A new expert consensus statement released by the four major global cardiac electrophysiology societies and endorsed by the ACC and others is focused on the “Practical Management of the Remote Device Clinic” and aims to provide a comprehensive resource for cardiac electrophysiologists, allied professionals, and other supportive health care technicians and administrative professionals involved in the management of remote monitoring (RM) programs for cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) such as pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and implantable loop recorders.

“For this document, we took a team-based approach to RM including clinical and nonclinical personnel to perform all tasks related to RM,” said Aileen Ferrick, PhD, ACNP, RN, co-chair of the consensus statement. “We delve into topics such as staffing, workflow development, patient education, and communication of transmission results; providing valuable insights that healthcare professionals can use to enhance their practice in caring for patients on RM.”

The statement from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) and Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS) was released during Heart Rhythm 2023 in New Orleans. It includes recommendations for ensuring adequate and dedicated staffing, providing comprehensive patient education and fostering collaborative partnerships among patients, providers, manufacturers and payers. On the technology front, it also stresses the critical importance of establishing reliable and continuous connectivity and confirming appropriate programming of alerts.

Challenges leading to a wide variability in the global uptake of RM are also highlighted in the statement. “Although the concept and importance of RM is widely appreciated, the application of RM is quite complex,” said Satish Raj, MD, MSCI, FACC, who also served as co-chair of the statement. “With this document, our aim is to not only address the present-day challenges but also to forecast the trajectory of the field over the next few years. By shedding light on this future path, we strived to provide guidance for a system that works better for providers and, most importantly, works better for patients.”

Clinical Topics: Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Cardiovascular Care Team, Implantable Devices, SCD/Ventricular Arrhythmias, Atrial Fibrillation/Supraventricular Arrhythmias

Keywords: Pacemaker, Artificial, Patient Care, Electronics, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Workforce, Defibrillators, Implantable

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