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                                                                   Exhibit 10.17

                                          [Data Critical Corporation Letterhead]



November 11, 1999
Mr. Robert A. May
18047 NE 99th Court
Redmond, WA 98052

Dear Bob:

It is my pleasure to offer you the position of Vice President, Operations
for Data Critical Corporation ("Data Critical" or "the Company"). You will
be reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Your duties will be
focused on all aspects of operations, including overseeing engineering,
manufacturing and quality assurance and managing our outsourced
manufacturing relationships.

Our offer to you includes the following:

 .  A signing bonus of $20,000 in cash, payable between December 20, 1999
   and January 10, 2000.
 .  A monthly salary of $10,416.67 (equating to $125,000 per year).
 .  An annual bonus targeted at 20% of your annual compensation based on
   achievement of agreed-upon objectives.
 .  Options to acquire 50,000 shares of Data Critical common stock that
   will vest quarterly over a four-year period, provided you are an
   employee of the Company at that time. Your option price will be the
   closing market price of Data Critical common stock on your start date.

You will be eligible to participate in our employee benefits program. Data
Critical currently pays all premiums for its employees and their
dependents' medical, dental, vision, prescription drug card coverage and
employee assistance program through group plans. In addition, DCC pays for
basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long-term disability
insurance for its employees. Pursuant to our current plan, you will be
eligible for these group benefits beginning with the first day of the
month following your start date. All group insurance benefits are subject
to change.

The Company offers a 401(k) plan to all eligible employees. This is an
employee-contribution-only plan provided as a retirement vehicle and as
means of deferring federal income taxes. You may begin making
contributions through payroll deduction as of the first payroll of the
calendar month following your date of hire.

We hope you will enjoy a productive and rewarding relationship with us.
Nonetheless, employment termination can occur for any number of reasons
and you should understand that your employment in the State of Washington
is at will, except as noted per the paragraph below.

In the event that the Company terminates you at any point in time without
cause for a period of eighteen months after the date of this letter, Data
Critical will continue to pay
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your monthly salary ($10,416.67 per month) for a period of six months after
termination. For purposes of this letter, "cause" shall mean, the commission of
an act of fraud or dishonesty in the course of your employment with Data
Critical; conviction of a crime constituting a felony or in respect of any act
of fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude; failure to perform the duties assigned
to you material to the business conduct of Data Critical under Circumstances in
which you knew or should have reasonably known that such failure would be
detrimental to Data Critical, unless you remedy such failure not later than 30
days following delivery to you of a written notice from Data Critical describing
such failure in reasonable detail.

This offer remains valid through November 16, 1999 at 12:00 p.m. PDT, and
your expected start date is Friday, November 19, 1999. As a condition of
employment, we require all employees to sign a confidentiality agreement,
a copy of which is enclosed for your review. You may indicate your
acceptance of the terms outlined herein by signing and returning this
letter to me.

All of us are extremely excited about your joining the team at Data
Critical. Please call me at (425) 482-7025 with any questions that you may
have.


Sincerely,


/s/  Michael E. Singer
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Michael E. Singer






Accepted:  /s/ Robert A. May
           -----------------
           Robert A. May

Date: November 15, 1999




CC:  Jeffrey S. Brown
    Chief Executive Officer