Pacemaker id card and cardiologist change

I have recently changed cardiologists because of the abysmal care they gave my husband who had episodes of blacking out.

Since my pacemaker id card has the other doctor's name on it, does it have to be sent back to be updated?

Thanks.


7 Comments

Pacemaker ID Card - you could make one to suit?

by Gemita - 2023-03-12 05:37:41

Charlene, I am in the UK and my pacemaker ID/essential contact details were given to me printed on an A4 sheet of paper only, neatly folded and placed in a credit card size plastic clear folder.  I have to say I have never needed to use it in an emergency situation although it is always on me just in case.  It clearly gives more information than would be possible on a small plastic card, or emergency bracelet etc.

My EP/Cardiologist has now retired so my pacemaker details are slightly out of date too, but this doesn’t worry me since the essential information like the Hospital where I am being treated;  my Hospital Patient Number;  my Pacemaker Clinic tel no/email;  my Pacemaker Serial Number/Manufacturer;  number of leads;  reason for pacemaker (Tachycardia/Bradycardia Syndrome);   Pacemaker Mode/Rate;  Implant date;  Pacemaker dependency;  ECG:  Atrial Tachy/Flutter/Fibrillation, are still all valid.  My husband wasn't issued with a Pacemaker ID card/sheet at the time of his pacemaker implant, so I typed one for him which he keeps with him all the time.  

So no in my opinion your card doesn’t have to be sent back immediately to be updated unless it really worries you?  Who issued your ID card?   Hospital Clinic or pacemaker manufacturer?  I would ask them. 

You sound as though you and your husband have more important things to worry about though at the moment.  Does your husband have a pacemaker too?   Episodes of blacking out are worrying and often difficult to relate to one particular cause.  Both my husband and I have experienced syncope in the past.  It was frightening and dangerous when and where it happened.  Hope for the very best for both of you.

id card

by new to pace.... - 2023-03-12 07:10:55

Am in the US and only needed my card with the info on it once in the beginning.  As long as the basic information is on it such as the model , style, mfg , date implanted.  You are good.  It is in the cloud someplace.

.  As to changing the cardio name that is not important.  For me they have never changed the cardio's name on my remote transmission. Have tired a couple of times  then gave up.

new to pace

Call your manufacturer

by Lavender - 2023-03-12 09:21:57

My cardiologist left town. I called Boston Scientific, my pacemaker manufacturer, and they sent me a new plastic id card with the new cardiologist name on it. No one has ever asked to see my card, but I guess in an emergency it could be helpful. 

New ID Card

by Marybird - 2023-03-12 15:02:57

Hi Charlene, I see from your profile information that your pacemaker ( or is it your husband's?) is a St. Jude PM 2272 ( Assurity MRI+ dual chamber) implanted in 2019. I have that model as well and my pacemaker was implanted in 2019 too.

As others have indicated, it may be that you never use that ID card, so the name of the doctor might not be as important as the other information that's on the card, ie, the make, model and serial numbers of the pacemaker and the leads, the name and phone number of the clinic that manages your pacemaker and related information. If you've changed clinics/hospitals, and the phone number changes, you'd want that new information on your card. You can go to the Abbott website, and request a new card, either online by filling out the information on the form posted on the site and sending it to them via email that way. Or if you prefer you can  snail mail a request to them for a new card, or call their customer service department ( which I've found to be very helpful on the couple occasions I called them) to request the new card. Instructions and information are shown on the site to make your request in any of those ways. The link to that site is below.

I requested a new card from them after the EP that implanted my pacemaker left the cardiology practice I go to. The clinic and phone number was the same but I just had them put in the name of the new doctor, the EP who replaced the guy who left. They sent the new card within a week or two. Well, the new EP left too, and my pacemaker is now managed by the interventional cardiologist I'd seen before the first EP. I figured with all this doctor revolving door stuff going on, I have no plans to request another card, especially as the clinic and phone number is the same.

Here's the link:

https://www.cardiovascular.abbott/us/en/patients/your-id-card.html

PM information card

by AgentX86 - 2023-03-12 19:18:13

I've found the card to be a little less useful than the lint in my wallet.  I once produced it at a hospital for information about my PM and it went completely ignored.  They needed the information independently verified. 

It's also useful if you want to get a body cavity search at the airport.  Other than that, just keep it in your wallet (next to the lint).  You're better off having a card with all of your relevant medical information on it or use the emergency information information on your phone. I have a card

<https://www.stickyj.com/product/engraved-aluminum-medical-id-wallet-card-cba2007c>

with everything on it.  It has lots of room so I put the PM information on it too.

They're cheap, so why not?  StickyJ is also the cheapest place I've found for medic alert jewelery.

Edit:  I just looked on my Medtronic card.  There is not doctor or hospital infromation on it.  Just the device and lead part and serial numbers (and a phone number).

Just Looked At Mine Too.

by Marybird - 2023-03-12 20:27:08

That would be the ID card for my St. Jude pacemaker.

Has my name, name and serial numbers for the generator and leads of the pacemaker. Also has the name of the following doctor, the city, state and zip code of the doctor's location, along with the phone number of the clinic.

The reverse side has phone numbers and contact information for the Abbott customer service, and a phone number identified as direct contact for patient records. The information there would be useful for verifying the information on the front of the card. It's a laminated card.

Telephone Call

by Angry Sparrow - 2023-03-12 23:16:07

Medtronic and requested a new card with my EP's information.

By correcting my CRT Card my records with Medtronic are now updated.

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