Remote monitoring of implanted cardiac devices: a plea for a nationwide exploration

Remote monitoring of implanted cardiac devices is an evolving method for regular checks of their electronic integrity and functioning. The communication with the devices is carried out unsupervised with wireless trans-telephonic or cable-dependent linkage. The interrogation of the device examines several programmed functions and harvests the stored data of numerous events. The collected data constitute the base to decide whether the implanted device is operating properly and can give some information about the physical condition of the device recipient. Preliminary short-term results show favourable effects in terms of safety and cost and time saving as compared with the current face-to-face visits of conventional patient follow-ups. Remote monitoring of implanted devices will extend markedly in the coming years and its development touches many questions ranging from technical accuracy, patient benefit, cost-effectiveness and responsibilities of the provider and receivers of the delivered device data, to the role of the cardiologist and allied professionals and of course privacy rules. In this point of view, these questions are discussed in order to explore the consequences of device remote monitoring with nationwide Trials. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:434–7.)