St. Jude Medical‘s implanted device monitoring system, Merlin.net, has been given approval by the European authorities to be marketed across the continent. Already cleared in the United States, the system wirelessly transmits data from implanted pacemakers and ICD’s to caretakers via the Merlin@home device.
From SJM:
Until recently, the only way for physicians to check on their patients’ devices was for a patient to come to their clinic in person. Now, information from a patient’s implanted device can be transmitted remotely from the comfort of a patient’s home. St. Jude Medical patients with compatible devices can use the Merlin@home™ transmitter to send data directly from their devices to Merlin.net PCN. Physicians can even use Merlin.net PCN to schedule the remote follow-up to take place at night, while the patient is sleeping.
Remote monitoring provides daily checks on the patient’s device. If the check reveals an event that may require timely intervention, an alert will be posted on Merlin.net PCN and transmitted to the physician via email, fax or SMS text. Merlin.net PCN offers a set of flexible tools that allow the physician to choose when, where and how alerts are communicated during off-clinic hours, including the transfer of alerts to after hours support services. Alert-triggering events are not restricted to device performance, but also include clinical episodes such as atrial tachycardia (AT), atrial fibrillation (AF), and ST segment change notifications for remote disease management.
A key exclusive feature of Merlin.net PCN is DirectCall™ Message, an automated calling system that the clinic staff can use to call patients with up to four pre-recorded messages in any of approximately 20 languages. The system can be used to remind patients of an up-coming scheduled follow-up, notify them that they have missed a scheduled follow-up, inform them that their remote transmission has been received and everything looks normal, or ask them to call the clinic to discuss the results of the follow-up. These are all routine calls that are regularly made by clinic staff. With this new technology, clinics can quickly and efficiently provide information to patients regarding their device status for enhanced assurance.
Press release: St. Jude Medical Announces CE Mark Approval of Remote Care System for Implantable Cardiac Devices …
Product page: Merlin.net™ Patient Care Network …
Flashbacks: EU Green Lights SJM’s Newest ICDs ; St. Jude’s Merlin.net System Gets an Update ; St. Jude Introduces Merlin@home Transmitter for Monitoring of Implanted Cardiac Devices ; Merlin™ Patient Care System
