SWEPACE-REMOTE - Remote Monitoring of Pacemaker Therapy in Sweden

Background
Pacemaker therapy is a life-saving intervention for several cardiac arrhythmias. Today, approximately 70 000 people in Sweden are living with a pacemaker, and the implantation rate is increasing, partly due to extended life expectancies.

Pacemaker therapy requires regular follow-up. Traditionally, follow-up has been accomplished through in-office visits. Over the past two decades, remote monitoring has become increasingly common as both an alternative and a complement to in-person visits. Remote monitoring entails continuously flow of information from the patient’s pacemaker to the clinic via a monitor or a phone application.

Remote monitoring may enable earlier detection of both technical issues and certain types of arrhythmias. However, there is limited knowledge on how to best manage the increased workload associated with remote monitoring. In addition, it remains unclear which patient groups benefit most from remote monitoring. 

Aim of the Project

• National survey of remote monitoring in Sweden. To provide a national overview of the utilization of remote monitoring in pacemaker patients and to describe geographical and regional variations in its implementation.
• To evaluate clinical outcomes and healthcare workload associated with remote monitoring. To evaluate remote monitoring as a model of care for pacemaker follow-up by examining its effects on patient outcomes and healthcare workload, and by identifying factors that may optimize the efficiency and organization of follow-up care.
• Optimize remote monitoring. To optimize patient-centred remote monitoring by developing efficient, structured, and individualized workflows for the remote follow-up of patients with pacemakers.

The overall goal of the project is to develop national guidelines for remote monitoring that align with clinical practice and promote equitable care.