Hi Renny,
At our clinic, we have 3 types of staff:
Cardiac Device Technician: entry level, usually went through the ATI or PRepMD program or have limited device experience, we also have one Biomedical Engineer in this role. Usually stay in this role until able to advance after 2 years (expertise required) and/or pass IBHRE
Cardiac Device Specialist: 2 years or more direct programming devices with expertise, and/or IBHRE certification. Background may be nursing or other
Outpatient Nurse: most staff in this role are learning how to program devices, can be entry level role. Once expertise after 2 yrs and/or pass IBHRE can advance to Cardiac Device Specialist role.
Only staff who have at least 2 years experience and documented expertise are allowed to review remotes from home. We have a daily huddle at each of our 3 main sites, and folks working from home are expected to participate. This promotes good communication about patients that the remote staff may have identified as needing a clinic visit, we can discuss any specific details about their issues. It also promotes teamwork. At some sites we have permanent work from home staff, and at others we rotate who is home for remotes. This has just worked itself out: most of our staff do not want to work from home everyday.
Now that there is the certification for remote monitoring, we may consider using this as a requirement for the work from home staff.
Productivity can be tracked in Paceart, and our new system (MURJ) also tracks individual productivity.
Tasks include remote transmission review, answering patient messages, calling missed remotes...just depends on the remote volume and how much time is left over.
Our institution does not provide equipment, so our staff have to have their own computers (dual screen required), fast internet. We use the app Doximity, so we can call or text patients and it looks like we are calling from clinic. We also use Microsoft Teams to communicate with each other (home and on campus) throughout the day.
Hope this helps,
Sallie
Sallie Gustafson, RN, CCDS
Sr Manager, Emory Cardiac Device Clinics
404.778.4942