Europe's first cardiac call centre opens

Around 1,600 GPs have signed up to Lifesign, Europe's first cardiac call centre, based in South Wales.

The 24-hour service, which is run by International Telemedicine Services (ITS), monitors the heartbeat of cardiac patients over the telephone. In an exclusive deal, US-based Instromedix will provide Lifesign with recorders in the shape of credit cards, wristwatches or pagers. Participating GPs can offer these to cardiac patients.

Patients record their own heartbeat at home with rhythm units and then play the pulse over the telephone to technicians at the centre, where the audio signal is turned back into an ECG trace. Lifesign supports land-based, mobile and satellite calls. GPs can check pacemakers from the surgery using the same method.

Darren Taylor, Clinical Services Manager at Lifesign, said that the system is far cheaper than the current NHS option. "It costs between £600 and £1500 to refer a patient to a cardiologist," he said. "But our system costs just £60 per analysis."

ITS plans to expand the telemedicine centre to other health care markets. "We are releasing digital devices such as blood sugar monitors for diabetics, and oxygen monitors for asthmatics," Taylor said. ITS is also planning a combined product for remote environments such as prisons, oil rigs, airlines and cruise ships.