Author Topic: A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!  (Read 739 times)

Offline Kiltpin

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A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!
« on: Monday 21 September 20 14:29 BST (UK) »
I have a pacemaker, in fact I am on my second.   

The first required an annual check-up/inspection. The pacemaker records every heartbeat - rate and time and date. Once a year, I would go to the clinic. They would put a heavy collar on me. There was a flap that covered the device. They downloaded the data to a industrial type laptop. Took about 10 minutes. A further 20 minutes as they scrolled through the last year to look for any anomalies. Detailed scrutiny would be done later back at the office. 

My latest pacemaker is bluetooth enabled (I am wired for sound). Last year I walked in to the office and before I could sit down, all data had been transferred. A quick look at the scar and I was out - 4 minutes tops. 

I thought that was good service. Still, it was only annual. I could have some sort of incident the day after the check and wait 364 days before it was picked up. 

Last Thursday, Royal Papworth sent me a monitor. It is plugged into the mains and sits at my bedside. Every night it downloads the data of the last 24 hours and transmits it back to them. There is an automatic scanning and then a human check. I wake up every morning to a text telling me all is clear. 

One annual check to a daily check - a phenomenal improvement in service, all thanks to Covid. 

Regards 

Chas
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Offline Girl Guide

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Re: A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 September 20 15:14 BST (UK) »
That's great Chas and gives you a bit of reassurance as well.  No doubt if something out of the usual was picked up, they would be asking you to visit.
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Offline CaroleW

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Re: A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 September 20 18:37 BST (UK) »
My husband has an implanted cardio defibrillator (ICD) fitted following a cardiac arrest back in 2012. 

We have a small monitor (Medtronic) in the bedroom linked to the hospital which reads the ICD and sends the readings automatically to the hospital several miles away.  They pick up any irregularities.

He gets 4 appointments per year.  2 are “remote” in that he just lies on the bed at the appointed time and the device does the rest. 

The miracle of technology
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Offline barryd

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Re: A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 September 20 19:11 BST (UK) »
I have lived overseas for many years and sometimes have a joke about the NHS. 

I see that Royal Papworth seems to be one of the World's best Hospitals. No Joke.





Offline roopat

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Re: A Service Improvement - Thanks to the current situation!
« Reply #4 on: Monday 21 September 20 21:21 BST (UK) »
My OH has been told he's on the list for his pacemaker to be replaced in October at Royal Papworth as it's getting to the end of its battery life. He was impressed to be told the new one would simply send all the data remotely to Papworth, no more treks to the local hospital for them to 'read' it with their machine  :)


Even the 'ageing' current one is incredibly clever - at one check they told him he had developed atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) 6 months earlier & they said "it started on the xxx September at 5.20pm.....what were you doing that day?"  ;D  Spooky...


Edit - agreed, we certainly have reason to be very thankful for the expertise of the old Papworth hospital, the October visit will be our first to the new shiny Royal Papworth.



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