By editorial@silicon.com, 22 June 2000 14:31
NEWS Medtronic has unveiled a wireless device that will allow doctors to remotely monitor patients with pacemakers and defibrillators, transforming the US medical equipment maker into a health management company. The Minneapolis-based company is developing its existing Chronicle pacemakers and defibrillators into smart devices, reducing the costs of a lengthy hospital stay for patients, and to create a valuable data network service for the professional healthcare industry. Cardiac patients with the devices will be connected via the internet to a central communications hub where teams of doctors healthcare professionals can keep track of their heart rate, collect data on their progress, and warn the patients of irregular heartbeats and possible heart attacks. Medtronic, who according to the Financial Times already control half the $4bn cardiac-control device market, has also invested an initial $230m in an ebusiness arm, Medtronic.com, to create the hardware and software to support the network. Deals have been made with IBM to donate free PCs to clinics and doctors who participate in the scheme, and Microsoft - as the software is based on Windows 2000. Medtronic plans to rollout the devices in the next 18 months.
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