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Home heart monitoring after surgery: what it is, what it costs, what to expect

After heart surgery, some care teams keep an eye on your health from your home for a few weeks. Here is what that means, in plain words, including what it may cost.

The short version: home monitoring lets your care team watch important readings while you heal at home, so a problem can be caught early. For the kind PulSentry studies, you do not need any new equipment, just the same fingertip clip used in clinics.

What is home monitoring?

Home monitoring, sometimes called remote patient monitoring, simply means your care team can see certain health readings from your home between visits. If a reading looks off, they can reach out and check on you sooner than waiting for your next appointment.

Remote patient monitoring

Your care team keeps an eye on health readings from your home, so a problem can be spotted between visits.

What equipment do I need?

For the monitoring PulSentry studies, nothing new. It uses a standard fingertip pulse oximeter, the small clip you have likely seen at a doctor's office. There is no new device to buy and no new sensor to wear. Your care team will tell you when and how often to use it.

What is it like day to day?

  1. You use the clip as directed Often just for short periods, on a schedule your team gives you.
  2. The readings go to your care team The information is shared securely with the people caring for you.
  3. They reach out if needed If something looks off, your team contacts you to check in.
  4. You still call with concerns Monitoring does not replace calling your team or 911 if you feel unwell.

Will Medicare or insurance cover it?

Medicare and many insurance plans do help pay for home monitoring in certain situations. Whether it applies to you depends on your plan and your doctor's recommendation. Recently, Medicare also made it easier to cover shorter monitoring periods, which can fit the few weeks right after surgery.

The simplest step: ask your care team whether home monitoring is right for your recovery, and what your plan covers. This page is for information only and is not financial or insurance advice.

Is this approved by the FDA?

PulSentry is not yet FDA-cleared. It is investigational, which means it is still being studied. It is meant to support your care team, never to replace them. Other monitoring tools your team uses may already be cleared; ask your team what they are using.

When should I call my doctor or 911?

Call 911 or go to the emergency room right away if you have:

  • Severe shortness of breath
  • Fainting, or feeling like you might pass out
  • Chest pressure or chest pain

Call your care team if you feel more short of breath than usual, very tired, dizzy, or your heartbeat feels fast. Monitoring is a helper, not a substitute for getting help.

Medically reviewed by Gregory R. Mason, MD
Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine · Last reviewed June 2026

Where this information comes from

  1. Medicare.gov and CMS. Remote patient monitoring coverage, general information.
  2. MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Pulse oximetry.
  3. For clinicians: the 2026 RPM CPT code guide.
Related guides: the main patient guide, recovering at home, and the plain-language glossary.