Remote Heart Monitoring at University of Maryland Medical Center
Channel: UMMCVideos
Date: 2023-04-03

The University of Maryland Medical Center is the first hospital in Maryland to offer patients remote heart pressure monitoring with CardioMEMS. It is FDA-approved and covered by insurance including Medicare. To qualify, a patient must have had a hospitalization due to heart failure. 

CardioMEMS is a remote sensor that measures the pressure in a patient’s pulmonary artery to help prevent exacerbation of heart failure. It is inserted into one of the pulmonary arteries via cardiac catheterization. The procedure takes a few hours and patients leave with a Band-Aid. The device is smaller than a dime and has tiny wires that adhere to the artery walls. It has no battery and doesn’t need to be removed. CardioMEMS allows doctors to measure the elevation in a patient’s pressures two to four weeks before they show symptoms like shortness of breath. 

To use it, the patient lies down on an external sensor that sends a signal to their internal sensor. The frequency rate of the coil vibration correlates to the pressure inside the artery. This is what allows doctors to interpret a patient’s pulmonary artery pressures when they lay on the sensor. That information is sent to the physician, who then adjusts the patient’s medication accordingly. 

The monitoring is done by University of Maryland’s heart failure specialists, who communicate any concerns or changes to the patient and work with them to make modifications. The patient’s regular doctor gets access to the medical center’s web-based patient care network, where they can view the levels under monitor as well as patient reports.

To refer a patient to the University of Maryland Medical Center for remote heart monitoring program or to learn more, call 410-328-7877.