iPhone

Does anyone know how I get a connection for my IPhone for getting checkup by phone. My cell phone is also my home phone, no land line

11 Comments

Medtronic Pacemaker

by Sunnydaze - 2014-06-26 03:06:15

Medtronic does have a special Carelink for cell phones.

Medtronic

by @Heartthrob - 2014-06-26 05:06:04


Monitor Ed by Medtronic, Inc. https://appsto.re/us/KeJqZ.i
This is a great link

Monitor

by @Heartthrob - 2014-06-26 05:06:29

When I had the procedure Monday a rep was there to talk to me. He told me where to go (above app). I installed the app on my IPad and will talk to my doctor next week about ordering for me. Look at the link it is very informative

monitor for cell phone

by judyblue - 2014-06-26 05:06:40

If Medtronic has one they are not telling their pacer reps! I just asked two weeks ago and the guy said there is not anyway to use the cell phone. I too have no land line and I tried to use my work landline which failed.

Easy solution

by Alma Annie - 2014-06-26 09:06:25

Now that I only have an internet phone I have the same problem. However I do have some friends with a landline, and they are happy for me to use it when I need to monitor. My remote has a free call no. but if not I would be more than happy to pay for the call.
Surely you have someone you know who has a landline otherwise all of the above advice.
Alma Annie

My Solution

by Jcthompson86 - 2014-06-26 11:06:28

I had a similar situation and had a hard time doing my tests without a land line. I was walking through Staples office supplies one day and found a handset phone that plugs into my earphone jack on my iphone, it works great! just to give you an idea, they look like this: http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY%C2%AE-Phone-Retro-Handset-Iphone/dp/B00GNT0UQ6/ref=sr_1_2/182-3846387-5758859?ie=UTF8&qid=1403836250&sr=8-2&keywords=pink+retro+phone+handset+that+plugs+into+cell+phones

Hope that helps!

App?

by joy.full.home - 2014-06-26 12:06:19

I was specifically told before I left the hospital that there is an app, but can't find it.

I'm curious too!

by joy.full.home - 2014-06-26 12:06:31

I'm not sure if commenting on a post helps keep it "on top" as it does on some other boards.... but in case it does, I'm commenting! I'd like to know this as well since I haven't been able to connect my monitor.

You're spot on, Ian

by SaraTB - 2014-06-27 04:06:55

It's all about the money. I see on my insurance statements that my EP gets a fee for 'reviewing' my phone check: it's only a flipping ECG but he gets $100 a time. Which the insurer covers, so there's no incentive for patients to question it. Now, he gets more for an office visit, so agreeing to omit the phone check but adding in another appointment is a win for him. Again, insurance pays so no-one questions it.
Except this bloody-minded Brit who hates the whole system. I argue with my GP about the intervals between mammograms and smear tests too, insisting on following the NHS guidelines which are typical for most of Europe. US patients are over-tested with poorer overall outcomes - follow the money. If your taxes are paying for it, the system will make sure it's worth spending it or not.

Sorry, I just get so worked up about this stuff! And I'm lucky enough to have good insurance.

Discuss with your doctor

by SaraTB - 2014-06-27 08:06:00

Not having any other heart issues, than heart block, and knowing most other countries don't feel the need to monitor the way the US medical system does, I raised it with my doctor.
I told him the only reason was still keeping a phone line other than my mobile phone was for the PM checks. He initially wanted to keep going with them "because it can be helpful" then said "well if that's the only reason you keep it, let's compromise".
We agreed that I'd have 3 office check ups a year instead of 2 and I could stop the phone monitoring (which never found anything even when I was having an issue and ended up at the office anyway because the phone service couldn't identify anything different. It's only an EKG after all)
So, depending on your issues, it's worth discussing it. It's certainly interesting to me that it seems only the USA where this done so closely. . . .

Sara

by IAN MC - 2014-06-27 09:06:58

You have just put into words what I was thinking. Like you I am from the UK ,( although you live in the US.) and at no time has the subject of phone monitoring even been raised.

You can happily survive with a PM without phone monitoring ! I can understand situations where geography makes it useful but for the vast majority of PM patients I suspect that it is totally unnecessary !

Could it just be that people are making a quick buck out of the whole process ? There is no substitute for having eye-to eye contact with the human being who does your PM checks. Also as I now have the settings right I am on annual checks !

I know there is a later post suggesting that remote monitoring reduces mortality but on reading it, I see that the researcher was sponsored by various PM manufacturers which is not the best guarantee of impartiality unfortunately !!

Ian

You know you're wired when...

Airport security welcomes you.

Member Quotes

A lot of people are and live normal lives with no problems whatsoever.