A Step-by-Step Guide for Cardiology Practices Navigating Unexpected Transitions
Sudden vendor shutdowns or acquisitions can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under your clinic. In remote cardiac monitoring, where continuity of care, patient safety, and billing depend on reliable technology and service, losing your platform isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a critical threat to your operations.
Whether you’ve received a shutdown notice, learned of an acquisition, or are starting to see your vendor deprioritize support, here’s how to protect your practice and emerge stronger.
Step 1: Assess the Immediate Risk
Before reacting, take a quick but thorough inventory of your current exposure. Consider:
- How many patients are actively being monitored through the system?
- Which transmission schedules, reports, and integrations depend on it?
- What billing codes are tied to services performed via that platform?
- How long do you have before access or support is reduced?
You’ll want to document affected workflows, software touchpoints (like EHR integrations), and patient segments that may need proactive communication.
Pro Tip: Also check if you have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with your vendor. If so, data portability and protection provisions should be clearly defined.
Step 2: Create an Internal Transition Task Force
You’ll need a small cross-functional team—clinical, admin, and IT—who can assess alternative vendors, coordinate implementation, and keep patients informed.
Assign clear roles:
- Clinical lead to review reporting and monitoring needs
- Admin lead to evaluate billing and scheduling implications
- IT/EHR lead to manage integrations and data transfer
- Patient comms lead to coordinate outreach and education
Step 3: Communicate Clearly With Your Patients
When patients are aware their care experience is changing—even slightly—they’re more likely to comply with transmission instructions and less likely to become disengaged.
Best practices:
- Send a letter or email blast explaining the situation and what to expect
- Update call scripts and train front desk teams to handle patient questions
- Let patients know their care continuity is your top priority
Step 4: Vet New Vendors Thoroughly
You don’t want to move from one shaky vendor to another. Look for these key elements in a new partner:
- Proven transition experience with practices like yours
- In-house admin/clinical support to lighten your workload
- EHR integrations and a modern portal that won’t require manual double-entry
- Guaranteed turnaround times, high connectivity, and uptime SLAs
- Transparent onboarding timelines and training resources
Don’t just look for a platform—look for a partner who will grow with your practice.
Step 5: Move Quickly, But Methodically
Most vendors give a 30- to 90-day warning window. That’s not a lot of time, especially for a high-volume cardiology clinic.
Prioritize:
- Data migration
- Staff onboarding
- Re-establishing scheduling and billing workflows
- Getting MIPS/quality reporting back online
A well-run transition should take less than 60 days with the right partner.
Rhythm Has Helped Dozens of Clinics Make This Move
We’ve guided practices off retiring platforms like PaceArt, Geneva, and others—without losing a single patient or dollar in the process.
We’ll help you:
- Migrate data safely and securely
- Rebuild your RPM workflows without gaps
- Stay compliant and connected
- Get your team trained quickly
📅 Let’s set up a transition consultation today. Rhythm is ready when you are.