Seriously??? Warning....rant

Got a really snotty letter from the pacer clinic stating I have missed multiple home monitoring appointments and to send the monitor back to ST Judes. No kidding, I was in Cali when they scheduled the first one, Cali again the next month, then in Fl when they scheduled the last one. They keep sending letters ordering me to download on a specific day, no one asked me about MY schedule. Like I am supposed to stay home and download my pm instead of traveling? Are these people for real? As the ultimate punishment they said they are telling my doctor on me AND I would now have to see him once a year for a pacemaker check. These people get nasty when they miss out on that easy income.

12 Comments

Remote

by Alma Annie - 2014-05-22 10:05:07

I have a remote monitor, but mine should work anywhere in Australia where I live. I did have a problem when it did not go through when I was at my daughter's house interstate. I phoned the clinic and they said wait until I return. I always take the monitor away with me if I know I will be away on the due date. I think if you call your clinic if there is a problem and ask if you can monitor at a different time, rather than just ignore the date.
Alma Annie

Alma

by Bostonstrong - 2014-05-22 10:05:14

Do they ask you about a date that's convenient for you or just schedule it?
I have 9 years of battery life left and no problems so I'm not convinced this is necessary right now. Maybe when the battery is older.

dates

by Alma Annie - 2014-05-23 02:05:17

No I don't choose my dates, they are set. Having said that they say if it is inconvenient to let them know and they will re- schedule. I have always found my clinic to be most obliging in all things. It is always better to let the clinic know rather than just not to monitor.
I have 7 years left, although EP said that the dates are not always accurate and sometimes it will show a long time left, then suddenly crash to almost the end. My EP likes my pm monitored every 3 months just in case there is a problem which I cannot feel, but that he could see. This makes me feel secure. There are things which may go wrong, not just the amount of years left, although I think it is unusual for anything to happen. Better to be safe than sorry.
We will not have a landline from next week, but I have arranged to go to my local chapel where there will always be a landline and it is only 20 mins drive.
Alma Annie

Ian

by Bostonstrong - 2014-05-23 03:05:28

Exactly. No doubt there are people with co morbidities who need more frequent monitoring. The standard cookie cutter approach to monitoring everyone 4 x a year is a gold mine for easy practice revenue. No one would tell me how much this costs but based on office visits from last year I think it's roughly the cost of a round trip ticket to California. Pacemaker check or weekend in Cali? No brainer.

A question Bossie ?

by IAN MC - 2014-05-23 04:05:00

If you have 9 yrs battery life left and have no problems, why do you need home monitoring anyway ???

I have a PM check-up once a year which is all you need if you have no problems. I get the feeling that home monitoring is far far more popular in the US than in Europe;

I assume that people are making lots of money out of it ??

Best wishes ( and I hope your meniscus is healing )

Ian

UK checks on PM

by Selwyn - 2014-05-23 08:05:46

The norm in the UK is yearly PM checks if all is OK. Once the battery is getting low, check ups are more frequent. Check ups are free on the NHS.
I usually make an appointment at the clinic before leaving for a fixed time and date one year hence, and plan my travelling accordingly.

4x

by Alma Annie - 2014-05-23 10:05:26

The reason I have them every 3 months is that I have had other heart problems although all is well now. Money is not involved as I am 'Bulk billed" that is through our Medicare health system in Oz. Not all doctors do this but I am one of the lucky ones. I have never had to pay anything even though I am a private patient with insurance.
I really think that my cardio/EP is considering my and others health, not the money side of it. I seem to think that things are much different in US health wise than here in Australia.
Alma Annie.

Alma

by Bostonstrong - 2014-05-23 11:05:00

Glad to hear all is well now. You are fortunate that money is not an issue and that you have a good dr looking after you. I pay for private insurance through my employer, there is a 5k out of pocket limit before it starts decent coverage. I wouldn't hesitate to call if I were having problems with the pm but it seems way too expensive for a routine check. What part of Australia do you live in? I've always wanted to travel there! Someday....

Easy Money

by johnb10000 - 2014-05-23 12:05:09

They will probably try to bill you for the dates they scheduled. When you get the bill several months later fight back hard. If they stall as usual a certified letter of complaint to the marketing department often works. The billing department doesn't care.

Is your machine portable where you can connect it to a phone line or the internet? My machine connects to a phone line but it is getting harder to find a person with a land line.

John

by Bostonstrong - 2014-05-23 12:05:37

The machine is portable but I don't want it taking up space in a roll on bag when I travel. No land line here either, my desk at work is oversized and not moveable to access phone outlets. I'm really annoyed by the arrogance of the pacer clinic assuming I will be free todo this whatever date they dictate.

Alma

by Bostonstrong - 2014-05-24 01:05:33

Your cardio sounds like a keeper with your best interests at heart. I'm glad he came back from the conference and got you back in the hospital. Are you doing well now?
I am the full time administrator/clinic manager and NP in a busy rural health clinic and work part time in urgent care. It is interesting to learn about other health care systems. Things are slowly changing here with more people getting coverage now.
My pm was interrogated before surgery in March so I think I'm ok for awhile. Trying to find time for an office visit is tricky too. I'm fairly new to being on the "patient " side of health care, still not very comfortable with it.

Oz

by Alma Annie - 2014-05-24 12:05:21

Hi Bostonstrong,
I live in Aldinga Beach which is about 70 ks South of Adelaide, South Australia.
We pay quite a bit for private insurance, but there are no waiting lists for elective surgery, e.g. my husband had a hip replacement and did not have to wait at all, which in the public system is about 2 years. If we had no insurance, I would still have had a pm, but not such an 'up market' one according to EP. All emergencies are dealt with straight away under our public system, which is called Medicare. There is often a gap with private health, but I have a son who works for J&J, and knows my cardio/EP well. In fact they were at a conference together in LA when I had my heart attack, so as soon as Cardio returned, he saw me, and actually put me back in hospital, saying I should never have been discharged as only half heart working. I would trust him with my life.
As for your monitoring, could you just have it monitored at a clinic instead of home? Then you could choose your appt. times.
All the best

Alma Annie

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