Hospitals Urged to Follow ICD/CRT Guidelines

A series of advisory letters have been sent out by the Heart Rhythm Society to hospitals and other health care institutions that are currently allowing physicians who do not have sufficient training to independently implant cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices and im?plantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). These letters strongly encourage the institutions to follow the competency standards for im?plantation of ICD and CRT devices established by the society in 2004.

The "2004 Clinical Competency Statement: Training Pathways for Implantation of Cardioverter De?fibril?lators (ICD) and Cardiac Resynchronization (CRT) Devices" and the subsequent "2005 Ad?dendum" include the minimum competency standards for safe and competent ICD and CRT device implantations.

The 2004 Clinical Competency Statement, 225 Addendum, and the full text of the letter can be found at www.hrsonline.org/icd