1A. Please response to both posts in APA Format in 250+ words per post

The MyCareLink Heart App is a patient facing app developed by Medtronic to work in

conjunction with its implanted pacemakers. It was designed to provide remote care to the

patient and useful data to the care team.

Once the patient receives their implanted device and it is activated it can be paired with

the app on their smartphone or tablet. The app itself is free and is available on Apple’s App

Store and requires iOS 11.0 or later. It is also available for Android devices at the Google

Play Store.

The implanted device themselves connect to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, then

information is sent via a cell or Wi-Fi connection to the CareLink network. At that point, the

care team is able to look at the data and make an assessment if necessary (Medtronic,

2019).

While the app itself is patient facing, its benefits are for members in the clinical setting as

well, including nurses.

The app itself is very slick. It is intuitive and the home screen has a very simple to use

graphical interface. The home screen has 7 tiles for different functions. It is also

upgradeable throughout the life of the device (Medtronic, 2019).

First, the My Heart Device tile provides information regarding the device, such as the model

of your device and serial number as well as battery life.

The My Vitals Tracking tile allows patients to input their vitals such as blood pressure and

weight to provide more complete information.

The Physical Activity function tracks physical activity, such as walking or gym workouts and

pairs it with heart function.

The My Clinic tile provides information regarding the patients care provider, the clinic name

as well as a link to maps if necessary.

(Medtronic, 2019).

The My Transmissions tile provides a log for any transmission sent out and provides receipt

confirmation, providing piece of mind to the patient. It also allows the patient to send a

transmission on request.

My Symptom Journal gives patients the opportunity to record any adverse symptoms they

experience.

Lastly, the Education area provides the patient with a library of educational information

regarding their device and answers to frequently asked questions. This is beneficial to the

care team as well since it can save time for both groups.

(Medtronic, 2019).

Although this is a patient facing app, it has many benefits for the nurse. Remote Monitoring

is the main use for the care team. The clinical nurse can also educate the patient on the

usefulness of the app thus helping the patient be more engaged and improving their

health. Furthermore, it saves time since bedside monitoring is no longer needed.

The additional functions of the app provide more robust data and create a clearer clinical

picture. Members of the care team can then analyze this data along with the transmission

data from the device and assess the patient more accurately. In addition, this will allow

monitoring of patient compliance with their care plan, or if the plan needs to be adjusted.

(Medtronic, 2019)

Safety and privacy of the device are a major concern for many patients. The devices are not

connected to the internet directly and do not have an IP address. The device encrypts the

data prior to transmission to the smartphone and it remains encrypted as it is transmitted

to the CareLink Network. The pacemakers and communication protocols have been tested

by third party security firms and meet the regulations set by the National Institute of

Standards and Technology (Medtronic, 2019).

Along with encryption standards, the app has also been approved by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) (Grayson, 2015)

Overall, this app is very useful for any patients with a Medtronic pacemaker. For

time saving and piece of mind alone I would recommend it for patients.

For clinical nurses as well, it is very useful. Patients will be more engaged with their

care and more satisfied. Nurses and other care team members can provide

enhanced care and support. It creates efficiency by eliminating the need for a

bedside monitor and reduces the amount of follow up care required.

One hurdle that does need to be overcome is patient education. As many users of

these apps are above the age of 65, there may be a gradual learning curve (Roberts,

2020). However, it is important to assure the patient that for recording and

transmission, only the Bluetooth function needs to be enabled and that the phone

or other mobile device is within three feet. A 15-minute tutorial is enough to get

the patient started and there is education available online at the Medtronic site as

well as Youtube.

(Medtronic, 2019).

To summarize, the MyCarelink Heart app provides piece of mind and saves time for

the patient. Through remote monitoring, it creates efficiencies for nurses and the

care team, and it will likely result in better patient outcomes. As technology

advances, the novelty of mHealth and Telehealth will begin to wear off. It will be

the norm for patients to be connected to their primary care providers via the

internet. The MyCareLink Heart App and other apps are showing promise with

initial results and this will become the new standard of care (Roberts, 2020).

1B. The Medisafe app is a great tool for elderly adults, or anyone who is on multiple

medications throughout the day. It can help them keep track of their medications and

notify caregivers of missed medications and alert to drug interactions.

In a 2003 report by WHO, medication adherence rates in developed

countries was only 50% (Brown, M. T., & Bussell, J. K. ,2011). This is a problem because of

all the medication hospitalizations in the US, between one and two thirds of them are

because of medication nonadherence (Brown, M. T., & Bussell, J. K. ,2011). As nurses we

can tell patients and caregivers about this app to help them adhere to their medications

and stay safe. This app can help people keep track of their medications and when they are

due. It also sends alerts to caregivers when a medication is missed, which can help people

who are taking care of elderly family members who may live alone.

After using this app I found it to be very easy to use and convenient. It tracks medication

compliance and vital signs, keeps a calendar of doctor’s appointments, checks for medication

interactions, and even has a diary section where you can keep track of things you want to

tell your Dr. You can turn alerts on and off as well, so if you don’t want to get alerts you

don’t have to. It also shows what the medication looks like and you can put in the

prescription number and get alerts on when to refill the medication, so you don’t run out.

Medisafe does release data collected through the use of the app, but the data released is anonymous and HIPPA compliant (Medisafe,2020). They also use high encryption and ISO 27001 certified, all of which make the app hard to hack.

Anyone who takes multiple medications throughout the day, or has elderly

parents living alone should use this app. It can be so easy to forget to take a medication or

forget you did take it and take more. Either scenario is dangerous, and this app can help

prevent both. It also can track vital signs and Drs appointments and alert you to medication

interactions.

In conclusion, Medisafe app is a great resource for anyone who takes multiple

medications throughout the day or takes care of elderly individuals who may forget to take

their medications or forgot they took them and take them again. This app tracks

medication compliance and can track vital signs, along with alerting you to medication

interactions. The Medisafe app is also HIPPA compliant. I would recommend this app to

people who may suffer from chronic illness and need help keeping track of all the

medications they take and to caregivers. As a nurse this is a great resource to tell my

patients and their caregivers about.