Review of the registry's first year, data collected, and future plans

The National ICD Registry has had an active first year receiving data from over 108,341 ICD implantation procedures from 1,117 hospitals and 3,249 implanting physicians in 2006. Each hospital has had the opportunity to review its outcomes from ICD implantation compared to hospitals of similar size and a national aggregate on a quarterly basis. Important research publications are being developed using registry data and future data will be enhanced by merger with Medicare claims data and the National Death Index. Hospitals and payers are looking at the National ICD Registry as an opportunity for assessing quality improvement. The Longitudinal ICD Registry study will be launched to answer the CED questions posed by CMS with an anticipated 3,500 patients followed three years for ICD events and five years for survival. The unique place that the Registry holds in the spectrum of randomized controlled trials and published guidelines was nicely framed by Kappenberger, Science tells us what we can do; guidelines what we should do; and registries what we are actually doing."7. © 2007 Heart Rhythm Society."