Purchasing and Selecting Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices

​The process of selecting and purchasing cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices for implantation requires a balance between, on the one hand, accommodating patient needs and, on the other hand, conforming to facility-wide purchasing plans to minimize device costs. To find this balance, physicians and facilities evaluate increasingly complex devices from multiple manufacturers and incorporate costs, patient and referring physician preferences, follow-up options, and service support from the manufacturers into their decision. While the devices are very expensive, particularly implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices, prices have appeared to decline gradually over the last few years as a result of many factors, including competition in the field.

Three main options exist for purchasing CRM devices, and it's likely that a combination of these options will be necessary to satisfy the needs of your facility.

Purchase devices on a case-by-case basis from all suppliers. While this approach maximizes flexibility to meet individual patient...