How Cardiac Remote Monitoring is Evolving Beyond Episodic Models

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, host Brian Zimmerman speaks with Todd Butka, co-founder and CEO of Merge, about the transformative evolution of cardiac remote monitoring beyond traditional episodic models. Butka emphasizes the shift from scheduled, in-person follow-ups to continuous, interval-based care that spans months or years, enabling true clinical continuity. He highlights how outdated reimbursement models—paying only for a single report on a fixed date—fail to reflect the ongoing care provided by clinicians, especially when patients transmit data multiple times. Merge’s technology aims to automate data aggregation, reporting, and billing across time intervals, reducing administrative burden and improving care quality. Butka stresses that adopting new technologies isn't enough; organizations must also assess their internal readiness, staff digital literacy, and willingness to evolve workflows. He urges healthcare leaders to look beyond vendor claims and examine the true revenue incentives behind technology providers, ensuring alignment with long-term care goals. Looking ahead, Butka envisions future-ready systems that manage continuous data flows across entire patient populations, not just individual devices or episodes.