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Affinity Health System physicians implant new wireless pacemaker

10 / 08 / 2009

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MENASHA, Wis. - Physicians practicing at both St. Elizabeth Hospital and Mercy Medical Center have implanted a new pacemaker equipped with wireless technology that can notify physicians of changes in their patients’ device or condition. The latest technology, developed by St. Jude Medical, improves patient care and makes device follow-up more efficient and convenient for both patients and physicians.

Dr. Zenoun Abouzelam at St. Elizabeth Hospital Heart, Lung  & Vascular Center in Appleton and Dr. Issam Al-Bitar, Mercy Medical Center’s Heart & Lung Center in Oshkosh, implanted the Accent RF pacemakers to monitor patients’ hearts and provide electronic stimulation when the heart beats too slowly.

The pacemaker enables Abouzelam and Al-Bitar to monitor their patients’ devices while patients are at home. On scheduled check-up dates, data from the pacemaker is wirelessly sent to the physician.

“The new pacemaker gives patients the convenience of care from home, while still allowing physicians to follow patients, “ says Abouzelam. “It demonstrates Affinity’s promise of personalized care, by giving the patient a more convenient way to have their health managed.”

In addition to regular device follow-up appointments, the wireless communication also enables the device to automatically alert physicians to important changes with the device or patient’s heart rhythm between scheduled device checks.

The Accent™ RF pacemaker is the first pacemaker with automatic test results and complete diagnostics that can be accessed via wireless communication in a clinic or from the patient’s home.

ABOUT ACCENT RF IMPLANTS: Cardiac pacemakers are used to treat bradycardia, which is a heart rate that is too slow. These devices monitor the heart and provide electrical stimulation when the heart beats too slowly for each patient's specific physiological requirements.

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is nationally listed among the top 50 hospitals for quality and efficiency (Thomson Reuters, Modern Healthcare). For eight consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI Health (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation – Affinity ranks no. 29 in the 2009 report. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 31st in the nation, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 22 family practice and specialty clinics – including two fully operational Medical Home models – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.