Remote visits available for heart patients who need follow-up care and monitoring while practicing social distancing

Story by: Sara Thompson on April 8, 2020

You may be practicing social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but what if you have a heart condition that needs to be monitored? The answer is in telehealth. One area that has gotten quickly up to speed on remote visits is the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Heart Rhythm Center led by Kent E. Morris, M.D., cardiac electrophysiologist.

Telehealth is a good solution for established patients who simply need to do an annual or twice-yearly check-in with a physician. For newer patients, it can be more of a challenge, however it is easier to do an online or telehealth visit to assess the patient’s condition before moving to an in-person appointment.

Patients can use a smartphone, laptop or desktop with a webcam, or even a tablet. This can be a great situation for older patients who don’t mind not having to leave home to go to the doctor. You may contact your provider’s office to see if scheduling a telehealth visit is possible. Once your provider’s office schedules the appointment for you, you will access your video visit by signing in to MyNortonChart and clicking on the Appointments tab.

Please note that this is different from Norton eCare, which is a self-scheduled service offered for minor illnesses. If you don’t have a MyNortonChart account, sign up at NortonHealthcare.com/MyNortonChart. More information on accessing your video visit may be found here.

For patients with pacemakers or other cardiac devices, follow-up appointments routinely are done remotely. The device sends reports to the physician’s office, where it is read and checked for issues.

If a patient needs a heart rhythm analysis, for instance, there are a number of options, including mobile outpatient cardiac telemetry.

“The patient wears a monitor that they can put on and wear anywhere from one to 30 days, and it sends information back to our office,” Dr. Morris said.

These devices use cellular-connected technology to send almost real-time data. There are some commercially available gadgets that can provide information as well, such as the Apple Watch or Kardia, which takes a medical-grade electrocardiogram (EKG) anywhere you are.

“While these are not substitutes for the full 12-lead EKG we do in the office, they can give us some good data,” Dr. Morris said.