iRhythm Technologies is a digital healthcare company pioneering innovative solutions in cardiac monitoring and arrhythmia detection. The company is best known for Zio, a wearable ECG monitoring platform that uses artificial intelligence to analyze heart rhythms and assist clinicians in diagnosing arrhythmias more accurately and efficiently.
Designed for both outpatient and remote monitoring, iRhythm’s platform delivers long-term, uninterrupted cardiac data with higher diagnostic yield than traditional Holter monitors. The solution combines a discreet wearable patch, secure cloud-based data transmission, and AI-enhanced analytics to deliver high-quality reports that empower timely and informed clinical decisions.
iRhythm aims to transform cardiac diagnostics through smarter technology, improved patient experience, and seamless integration into modern healthcare workflows.
Features
The cornerstone of iRhythm’s platform is the Zio monitor, available in two main forms: Zio XT, a long-term continuous monitoring patch worn for up to 14 days, and Zio AT, which supports real-time data transmission and remote patient management.
Zio XT is a single-use, water-resistant wearable patch applied to the upper chest. It continuously records ECG data with no wires or external devices, making it comfortable and non-intrusive for the patient. The device captures millions of heartbeats over its wear period, allowing for a thorough analysis of cardiac events.
Zio AT adds a real-time data transmission feature, enabling healthcare providers to monitor high-risk patients and receive alerts as arrhythmias occur.
Once monitoring is complete, the data is uploaded to iRhythm’s cloud-based platform, where AI algorithms analyze the ECG signals. The platform identifies irregular rhythms and generates a comprehensive diagnostic report reviewed by certified technicians and validated by cardiologists.
Clinicians can access the results via a secure web portal, helping them make accurate diagnoses faster than traditional ECG monitoring systems. The platform also supports integration with electronic health record (EHR) systems to streamline workflows.
How It Works
The monitoring process begins when a clinician prescribes the Zio device. The patch can be applied in the clinic or sent directly to the patient through a home enrollment program. Once applied to the chest, the Zio XT or Zio AT begins recording ECG data continuously.
Patients are encouraged to go about their daily lives while wearing the device, which has no wires, buttons, or charging requirements. They also log symptoms and events in a digital diary via the myZio app, which syncs with the wearable device.
For Zio XT, at the end of the monitoring period (typically 14 days), the patient mails the patch back to iRhythm in a prepaid envelope. The data is then uploaded to the cloud, where iRhythm’s AI engine analyzes millions of data points to detect arrhythmias.
Zio AT offers an added layer of real-time monitoring, where urgent rhythm events can be flagged to the care team immediately during the monitoring period.
Once analysis is complete, iRhythm provides a detailed report summarizing all findings, including atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, tachycardia, pauses, and other arrhythmias. The report is reviewed by a clinical team and delivered to the prescribing physician for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Use Cases
iRhythm’s Zio platform is widely used for arrhythmia detection, including atrial fibrillation (AFib), one of the most common and underdiagnosed cardiac conditions. The extended monitoring window allows detection of intermittent arrhythmias that may be missed by short-term ECG devices.
In post-stroke care, the Zio patch is used to monitor patients for AFib, which is a leading cause of cryptogenic strokes. Early detection can help prevent recurrent strokes through timely initiation of therapy.
Primary care physicians, cardiologists, and electrophysiologists use Zio to evaluate patients with symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, chest discomfort, or syncope, providing a non-invasive diagnostic tool with higher compliance rates than traditional Holter monitors.
Zio is also used in telehealth and remote patient monitoring programs, especially with the Zio AT system, which supports real-time data sharing and clinician alerts.
Health systems deploy iRhythm’s solutions to reduce emergency room visits, improve diagnostic efficiency, and support risk stratification for patients with suspected cardiac arrhythmias.
Pricing
iRhythm does not publicly display pricing on its website, as costs can vary depending on insurance coverage, provider contracts, and clinical use cases. However, Zio monitoring is typically covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurers in the United States.
For uninsured patients or those outside typical reimbursement pathways, out-of-pocket costs may be involved. iRhythm offers a patient assistance program to help make the technology accessible to a broader population.
Healthcare providers can contact iRhythm directly for institutional pricing or volume-based packages.
Strengths
A key strength of iRhythm’s Zio platform is its ability to capture long-duration, uninterrupted ECG data in a comfortable and patient-friendly form factor. This increases patient compliance and improves diagnostic yield compared to traditional 24- or 48-hour Holter monitors.
The use of AI-enhanced analytics enables rapid and accurate identification of cardiac events, helping reduce the time to diagnosis. Clinicians benefit from comprehensive reports that are clinically actionable and easy to interpret.
Another advantage is the seamless workflow integration, including EHR connectivity, digital symptom tracking via the myZio app, and remote device delivery, which supports decentralized care and telehealth models.
The clinical validation of iRhythm’s technology through peer-reviewed studies and widespread adoption in hospitals and cardiology practices further reinforces its credibility.
Drawbacks
One drawback is that Zio is not a continuous real-time monitor unless the Zio AT version is used. The original Zio XT requires the patient to wear the patch and then return it by mail, introducing some delay between monitoring and diagnosis.
The platform is also focused primarily on cardiac rhythm monitoring, so it may not suit providers seeking a broader remote monitoring solution that includes other vitals like blood pressure or oxygen saturation.
As a single-use device, Zio may be more expensive over time compared to reusable wearable monitors, especially in long-term monitoring programs.
Another limitation is that international availability may be restricted due to regulatory and reimbursement differences. Providers outside the U.S. should confirm regional support and compliance status.
Comparison with Other Tools
iRhythm competes with other cardiac monitoring solutions such as BioTelemetry (now part of Philips), Bardy Diagnostics, and AliveCor. Compared to BardyDx’s CAM patch, which also offers long-term ECG monitoring, Zio has greater AI integration and broader adoption across healthcare systems.
AliveCor offers a consumer ECG device (KardiaMobile), which is useful for spot checks but lacks the long-term, clinical-grade monitoring capabilities of Zio.
BioTelemetry offers real-time telemetry and mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT), but Zio is often favored for its simplicity, comfort, and AI-powered diagnostic reporting.
In summary, Zio stands out for its combination of ease-of-use, data quality, and AI-driven insights, particularly in primary care and outpatient cardiology settings.
Customer Reviews and Testimonials
iRhythm’s Zio platform is used in thousands of healthcare institutions, including leading health systems and academic hospitals. Patient reviews consistently highlight the comfort and convenience of the patch, as well as the ease of use compared to bulky Holter monitors.
Clinicians report that Zio improves diagnostic accuracy and accelerates treatment decisions. Peer-reviewed studies have shown higher arrhythmia detection rates and fewer inconclusive results when compared to traditional ECG monitoring tools.
Zio has been recognized in the healthcare industry for innovation and clinical impact, including FDA clearance and widespread payer coverage, making it one of the most trusted names in ambulatory cardiac monitoring.
Conclusion
iRhythm is redefining cardiac diagnostics through its Zio platform, which combines advanced ECG monitoring, AI-powered analytics, and patient-friendly design to detect arrhythmias more effectively. With solutions like Zio XT and Zio AT, the company supports both retrospective and real-time monitoring, improving outcomes in stroke prevention, chronic heart disease management, and symptomatic patient evaluation.
By prioritizing accuracy, usability, and clinical integration, iRhythm offers a robust tool for modern healthcare systems seeking scalable and efficient cardiac monitoring solutions. For providers and patients alike, iRhythm delivers convenience, confidence, and clinical value.
