The Use of Telemetry to Monitor Heart Disease Patients
Heart disease has become a significant health concern in the United States due to the widespread adoption of poor dietary behaviors and a lack of daily exercise. These trends have led to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of heart related morbidity and have served as an important factor in driving new innovations in cardiovascular technology. The traditional approach to evaluating heart conditions in the US has been to administer an electrocardiogram that captures the electrical activity of the heart in a resting state and produces a visual representation in the form of an EKG tracing. The past several years have seen new technologies such as echocardiography and telemetry expand the diagnostic capabilities of medical personnel and improve both the patient care experience and overall health outcomes. Those who work in cardiac care are generally expected to be familiar with telemetry so that they can effectively deliver high quality services to the public.
Telemetry has been used in several commercial and private sectors to enhance operations and collect data that might otherwise be impossible to capture. At a basic level, the technology enables individuals to transmit information wirelessly from sensors to receivers over long distances. Its first applications were seen in industries such as the military and weather monitoring. The defense department has been using telemetry for many years to improve communications between different departments and gather information that is relevant to military operational success. Companies in the weather industry have found use for telemetry in the monitoring of seismic activity and other natural phenomena that could damage communities and injure citizens. As the technology has evolved, it has found its way into many other industries including space exploration, gas and oil fields, healthcare, and more.
Within healthcare, telemetry provides information that is similar to that which is captured by the standard electrocardiogram except for the fact that it is provided in real-time and can be conducted on patients who are both resting and active. The procedure is noninvasive and poses extremely low risk of harm to patients. For this reason, most facilities assign the task of setting up the equipment to the EKG technician or cardiac nurse. The process of preparing patients for telemetry requires that sensors be placed on the patient's chest and a wireless transmitter be switched on. As the heart beats, the telemeter will record information about electrical conduction and cardiac contraction. This data is then transmitted to a remote monitoring center that uses computer hardware and software to translate the information into a tracing that shows the same types of waves and intervals seen on an EKG. The elements that make up the tracing represent different stages of cardiac contraction and appear abnormal in cases where heart disease exists.
In facilities where the monitoring center is located in-house, technicians may be expected to complete the training and telemetry certification required to assist with the monitoring process. In most cases, medical personnel will need to have a basic understanding of normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms so that they can recognize when advanced providers should be notified. Most companies that manufacture telemetry equipment include software that is capable of sounding an alarm when an abnormal and potentially harmful rhythm appears on a patient's tracing. Technicians are generally not allowed to exercise professional knowledge, judgment, or skill when helping to manage patients and are required to notify a registered nurse or licensed physician when expert insight is necessary.
Telemetry is an important innovation in cardiac care because it allows heart disease patients to remain mobile while being evaluated and treated. This improves the patient care experience and allows personnel to capture information about cardiac activity during resting and active states that would not otherwise be seen on an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram. This additional data is important for diagnosing some complex cardiac conditions and is often used in cases where individuals are considered unstable. Overall, the technology results in better health outcomes for patients because it allows medical personnel to make more informed decisions about treatment.
Telemetry has been used in several commercial and private sectors to enhance operations and collect data that might otherwise be impossible to capture. At a basic level, the technology enables individuals to transmit information wirelessly from sensors to receivers over long distances. Its first applications were seen in industries such as the military and weather monitoring. The defense department has been using telemetry for many years to improve communications between different departments and gather information that is relevant to military operational success. Companies in the weather industry have found use for telemetry in the monitoring of seismic activity and other natural phenomena that could damage communities and injure citizens. As the technology has evolved, it has found its way into many other industries including space exploration, gas and oil fields, healthcare, and more.
Within healthcare, telemetry provides information that is similar to that which is captured by the standard electrocardiogram except for the fact that it is provided in real-time and can be conducted on patients who are both resting and active. The procedure is noninvasive and poses extremely low risk of harm to patients. For this reason, most facilities assign the task of setting up the equipment to the EKG technician or cardiac nurse. The process of preparing patients for telemetry requires that sensors be placed on the patient's chest and a wireless transmitter be switched on. As the heart beats, the telemeter will record information about electrical conduction and cardiac contraction. This data is then transmitted to a remote monitoring center that uses computer hardware and software to translate the information into a tracing that shows the same types of waves and intervals seen on an EKG. The elements that make up the tracing represent different stages of cardiac contraction and appear abnormal in cases where heart disease exists.
In facilities where the monitoring center is located in-house, technicians may be expected to complete the training and telemetry certification required to assist with the monitoring process. In most cases, medical personnel will need to have a basic understanding of normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms so that they can recognize when advanced providers should be notified. Most companies that manufacture telemetry equipment include software that is capable of sounding an alarm when an abnormal and potentially harmful rhythm appears on a patient's tracing. Technicians are generally not allowed to exercise professional knowledge, judgment, or skill when helping to manage patients and are required to notify a registered nurse or licensed physician when expert insight is necessary.
Telemetry is an important innovation in cardiac care because it allows heart disease patients to remain mobile while being evaluated and treated. This improves the patient care experience and allows personnel to capture information about cardiac activity during resting and active states that would not otherwise be seen on an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram. This additional data is important for diagnosing some complex cardiac conditions and is often used in cases where individuals are considered unstable. Overall, the technology results in better health outcomes for patients because it allows medical personnel to make more informed decisions about treatment.
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