A patient monitor system includes a pendant configured to be worn around a neck of a patient. The pendant includes an electrode to sense transthoracic electrical activity and a processor in communication with the electrode. The processor analyzes the transthoracic electrical activity to detect a cardiac event. The pendant also includes a position sensor to determine an orientation of the pendant so as to detect whether the patient is in a horizontal or upright position. The processor determines the accuracy of the detected cardiac event based on data from the position sensor. The patient monitor system may also include additional electrodes connected to the pendant through a necklace. The pendant may also include a verbal verification module to execute verbal communication routines that automatically detect an ability of the patient to communicate verbally so as to further determine the accuracy of the detected cardiac event.
