Daniel J. Cantillon, MD1; Molly Loy, MSN, RN2; Alicia Burkle, BSB2; Shannon Pengel, MSN, RN2; Deborah Brosovich, MA, RN2; Aaron Hamilton, MD, MBA3; Umesh N. Khot, MD1; Bruce D. Lindsay, MD

ABSTRACT

Importance  Telemetry alarms involving traditional on-site monitoring rarely alter management and often miss serious events, sometimes resulting in death. Poor patient selection contributes to a high alarm volume with low clinical yield.

Objective  To evaluate outcomes associated with an off-site central monitoring unit (CMU) applying standardized cardiac telemetry indications using electronic order entry.

Design, Setting, and Participants  All non–intensive care unit (ICU) patients at Cleveland Clinic and 3 regional hospitals over 13 months between March 4, 2014, and April 4, 2015.

Exposures  An off-site CMU applied standardized cardiac telemetry when ordered for standard indications, such as for known or suspected tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias.

Main Outcomes and Measures  CMU detection and notification of rhythm/rate alarms occurring 1 hour or less prior to emergency response team (ERT) activation, direct CMU-to-ERT notification outcomes, total telemetry census, and cardiopulmonary arrests in comparison with the previous 13 months.

Results  The CMU received electronic telemetry orders for 99 048 patients (main campus, 72 199 [73%]) and provided 410 534 notifications (48% arrhythmia/hemodynamic) among 61 nursing units. ERT activation occurred among 3243 patients, including 979 patients (30%) with rhythm/rate changes occurring 1 hour or less prior to the ERT activation. The CMU detected and provided accurate notification for 772 (79%) of those events. In addition, the CMU provided discretionary direct ERT notification for 105 patients (ventricular tachycardia, n = 44; pause/asystole, n = 36; polymorphic ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, n = 14; other, n = 11), including advance warning of 27 cardiopulmonary arrest events (26%) for which return of circulation was achieved in 25 patients (93%). Telemetry standardization was associated with a mean 15.5% weekly census reduction in the number of non-ICU monitored patients per week when compared with the prior 13-month period (580 vs 670 patients; mean difference, −90 patients [95% CI, −82 to −99]; P < .001). The number of cardiopulmonary arrests was 126 in the 13 months preintervention and 122 postintervention.

Conclusions and Relevance  Among non–critically ill patients, use of standardized cardiac telemetry with an off-site central monitoring unit was associated with detection and notification of cardiac rhythm and rate changes within 1 hour prior to the majority of ERT activations, and also with a reduction in the census of monitored patients, without an increase in cardiopulmonary arrest events.

JAMA