Postcards boost heart monitor reconnections in VA study

NCT ID NCT07477964

Completed Disease control Sponsor: San Francisco VA Health Care System Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether mailing a simple postcard to patients with heart devices (like pacemakers or defibrillators) that had lost remote monitoring connection could help them reconnect. Over 1,300 VA patients received either a tailored postcard with tips or no postcard. The goal was to see if the postcard reduced the time to reconnection and improved adherence to scheduled transmissions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: tailored postcards
What this could lead to: If it works, this simple approach could help more patients stay connected to their heart device monitoring, potentially preventing complications.
What could go wrong: This is a completed trial testing a low-cost intervention, so the main risk is that postcards may not significantly improve reconnection rates.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ADHERENCE, PATIENT are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

impulse control disorder Patient Compliance

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ADHERENCE, PATIENT ICD IMPLANTED LOOP RECORDER PACEMAKER REMOTE MONITORING

Contacts and locations

Locations

San Francisco VA Medical Center

San Francisco, California, 94121, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.