Patient satisfaction and suggestions for improvement of remote ICD monitoring

Purpose

The study aim was to evaluate patient acceptance and content with remote follow-up (FU) of their implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and to estimate patients?? wish for changes in remote follow-up routines.

Methods

Four hundred seventy-four ICD patients at the device follow-up clinic at Rigshospitalet using CareLink? (Medtronic) remote follow-up, who had made ??2 transmissions, received a questionnaire.

Results

Three hundred eighty-five patients (81.2%) answered. Mean time with ICD was 56?±?45?months and mean age was 62?±?13?years; 80% was male. Diagnosis related to ICD implant was: ischemic heart disease in 56% and dilated cardiomyopathy in 21%. Twenty-six percent had primary prophylactic indication. Mean time on remote FU was 16.4?±?6.9?months. Mean time spent on in-clinic FU (two-way transport and FU) was 4?h and 36?min?±?7?h and 50?min, excluding 12 patients from Greenland and Faroe Islands. Ninety-five percent of the patients was very content or content with remote FU compared to in-clinic FU; 3% was less content and 2% was not content. For scheduled transmissions, 21% of the patients wished for a faster reply (sms or e-mail) compared to current practice with a letter. Eighty-four percent preferred more detailed information concerning ICD leads, battery status, and ICD therapies. A total of 96 patients (25%) had performed extra unscheduled remote transmissions: 20 due to shock, 20 due to alarm, 35 due to palpitations, and 18 for other or combined reasons.

Conclusion

Ninety-five percent of the patients were content with the remote FU. Only 25% had unscheduled transmissions and most unscheduled transmissions were for appropriate reasons. Eighty-four percent of the patients wished for a more detailed response and 21% wished for a faster reply after routine transmissions.