Andrew Mims
MEDTRONIC
May 23, 2002 – August 11, 2002
Spring 2003
Medtronic Intern Report 1
I began my 2002 summer internship at the Medtronic Corporation in Minneapolis, MN
with great optimism. Medtronic hired me to be a Software Test Engineer for the summer and I
worked in the Cardiac Rhythm Management division with Patient Management. I worked on the
new FDA approved CareLink Network, which was a breakthrough in the way clinicians and
patients worked together. The following is information about the Medtronic Corporation, the
CareLink Network, and my summer internship experience.
Medtronic was founded in 1949 by Earl E. Bakken and the late Palmer J. Hermundslie.
Since developing the first wearable external cardiac pacemaker in 1957 and manufacturing the
first reliable long-term implantable pacing system in 1960, Medtronic has been the world's
leading producer of pacing technology. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Medtronic’s
operations are primarily focused on providing therapeutic, diagnostic, and monitoring systems
for cardiovascular, neurological, diabetes, spinal, and ear, nose and throat markets. Medtronic is
now the world leader in medical technology providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic
disease. Medtronic offers products, therapies and services that enhance or extend the lives of
millions of people. Each year, 2.5 million patients benefit from Medtronic's technology, used to
treat conditions such as heart disease, neurological disorders, and vascular illnesses.
The first-of-its-kind Internet-based Medtronic CareLink Network creates a new patient
management dimension that harnesses the power of information technologies to help you
manage patient flow and clinic schedules more efficiently. The Medtronic CareLink Network is
available for follow-up care of patients with Medtronic cardiac devices. This Internet-based
service was designed for the patient’s convenience, offering flexibility in scheduling by enabling
fast and easy follow-up of cardiac device patients beyond clinic walls. Having direct access to
reliable, sophisticated patient information from the Clinician Website gives you greater
Medtronic Intern Report 2
flexibility in when and where you administer patient care. In this new care dimension, decisions
are driven by clinical considerations and priorities, not clinic schedules. Clinicians are able to
gain greater control over patient loads and clinic schedules by harnessing the power of
information technologies that transform patient care in an increasingly complex healthcare
landscape. By allowing patients to choose when and where to practice follow-up care of your
selected Medtronic cardiac device patients, the Medtronic CareLink Network helps clinicians
manage workloads and clinic schedules, which may streamline clinic efficiencies. Data
transmitted by patients from the Medtronic CareLink Monitor is as comprehensive and detailed
as that obtained with the Medtronic CareLink Programmer during an in-office device check-up.
The ability to stay connected beyond clinic walls with the Medtronic CareLink Network gives
both clinicians and their patients a new care advantage. During a multi-clinic investigation of the
Medtronic CareLink Network, it was discovered that the system offers the potential of capturing
previously undiagnosed arrhythmias and other device-related issues.
Security of the Medtronic CareLink Network is a major priority, and nowhere is security
and privacy more important than when patient data is involved. This secure network environment
includes encryption technology and password protection of both the Clinician and Patient
Websites. The Medtronic CareLink Network is designed to allow customers to meet their
requirements under applicable US patient privacy laws, including HIPAA.
Medtronic Intern Report 3
The requirements for using the Network websites that are common to most computers,
are listed below:
Component
Recommended
Minimum
Monitor Resolution
800 x 600 or higher
640 x 480
Printer
Any compatible with
Any compatible with
browser
browser
Microsoft® Internet
Microsoft Internet
Explorer Version 5.5 or
Explorer Version 5.5
6.0
or 6.0
Report Reader
Adobe® Acrobat®
Adobe Acrobat
Software
Reader™ 5.0
Reader 5.0
Internet Connection
High speed (T1, DSL,
56k dial-up modem
Internet Browser
cable modem, etc.)
PC Operating System
Microsoft® Windows 95,
Microsoft Windows
Windows 98, Windows
95
2000
Processor
Intel® Pentium® Processor
Intel Pentium
or newer
Processor or newer
Medtronic Intern Report 4
My work experience consisted of testing the CareLink software as it related to future
cardiac devices. My project did not have a timeline, however, I was brought in to speed up the
process of optimizing different medical devices with the CareLink Network. Though I did not
receive any in-house training, I was provided a mentor who guided me through the assimilation
process. I wrote and modified “in house” C-like scripts that generated a desired cardiac
arrhythmia based on the software requirements. These C-like scripts were compiled and ran on
old Macintosh machines, where each machine related to a specific device. I would then upload
that data onto a Quality and Assurance environment, which was our testing environment. This
environment was a mock of the website a clinician would see if his or her patient sent their
pacemaker information across the Internet. From here, I was able to develop test procedures that
would eventually be placed in a manual for first time users.
Medtronic offer a great work experience and competitive pay. The salary was based on
experience and education. Because I was hired as a summer associate, Medtronic paid for my
relocation and housing was offered at a reduced rate. The housing accommodations were
wonderful because they were in downtown Minneapolis and provided many amenities such as a
pool and workout facilities. In addition, Medtronic is one of 17 Fortune 500 companies within
the Twin Cities area. Most of those companies, including Medtronic, have great internship
programs and decided to come together and for a task force. The task force is responsible for
planning activities and workshops for all the Twin Cities interns to attend. Some of those
activities included major league baseball games, WNBA basketball games, and a riverboat
cruise.
Overall, my experience at Medtronic and in the Twin Cities area was a great one. I was
fortunate to be around many great mentors that taught me many things. I had challenging
Medtronic Intern Report 5
assignments and the freedom to learn other technologies that interested me such as Java and Perl.
Some of the challenges I did face consisted of staying motivated though the exciting times of
documentation and learning much of the medical terminology. I was able learn and grow
emensely from theses challenges that I eventually overcame. During my internship at
Medtronic, there was never a dull moment because of all the activities they provided us and
Minneapolis had much to offer as well. I would endorse Medtronic to anyone as a great
company with a passion for its employees and the people they serve.
Medtronic Intern Report 6