Interview – Senior Consultant in Cardiology Christian Lange
Christan Lange is a Senior Consultant in Cardiology and long-time user of Cortrium’s C3+ and his clinic has more than 20 devices. Below he describes his experiences, how it saves them time, and the patients’ experiences of wearing the device. You can red more about him after the article.
When did you first hear about Cortrium’s products?
In 2017, I was in Barcelona for the annual ESC congress, and I was looking for new equipment in the exhibition area. The equipment we had was complex to use, often broke, had bad design and cables, and I was not happy about it. Then I met Erik S. Poulsen, the Co-founder of Cortrium, and saw the very first prototype.
I thought it looked good and asked if I could be the first to try it when it was ready. So, during 2018, when it was launched, we got the first 3-4 devices and have been using them ever since. Today, we have more than 20 devices.
How do you consider the quality of Cortrium’s reports?
I think it is a good report. In the summary I get a good overview with average heart rate, maximum heart rate, and examples of arrhythmias, and you always find arrhythmias. In my opinion, all of this shows the cardiac expertise behind Cortrium’s reports and service. The report provides a quick overview, and it does not take long to go through it.
One small thing that makes a big difference is the extra feature marking new reports, because we have 12-14 reports on the screen at a time, so it makes it easy to see which reports we have seen, and which are new.
If I were to mention a weak point, I can only comment on what I see. I do not know what I do not see. But I have a lot of confidence in the reports, and in my experience, they are very good and very reliable, both summaries and strips. In addition, there is quality in the reports, and it creates trust so I feel I can trust it and I have full confidence that what I see is what is found in the report.
What is the biggest benefit of Cortrium’s C3+?
The most important thing to us is of course patient compliance and the quality of the reports.
As time, and especially my time, is our most scarce resource, saving time is insanely important. Working with Cortrium and the C3+ does that, which we are very happy for.
It was not long ago that ECG reports were reviewed manually, which I used to do myself and some hospitals still do. Back then you spent at least half an hour reviewing an ECG report, taking notes, rewinding back and forth and it was very time consuming.
Additionally, it saves time that our skilled medical students review the report and assess if it is within the normal acceptable range. In any case with the slightest doubt, we look at it together, but they take care of half of the reports and answer the patient, so it works well and that saves me time too.
Why do patients consult you and how long do they wear the C3+ monitor?
80% of our patients are referred from public healthcare and then we have an increasing number who pay themselves or have a health insurance. In terms of patients, I see the whole spectrum. Heart palpitations that many patients come with are very common, and about 25% of our first-time patients come because of this.
For long-term ECG monitoring, I decide the time is needed when I sit with the patients, and it is driven by the frequency of symptoms. If they have eight events a day, we can do 24 hours, but that is rare. If symptoms occur once a week, we measure for longer periods, typically three – four days.
What are your experiences using Cortrium’s products and services?
I use the product all the time, and it really helps me to get a quick idea of what is going on with my patients.
More than 50% of patients are referred because of some kind of anxiety. So, it is important to tell the patient that you understand their concern, and that you can see what they feel is real, but also in some cases that it is not serious or harmless. In such cases, they almost fly out the door and are no longer worried, so it improves their quality of life. As healthcare professionals, we are not only saving lives, but giving the patient quality of life.
In more serious cases, the C3+ gives me a quick and quality overview of what is going on with a patient’s heart, allowing me to treat the patient accordingly. For instance, when I see episodes of tachycardia, I know that we need to start medication and the patient often feels better. Or in examples of extreme tachycardia in the rhythm, the diagnosis is that a pacemaker is needed, and we have experienced this several times. In any case, speed and quality is critical to my patients and I, and that is what I feel we get with the C3+ and the reports.
With the report you can also show what the heart rhythm looks like to the patient, and images can be valuable. I have never had any 100% normal reports back, because they do not exist and none of us have a day or night without a rhythm disturbance. And I can show that to the patient and reassure them or catch atrial fibrillation that could have developed. We have caught many previously unknown atrial fibrillations, so there is no doubt that we have prevented many blood clots in the head on that basis.
What do patients say about the C3+?
We get great feedback when patients see it. Over and over again, they say, “wow it is elegant and so small”. People always say, “I thought I would need to wear a big monitor with cables” like the ECG monitors they have heard of or have worn in the hospital. So, they appreciate that we have monitors that are small, elegant and cablefree. They are impressed by how lightweight it is, and often forget they are wearing it. It is also a common comment that it has a nice design, and it is neat and “pretty cool”.
What would you say if a colleague asked you if you would recommend working with Cortrium?
I would certainly recommend so. For why, I would say high quality, both of device and service and it is the core value in everything I do. It is the keyword that here at the clinic we provide high quality, and that of course also applies to the equipment we use. Of course, it is an investment, but I consider it to be a valuable investment.
About Christian Lange
Consultant, specialising in heart disease with extensive training and experience in the treatment of high blood pressure, acute and chronic chest pain, heart rhythm disorders and heart failure. For several years, Christian Lange has served as chief physician and consultant in cardiological departments at Danish and foreign hospitals. He has a special interest in the prevention of atherosclerosis and early detection and treatment of risk factors for the development of blood clots.