Telemetry monitoring guidelines for efficient and safe delivery of cardiac rhythm monitoring to noncritical hospital inpatients.

Telemetry monitoring is a limited resource in most hospitals. Few clinical studies have established firm criteria for inpatient telemetry. At our urban institution, we have developed and incorporated guidelines to identify patients who benefit from cardiac rhythm monitoring. These guidelines serve to minimize inappropriate use of telemetry beds, thereby preventing emergency department overcrowding and ambulance diversion. This improvement in efficiency is achieved without compromising health care.