The Particulars: Monitoring heart failure (HF) patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) places a significant burden on the healthcare system. Remote monitoring may represent a cost-effective approach.
Data Breakdown: Patients with HF who had received ICDs participated in a study in which they were randomized to remote or standard monitoring for 16 months. Remote monitoring was associated with cost savings for the healthcare system, but these savings were not deemed significant. However, annual costs for patients in the remote monitoring group were significantly lower than that of the standard monitoring group.
Take Home Pearl: When compared with standard monitoring approaches, remote monitoring of HF patients with ICDs appears to be a cost-effective approach for patients and the healthcare system.
