OBJECTIVES: Telemedical systems (TMS) and data management for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) promise to reduce costs and optimize patient care. Depressive symptoms are common among patients with an ICD and the health related quality of life (HRQoL) is affected by the underlying disease and the implanted device, respectively. TMS might improve the HRQoL of patients and ICDs acceptance due to closer monitoring and, thereby, an increased level of perceived safety. In this RCT, changes in the level of depression, HRQoL and ICD-acceptance over a period of six months after ICD-implantation were investigated. METHODS: 161 patients (80.7% male; age: 64,1±14,6; 82% with coronary disease, 11% with DCM) with an ICD were randomized at the day of implantation into intervention (n=82) or control group (n=79). The intervention group was equipped with a telemonitoring-system that transferred ICD-data from the patients’ home to the medical practitioner. The control group received regular care. Patients were asked to fill out three questionnaires (the generic EQ-5D, the depression specific HADS and the device specific FPAS); the follow-up period was six month, with postal surveys on a monthly basis. RESULTS: Nine patients dropped out before survey completion. 140 patients filled out at least two sets of questionnaires and were included in the analyses. After six months the mean improvement in the HRQoL (EQ-5D-Index) in the telemonitoring group was 10.7 points compared to baseline (p=.006) while the mean change in HRQoL in the control group was 5.5 (p=.138). FPAS and HADS-D showed small but non-significant advantage for the telemonitoring group. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results suggest that TMS have the ability to improve HRQoL of patients with ICDs. Results on effects towards depression and anxiety and enhancement of ICDs acceptance are also promising. Since ICDs are used in chronic diseases a longer follow-up period seems to be required to validate the effects.