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Cutting Edge TTM Monitors

MSO has an entire line of cutting edge TTM monitors for sale: 3-lead, 12-lead, button size, belt-clip, and more. Visit our online store for more information.

Patient Information

A spreadsheet analysis of the reimbursement and cash flow impact of ECP on your practice.

Enrollment Form

A spreadsheet analysis of the reimbursement and cash flow impact of ECP on your practice.

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Terminology

Transtelephonic Monitoring is also referred to as Cardiac Event Monitoring, Event Monitoring, and Event Recorders,

Introduction

When patient symptoms are relatively infrequent, or if standard Holter monitor recordings always seem to miss the patient's symptoms, an Event Monitor should be ordered. It is important to note that event monitors can only be used in patients who can reliably report symptoms, and who can reliably activate the recording device. There are two types of event recorders available, each of which is used in a specific clinical setting. Back to contents

Types of TTM monitors

Looping Recorder The looping recorder is attached to the patient via wires and paste on electrodes. The patient is given a supply of electrodes to take home and is instructed in their application. The patient wears this device around-the-clock for days to weeks, and while it is worn, the patient's ECG is constantly recorded into the device's solid state memory. 45 to 120 seconds of ECG are continuously maintained in memory, with the most recent rhythm constantly replacing the oldest recorded rhythm. when the patient notes a symptom, he/she presses a button on the device that stores the preceding 30+ seconds of heart rhythm into memory, until that memory is down loaded onto a strip chart recorder. This type of monitor is especially useful for very brief symptoms. Back to contents

Non-Looping Recorder When the patient has rare, but sustained symptoms, a non-looping recorder is more appropriately ordered. This device is worn like a wrist watch, and does not require the patient to apply electrodes. As in the looping device, a short duration of cardiac rhythm is constantly held in memory (up to 5 minutes in this device), on a first in, first out basis. when a symptom is noted, the patient presses a button on the device, and the ensuing 2 to 5 minutes of cardiac rhythm are stored in memory. Unlike the looping device, cardiac rhythm disturbances preceding button activation are not saved. 

Reducing Cost of Care

By using the service, healthcare professionals generate a savings that is the result of:

• Family Practitions/Internal Medicine: Pre-screening the patient at the primary level, thus avoiding referrals to specialists and hospital admissions.

• Reduced equipment spending: Physician is provided with all necessary equipment on a free loan basis - no need for purchasing or long term lease agreements
• Reduced hospital and ER admissions (diagnose on time; reduce ER spending for cardiac patients).

Professional Component Reimbursement

Accommodating your patient by eliminating the need for hospitalization does not come at a reduction in professional fees. Most commercial carriers have recognized the importance of this diagnostic tool as well as Medicare, BlueCross/Blue Shield, HMO's PPO's and managed care organizations.

Typical professional component billing schedule using MSO billing is $675

Your local representative will be able to give you more information on the professional component reimbursement.

Benefiting Your Practice

Utilizing the TTM service by MSO, you will gain full control over the clinical care of your patients. By assisting you to identify abnormalities which are infrequent and difficult to pin-point, you will be able to maintain control over patient care during the diagnosis phase, until a clinical finding justifies further intervention.

Clinical Background

It is a known fact that heart disease is the number one killer in America. Most of the deaths are related to ventricular arrhythmia or coronary artery disease with silent ischemia. Many of the persons afflicted are relatively young with no prior symptom or premonition of heart disease. The changing climate of health care in recent years, with the growing emphasis on cost containment is forcing healthcare professions to look for alternative means of health care delivery. TTM offers up-to-date comprehensive medical information to the attending cardiologist. 

Table I : Indications of TTM

The best benefit of TTM is that patient's data is available at the monitoring center within shortest time and can thus be immediately analyzed. The accurate recorded information helps in instant diagnosis of ST-deviation, rhythm disorder, or any other electrocardiographic alteration. The decision to admit is taken by the attending cardiologist.

FEATURE ARTICLE Medical Technology Leadership Forum (MTLF) Duke University MTLF Summit Report - Reimbursement for Clinical Information Technologies In February of 2001, MTLF convened a summit at Duke University to focus on policy issues facing clinical information technologies, defined as a system of technology that allows a remote interface to collect and transmit data between a patient and provider. The Summit brought together two themes that MTLF had explored in previous meetings—the challenge of determining scientific standards of evidence to demonstrate the value of new technologies, and the implications of the interface between traditional engineered medical technologies and information technologies. More >>