CardioComm and CancerCare Manitoba Launch Remote ECG Monitoring Pilot for Breast Cancer Patients

CardioComm Solutions, Inc., a healthcare technology company based in Toronto, Ontario, has partnered with CancerCare Manitoba to launch a pilot study evaluating remote electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring for breast cancer patients. The initiative aims to monitor potential QT/QTc interval prolongation, a critical factor in assessing the cardiac safety of certain breast cancer drug therapies.

The pilot, set to run for approximately one year, will involve patients using CardioComm's HeartCheck™ CardiBeat handheld ECG monitor for scheduled home recordings and additional ECGs whenever they experience symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, or faintness. These ECGs will be transferred via Bluetooth to a customized version of CardioComm's GEMS™ Mobile CCMB, a smartphone application tailored for CCMB's specific needs. The data will then be analyzed by CardioComm's SMART Monitoring ECG Service platform and securely transmitted to the designated CCMB care team.

GEMS™ Mobile CCMB provides patients with immediate feedback, including their QT/QTc findings, and uploads recordings to CCMB's MyCare Noona platform. Noona supports secure care-team communications, appointments, questionnaires, symptom tracking, education, and laboratory results. Any measurements outside the study-defined limits can be flagged for clinical review.

QT/QTc monitoring is crucial because certain cancer medications can prolong the QT/QTc interval, increasing the risk of torsades de pointes, a potentially life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm. This condition can reduce effective blood pumping, leading to dizziness, fainting, or, in severe cases, cardiac arrest or death. The pilot aims to reveal any concerning changes that may warrant preventive clinical action.

CardioComm's GEMS™ Rhythm technology analyzes patient ECGs for suspected QT/QTc prolongation, providing valuable insights for the CCMB care team. The pilot will assess patient adoption, scheduled and symptom-initiated ECG collection, automated QT/QTc monitoring, and clinical review workflows. It also seeks to evaluate the potential reduction in avoidable hospital visits, improved identification and management of cardiac safety concerns, and the impact on adverse-event incidence.

The pilot represents an opportunity for CCMB to evaluate home ECG monitoring in oncology care. It could save patients and their caregivers transportation expenses, physical strain, and disruptions to work, family life, and treatment schedules, particularly for those living far from their treating center. For healthcare facilities, remote monitoring may help reduce demand on appointment capacity and resources while allowing care teams to review findings between in-person visits.

The ability to self-monitor gives patients greater involvement and control over their care. GEMS™ Mobile CCMB allows patients to choose when to take additional ECG recordings, rather than relying solely on scheduled hospital appointments. The immediate feedback and prompt review by the CCMB care team may improve patient reassurance and confidence.

The pilot will assess various aspects, including patient adoption, ECG collection, automated monitoring, and clinical review workflows. It aims to identify potential reductions in avoidable hospital visits, improve the identification and management of cardiac safety concerns, and assess the impact on adverse-event incidence. The findings could have broader applications across oncology care.

CardioComm Solutions, Inc. has earned the ISO 13485 and ISO 27001 certifications, ensuring the company's commitment to quality and information security. The company's technologies support patients, physicians, and healthcare organizations through clinically relevant, connected digital health solutions.