Linking to your I phone

iphone

by Quemal - 2018-03-17 13:34:47

I don't think you can link PM directly to a smart phone.  I have a Medtronic with a medtronic app for my android.which connects to my PM via a device called MyCareLink.  This allows me to upload the data from my PM directly to my Cardio's office through the internet, or 4G.

Hope this helps

Don't think there is a device out there. Currently.

by Theknotguy - 2018-03-17 14:18:43

Per the other comment.  Don't think there is a device out there that will read your pacemaker and report it directly to a cell phone - yet.  

I have the medtronic device also that lets me send a report to my EP over the cell phone.  But I don't have the computer/cell phone knowledge of what it would take to make the translation from the squiggly lines you get on your pacemaker report into something that would display on the cell phone.  However I do feel it's a possibility for the future.  

What would be nice is if the devices currently being used to read our pacemakers such as the bedside device and the Medtronic cell phone device would be able to send a report back to us that could be displayed via a computer program or the cell phone.  I always ask for a paper report when I get a pacemaker reading and that report is coming directly from a computer type device.  Getting an electronic report shouldn't be too much of a problem.  Question is who will be willing to do that and who's willing to pay for it.  I also know CPAP users can now get software that can read their CPAP reports and either display them on the computer or print out on a local printer.  So it shouldn't be that hard for someone to do.  

The next question in my mind is if, in the future, the newer cars with all the electronic stuff will be able to get your pacemaker report and then decide if you can drive or not?  Talk about machines taking over the world!  
 

dont see that happening

by dwelch - 2018-03-29 04:49:47

devices and software that communicate with pacers and other implanted devices are strictly controlled, as you may have seen with St. Jude in the last year or so, said they didnt have a bug needing a firmware upgrade then submitted the firmware upgrade (bedside device) with the bug fix, and got into a lot of trouble, public embarrasment, lots of folks had to go in and have devices upgraded or replaced.  I dont see that changing any time soon.  

The long range (bedside device) frequency is supposedly the same or close to bluetooth, but different protocol, not something you can change with software on a phone.  Someone has to purposely build something to talk to these devices.  Making apps such that anyone near you (there is next to no security by design, so you can be wheeled into an ER or switch docs and still be treated) can start messing with your pacer from phones would be a very bad thing, you dont want an app for this to be possible for your own use or others.   The security issue with medical devices not just implanted ones is an issue yet to be resolved, we all will have to just sit back and watch where that goes...I dont have a bedside unit and would really prefer they turn off the long range radio/receiver.  The short range one is the mouse or ring looking thing on a cord they set right on top of the device, obviously for someone to mess with you using that interface they have to tie you down...they cant do it from across a room.

no fear

by dwelch - 2018-03-29 04:53:43

no this doesnt mean you should fear being hacked.  someone wants to hurt you there are a million better and easier ways.  although there are a lot of us with pacers and other devices out there the percentage is still way to small for this to be remotely interesting to anyone if they could find the info and figure it out.  So dont start to fear what I said above.