Thumb-ECG — Early detection and diagnosis of arrhythmias

Finland Distance monitoring

In Finland, it is estimated that there are up to tens of thousands of people with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. Early identification is vital. A portable ECG device called a thumb ECG and a web-based service are used for early detection and diagnosis of arrhythmias from patients at home. Patients use the Thumb-ECG device to measures the heart rhythm in their home. Doctors receive the data and can analyse the results.

When the patient has a feeling of arrhythmia, they can measure themselves, which reduces visits to physician and laboratory. Cost savings and timely access to the right treatment will prevent cerebral infarctions and other problems caused by arrhythmia. Quality of life improves for the patient. The patient can improve his/her own treatment; when you feel an arrhythmia, you can instantly measure yourself and the doctor can see the results.

City of Oulu, every health center and city hospital was involved in the project in cooperation with the heart clinic. Over 30 devices were in use and about 150 patients use those devices.

A portable Thumb-ECG device makes it possible to detect and diagnose arrhythmia at an early stage.

Quotes/testimonials

“Device was easy to use and easy to teach to patients. Some patients forgot to be silent during monitoring and because of that, there were lots of distruction on monitoring results. Quite a lot of hand work to transfer data to health record system.”

— Professional

Elaboration

Needs and challenges

In Finland, it is estimated that there are up to tens of thousands of people with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. Early identification is vital: up to a quarter of the brain infections in Finland are caused by atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation often causes troublesome symptoms and suffering, loads the patients themselves and their health care and expose the large cerebral infarction.

If you have symptoms, you have to go to the doctor and take ECG in laboratory, although it is not certain that you have arrhythmia when you are there. This device is an easy way to catch an arrhythmia at home.

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Solution and function

Patients suffering from arrhythmia receives a referral from the doctor for the examination of the thumb-ECG, the nurse instructs the use of the device and the patient measures the heart rhythm for two weeks’ time. Patients use the device themselves by placing their thumbs on two electrodes for 30 seconds. By pressing a button, the readings are transferred via the mobile network to a central ECG database.

The operating model includes a thumb-ECG device and a cloud service. The web-based service is for storing and processing of received ECG recordings. Doctors can read the recordings from the system and analyze the data.

The device is easy to use for all age groups and no additional equipment is needed for the transfer or registration of data.

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Implementation

The cooperation of doctors in specialized medical care and primary care is important. In addition, guidance for patients is important. A common goal of changing the treatment chain is needed. Specialized medical care and primary care together use a different research method.

Use of the device is trained, and patients can take directed contact to the nurse if they have any questions.

The health care professionals have to train to use the solution, doctors analyse the data from a central ECG database.

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Economy

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Process

In the first project (Northern Ostrobothnia Finland) there were nearly 300 symptomatic patients with no atrial fibrillation, the patient received the examination on the basis of a doctor's evaluation. Of patients, 29 atrial fibrillation was observed. Based on the finding a treatment plan was prepared for them. Appropriate treatment could be started and thus reduced the risk of stroke.

City of Oulu, every health center and city hospital was involved in the project in cooperation with the heart clinic. Over 30 devices were in use and about 150 patients use those devices.

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