Care at their Fingertips: Telehealth for VAD Patients

For patients with ventricular assist devices (VADs) that live in rural areas or face barriers to attending in-person appointments, AHN Cardiovascular Institute offers advanced telehealth and remote monitoring through its Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support programs.

Convenient care and communication

For patients with advanced heart failure, timely access to care and VAD assistance is vital. AHN’s telehealth options provide patients with convenient, secure video consultations for follow-up care, medication adjustments, or symptom discussions — without the burden of travel.

“Our patients come from as far as 5-6 hours away to see us at AGH, and it can be a major burden to drive all the way to Pittsburgh for routine follow-up care,” said Matt Lander, MD, heart failure and transplant cardiologist at AHN. “Remote technology allows us to deliver timely, high-quality care when in-person visits aren’t required.”

From the comfort of home, through AHN MyChart, patients can connect directly with their care team for video visits, to view test results, and access secure messaging for non-urgent concerns like prescription refills or mild symptom changes.

Remote monitoring: keeping a pulse on patients from afar

In addition to virtual visits, the AHN Heart Failure Program offers comprehensive remote physiologic and VAD-specific monitoring, giving physicians continuous insight into each patient’s condition. Physicians can review vital signs, device data, and driveline site photos submitted by patients to detect early signs of infection or mechanical complications.

Collaboration is key

The Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support teams at AHN work collaboratively with referring physicians to coordinate care, communicate patient progress, and align on remote data sharing and follow-up plans.

“We are continually adjusting our criteria for VAD candidates to meet patient needs,” said Dr. Lander. “We prioritize efforts to inform referring providers that patients who were not previously eligible for care, might now be able to greatly benefit from our VAD and telehealth services.”

How to refer

AHN experts are here to offer second opinions for your heart patients, and to provide convenient, remote health services for those with VADs. To refer patients to AHN Cardiovascular Institute’s Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support programs, call (412) DOCTORS 412-362-8677 or visit ahn.org.