Medtronic Launches Beacon Heart Failure Management Service

Medtronic plc has announced availability of its Beacon Heart Failure Management Service in the United States. This new service from Medtronic Care Management Services (MCMS) combines data from Medtronic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices with post-acute monitoring from MCMS, enabling providers to focus on heart failure patients with the greatest risk and evaluate early intervention before a heart failure event occurs.
 
“Beacon is a significant advance in our heart failure management arsenal,” said Dr. Jawwad Yusuf, cardiologist, Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation, at The Stern Cardiovascular Foundation. “With its combination of valuable device diagnostics, day-to-day patient status and symptoms, and expert oversight of a trained care manager, Beacon allows clinicians to better identify, evaluate, and potentially intervene with their high-risk heart failure patients.”
 
Beacon integrates device diagnostics, expert analysis, and proprietary remote monitoring solutions from MCMS to generate an enhanced picture of a patient’s health. Patients using Beacon engage in daily health checks, which not only educate patients about their condition and self-care, but collect symptoms and biometrics through a series of branching-logic questions. This data is assembled alongside diagnostics from the patient’s ICD or CRT device and reviewed by appropriately certified Medtronic care managers. Medtronic care managers follow established clinical pathways to review incoming data, monitor for information that could indicate a growing risk of a heart failure event and alert providers accordingly. Providers also receive monthly reports summarizing the patient’s health information.
 
“Healthcare systems are under increasing pressure to improve patient care while also driving down associated cost. MCMS is committed to helping our customers deliver better patient outcomes while addressing these challenges,” said Sheri Dodd, vice president and general manager, Medtronic Care Management Services. “Our technologies—and the data and insights they generate—put us in a unique position to help our customers enhance their patient care. With its combination of implanted device diagnostics, daily monitoring, and qualified expertise, Beacon is just one way Medtronic is innovating to provide clinically-meaningful services to hospitals, physicians, patients, and payers.”