Patients with Cardiac Devices

The Device Clinic is responsible for following up on all of the patients in our arrhythmia clinic who have had implanted cardiac devices including pacemakers, ICD’s, and implantable heart monitors. The clinic is coordinated by Brenda Dole, RN who is assisted by Deb Halpin, RN. Brenda and Deb work with the 4 Heart Rhythm Program doctors (Doctors Capeless, Lobel, Lustgarten, and Spector) providing automated scheduled follow up with patients.

All patients having a new device implanted at Fletcher Allen are scheduled of a device “site check” 2 weeks after their procedure, and at 3 months their device is interrogated with a computer programmer to make sure the electronic circuitry and function of the device is normal. Thereafter patients with pacemakers are checked every 6 months and patients with ICD’s are checked every 3 months. We are developing a system that is now in place that allows some of these device check-ups to be performed from the patient’s home.

The device clinic has 6 locations:

• Tilley Drive-- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
• The Malone Clinic meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month
• The Massena Clinic meets the 3rd Friday of each month
• The Saranac Lake Clinic meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month
• The Potsdam Clinic meets the 1st Wednesday of each month
• The Rutland Clinic meets quarterly

With some of the newer systems now being implanted device follow up can be performed from home. This is particularly helpful for emergencies where information can be sent from the patient’s home to a secure Web site that can be accessed by our physicians 24 hours a day.

For information regarding Device Clinic Scheduling, call

From 8am to 5pm:
802 358-1144 ext. 71285
802 847-1285

After 5 pm:
802 847-4600