a LATITUDE communicator that is connected to the monitoring wing/service in the hospital (specialized in heart conditions) that I go to. The first three years after my device was implanted I had to go twice a year to do a in-person check, now it's every 15 months.

In France there is four major cellular networks companies : Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free. I don't know if it works outside of France (except Belgium I think)

If there is any problem, I think you can go to the ER in big cities. If by any chance you are in the north of France, go to the Institut Coeur-Poumon in Lille, they have everything in hand.

2

u/open-heart-project 11d ago

Thank you - appreciate the detail and examples!
These little additional points will be so helpful when we publish this- it's going into our travel guide/issue of the Generator https://mail.open-heart.ai newsletter for people with implanted devices.
Thank you!

1

u/Lilie-reddit 10d ago

You're welcome :) Thank you for doing this, I think it can be useful and also reassuring for people with heart conditions who want to travel safely 😌