Programmer system and associated methods for rapidly evaluating and programming an implanted cardiac device

A method of facilitating the rapid evaluation and programming of an implanted cardiac stimulation device, said device operating based upon programmable parameters, said method comprising the steps of:

• interrogating said stimulation device and retrieving information stored therein;
• automatically analyzing said retrieved information in real-time and recommending a modification to be made to said at least one of said parameters;
• automatically displaying said recommended parameter modification on a display screen in real-time;
• and
• enabling real-time interactive modifications by the physician in response to the step of displaying said recommended parameter modification.

A diagnostic system for use with an implantable medical device, said diagnostic system comprising:

• a telemetry system configured to establish a communication channel between said medical device and said diagnostic system;
• a processor, coupled to the telemetry system, which is programmed to interrogate said medical device via said communications channel to retrieve information stored in said medical device, said processor further programmed to analyze said retrieved information, to enable real-time modification of said retrieved information by the physician, and then to format said retrieved information into a format suitable for real-time interaction and display;
• and
• a display, coupled to said processor, configured to display said information in said format.

An apparatus for use with an implantable medical device, said apparatus comprising:

• communication means for providing a communication channel to said medical device;
• means for interrogating said medical device, for retrieving information stored in said medical device, and for formatting said retrieved information into a format suitable for real-time display;
• means for displaying said formatted information;
• and
• means for analyzing said retrieved information in real-time to identify a predetermined event within said retrieved information, and for enabling real-time interactive modifications by the physician.