At a pivotal time of advancement in cardiovascular imaging, diagnostics, interventions and therapies, a time when specialty heart hospitals are forming to combat the deadliest disease in America, the federal purse strings are about to be pulled a little tighter in 2007, and rules for these types of narrowly focused hospitals are going to be more stringent.

The day our May issue went to press, April 26, the Heart Rhythm Society held a telebriefing for the media to announce release of its draft policy recommendations for pacemaker and ICD performance. Final guidelines are expected to be published in the October issue of Heart Rhythm Journal, but I believe highlighting some of Dr.