Merlin and cardiologist oddity

I might have posted this in the wrong forum so here it is here where I think it belongs:
I seem to be in the middle between my cardiologist and Merlin: we just discovered that in electrical work done in renovating our 100 yr old house in May that the workers cut the phone line to the master bedroom where my Merlin montoring unit sits. I clarified with Merlin Tech Support that they had not seen an update from my monitoring unit since May 24th. They said most hospitals have a protocol to call the patients when no data is received after a period of time (they suggested 1-2 weeks). Since it was almost a month without my doctor seeing any data, I was concerned in case something had happened with my pacemaker meanwhile. Merlin support also said I could put the monitoring unit elsewhere in the house as long as I was within 10 feet of it and was around it enough (e.g. 2 hours) for it to poll my pacemaker during the day...that if it didn't "see" the pacemaker at 2a it would poll for it during the day. I called my cardiologist (chairman of the department in large metropolitan city) and sort of got reamed out by him: he said they've only had Merlin monitoring for two years and it's not "standard of care", that they can't have staff tracking every patient if they don't get data, that at my next 3 month check they'd pick up on not having any data from me (btw, he put me on a yearly appointment schedule last year since I am doing so well two years out and had the Merlin monitoring!), and he expressed great doubt that if I wasn't next to the unit at 2a, that the Merlin unit would not get any data at all rest of day. Really trivialized any concerns I had, and his info seems to contradict what I was told by Merlin support. Can anyone comment as to the schedule of polling that is used by Merlin on the pacemaker? Does it check every 2 hours if no response at 2am? Or add what their doctors/hospitals have as protocol in the event data is not sent for a long period of time? After numerous blackouts before I got the PM, I find having the Merlin unit is a very comforting factor (plus having the pacemaker has meant no blackouts from heart block for two years now!). Thanks!

4 Comments

Merlin Monitor Confusion

by Artist - 2015-06-21 01:06:59

I am beginning to think that the nurse practitioners and EPs are really not that well informed about the scheduled checks and procedures for monitoring. I was told that I had to be within 2 feet of the monitor when I am sleeping and that checks are done every night between 2 and 5 a.m. 
When I traveled and left my monitor at home, sure enough, there was a two week period that showed absolutely no data when they read the comprehensive 90 day report in my EP's office. I also was told the only time they make up a missed reading is when they are running the scheduled 90 day check and the patient is not in range for that check. 
Then they do try to run that again. If someone is not in range for the brief spot check, that data is just gone and shows a blank data input for that day. I also understand that the Merlin monitoring center just collects the data and there is no interaction with your doctor's office unless a significant problem is detected. Then the monitoring office notifies your physician's office. Your physician's office does not check the daily transmissions they only read the 90 day reports or respond if the Merlin monitoring center sends a trouble report to them. When I go to my 90 day follow up appointments, they have the comprehensive interrogation report and the date it was done so I can count out 90 days from that and try to be home for the next Merlin interrogation. Who really knows. It is probably best to continue to call the Merlin phone number and see if they will check your individual records.

Confusion

by TICKYTICKBOO - 2015-06-21 02:06:34

What I have gathered is a bit different. I was told my EP set the perimeters for my CareLink Monitor. The original monitor was to be .left plugged in to a phone line all the time, however, I would only use it every three months to send in my interrogation report. Since I did not have a landline, I had to plug the monitor into the electric plug, do a down load and then find a landline to send the data.

My new CareLink, does not require being plugged into anything. I am monitored every night, if something is amiss, in theory central receiving (collection site in N.E. U.S.A) will make a report and send it to my EP who will in turn notify me when they get around to it.

My EP just changed his practice added two new partners and a staff of young women to man the front, who know nothing about cardiology. I hope the nurses and techs get the front office girls sorted out soon, they are a gaggle of geese. They have no idea what they are saying or doing, they do not know the difference between a pacemaker and ICD. Everything is sunshine and light, no idea what EOL means..

"bedside manner"

by scott02467 - 2015-06-23 03:06:36

Yes, he meant using the Merlin at all was not "standard of care"...that standard of care was going by my symptoms and if I was asymptomatic that was fine. Mind you in fairness, he returned my call on a Friday at 5p so might have been tired, but I agree: basically crap with personal interactions. Unfortunately he is the head of the department at the hospital we have to use per the insurance. I did have a long talk with two techs from Merlin and one from Integron, and for now, my Merlin is picking up daily monitoring during the day when it checks at two hour intervals...Merlin said it needed only about 10 seconds to "check" the PM when it does the daily routine...longer when it does a monthly full download.

Not "standard of care"?

by knb123 - 2015-06-23 08:06:45

I find your doc's characterization of the at-home monitoring confusing at best. Did he mean that moving the monitor out of the bedroom and into another room wasn't the standard of care? Because certainly the monitoring itself IS the standard of care in the US (or at least, that's what I was told by physician friends).

Your doc's "bedside manner" sounds like the problem. Unfortunately, a lot of really skilled physicians are crap when it comes to personal interactions. If it were me, I would abide by what the Merlin techs said. I and others have found them to be knowledgeable and committed to getting answers for PM users.

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