Medtronic, Inc., leading medical technology company, reported that it is distributing a HIPAA-ready version of the Medtronic Paceart System that incorporates several new features designed to empower clinics to protect the privacy of patient data.

The Medtronic Paceart System is an arrhythmia information management system that allows clinicians to efficiently organize historical data about a patient's heart rhythm and the performance of his or her implanted device, which can contribute to a clinician's ability to make well-informed decisions about patient care needs. The features in the latest release have been designed to help clinics meet the HIPAA Privacy Regulation, which took effect on April 14, 2003. Specifically, the Medtronic Paceart System now provides capabilities to guard against unauthorized access to patient data; tailor its use based on the responsibilities of individual clinic staff members; and track and audit changes made to patient data within the system.

"Physicians who care for patients with implanted cardiac devices are facing new challenges today and must seek ways to more efficiently follow their growing patient base," said Donald L. Deyo, general manager of Medtronic Paceart. "The new release from Paceart can help physicians deliver high-quality follow-up care while also meeting the critical need of maintaining privacy of patient information."

The release also features several new capabilities designed to aid in the efficient and effective management of arrhythmia patients. The system now can receive data from all commercially released arrhythmia devices from the leading U.S. device suppliers, increasing the speed and accuracy of data management during the follow-up session. In addition, the Medtronic Paceart System now automatically detects and displays multiple events and device leads (insulated wires that deliver electrical impulses) from within event recorder data transmissions received via telephone. This feature eliminates the need for manual event identification and cutting of ECG strips for display and storage in patient files. Lastly, the Medtronic Paceart System now has the ability to simultaneously collect and display the clinic standard 12-lead ECG.

This release reflects Medtronic Paceart's commitment to provide unparalleled support for the clinical management of arrhythmia patients and their devices. Today, more than 900 cardiology and electrophysiology clinics use the Medtronic Paceart System to provide ongoing management of arrhythmia patients.