Medtronic
 
 

Medtronic
CareLink® Network
patient testimonial

"We live 100 miles away from the clinic in Memphis. With the CareLink Monitor, I save the two days it typically takes for those check-ups."
 
With remote device monitoring, care and comfort are close at hand for long-distance clinic patient

After retiring from a 30-year career in banking in 1994, John Bomar happily traded the sedentary lifestyle of a banker for a physically challenging part-time job maintaining seven athletic fields for the high school in rural Grenada, Mississippi. “Raised hunting and fishing” in his native Arkansas, John readily admits that weeding grass and keeping it in perfect playing condition is the ideal retirement job. It leaves plenty of time to travel with his wife, Nancy, and go hunting and fishing with his friends

When in his early 30s, John had a heart attack, the beginning of serious heart problems to come. He later required quadruple bypass surgery and was ultimately diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2001. An electrophysiology test revealed John to be at risk for potentially lifethreatening episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT). John immediately received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a Medtronic GEM® III, designed to both deliver shock therapy for life-threatening episodes of VT and pace John’s heart at a more normal rate of 62 than the 40 beats per minute (bpm) shown by the tests.

In November 2002, John’s physician from The Stern Cardiovascular Center in Memphis prescribed a new remote monitoring device for him, the Medtronic CareLink® Monitor. The monitor allows him to replace a couple of his in-office follow-up visits with remote interrogations — from home or while traveling — via a standard phone line. “We live 100 miles away from the clinic in Memphis. With the Medtronic CareLink Monitor, I save the two days it typically takes for those check-ups,” said John.

Both his ICD and the Medtronic CareLink Monitor were put to the test last summer, when John passed out in the middle of a football field while talking to coaches. He regained consciousness after a few minutes, called the clinic and transmitted his device data with the Medtronic CareLink Monitor. Downloaded by the clinic via the Internet, the comprehensive data confirmed that John’s ICD had “fired” appropriately in response to an episode of VT at 240 beats per minute.

Later last summer, John experienced a second episode while riding his tractor mower across a baseball field. This time he was conscious when the ICD delivered a shock. Again, he transmitted his ICD data with the Medtronic CareLink Monitor and, again, the clinic confirmed that the device delivered appropriate therapy. “The two episodes not only proved that my device works, the CareLink Monitor added that extra level of comfort, allowing me to know immediately what was going on,” recalled John. “Instead of feeling helpless and wondering if my heart is going into tachy, I can now be on top of it, and feel I have greater control. Words cannot describe the reassurance that gives me.”

This story recounts the experience of a patient who is using the Medtronic CareLink Monitor for remote device follow-up. Medtronic, Inc. invited her to share this story cordially. Please bear in mind that this experience is specific to this patient. Results vary, not every response is the same.

What is the Medtronic CareLink® Network?

The Medtronic CareLink Network is the first and only Internet-based remote monitoring service for patients with implanted cardiac devices. Patients send their device data from the comfort of their homes, and their clinicians access it using the Internet. The service allows clinicians to improve clinic operations and provide patients with better care, more conveniently.

 

Additional Information