The Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic is an outpatient clinic designed to care for patients who have had a device implanted to correct or address arrhythmia problems. The clinic is staffed with cardiologists and registered nurses who specialize in the care of patients with pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs).

The clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Phone messages left over the weekend will be answered on Monday. Clinic appointments may be scheduled any day of the week but are usually scheduled on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Clinic visits are by appointment. If you are not feeling well or if you have questions, call the clinic and speak to a member of the staff. He or she may be able to help you over the phone or, if needed, can schedule an appointment for you to be seen in the clinic.

Please call the Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic to cancel or change an appointment 24 hours in advance of the appointment.

The goals of the clinic are to:

• Look after aspects of your health related to your pacemaker device
• Educate you and your family about your device
• Maintain patient records regarding how your device is functioning

At each clinic visit, expect to see a nurse or a nurse and a doctor. During your clinic appointment, the nurse will check your device to obtain information about how it is functioning. This information will be reviewed and any necessary changes will be made.

At the same time, the clinic staff will be available to answer any questions you or your family might have about your particular device and how it is functioning.

For your follow-up appointment, please bring the following:

• Your medication list and your medications in their original packaging
• The name of your family doctor and cardiologist (if you have one)
• A list of any questions or problems you wish to discuss

Who We Work With

Monitoring and care of your device is only one part of your care. Clinic staff work in partnership with your other doctors. It is our responsibility to communicate the details of your visits to your family physician and your cardiologist (if applicable).

If you already have a cardiologist, you will continue to see him or her for all other general cardiology check-ups. If you don’t have a cardiologist and are uncertain whether you need one, please ask the clinic staff.

The Pacemaker/Defibrillator Clinic is located on the first floor of the Heart Institute.

Patients who have had a pacemaker implant procedure are routinely seen at the clinic on an annual basis or more often if necessary.

MedicAlert Bracelet

It is a good idea to get an alert bracelet or necklace that tells the public about the de vice you had implanted in case of an emergency.

You can get the MedicAlert brochures from your pharmacy or order them from the website.