Remote ECG monitoring: reducing travel and disruption during cancer treatment
From more than two hours away from work to an ECG at home
At a glance
For one Sciensus patient, a routine hospital ECG could mean taking more than two hours out of the working day for an appointment that itself lasted only a few minutes
Living in a rural area meant factoring in travel, parking, finding the department and waiting before making the journey home. Through the Sciensus remote ECG service, the same type of monitoring could instead take place at home and fit around the working day.
“You travel two hours for a five-minute appointment. Being able to be within my home and not have to travel was the biggest benefit.”
– Sciensus patient
The challenge
The patient had previously attended a hospital for several ECGs. The ECG itself was quick, but the appointment involved much more than the time spent having the test.
They estimated that getting to hospital, parking, attending the appointment and travelling home could take around two hours and 15 minutes in total.
As the patient works full time, this meant taking a sizeable part of the working day away from work for a procedure that could take around five minutes.
The approach
Through the Sciensus remote ECG service in partnership with One Heart Clinic, a Specialist Cancer Nurse visited the patient at home to complete the ECG.
Because the patient works from home for much of the week, the appointment fitted easily into the day. They described simply stepping away from work, having the ECG completed and then returning to what they were doing.
The device was also very different from the hospital ECG the patient had expected. They had anticipated needing to undress and have multiple electrodes attached. Instead, the process was comfortable and non-invasive.
The recording was then sent for specialist review. The patient was shown the ECG and had the next steps explained, including how the results would be reviewed and what would happen if anything required further investigation.
The result
The biggest difference was the time saved.
Instead of losing more than two hours to travel and hospital attendance, the ECG could be completed at home with minimal interruption to the working day.
The patient said they would definitely choose the service again, particularly because it removed the travel involved in attending hospital for such a short appointment.
The experience was also more comfortable than expected, with the non-invasive device helping the patient feel less vulnerable than during a traditional hospital ECG.
“It’s efficient, it’s convenient, it’s very professional… and it’s in the comfort of your own home.”
