on May 16, 2012 |
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Topics: Cardiac Cath, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Outcomes, Quality, Performance Improvement
Eric Bushlow, Cardiovascular Roundtable
The American College of Cardiology Foundation, in conjunction with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Society for Vascular Medicine, recently released an expert consensus document on cardiac catheterization laboratory standards, an update to 2001 guidelines.
The consensus document addresses standards for both diagnostic and interventional procedures. Rapid evolution of technology and procedural proficiency in catheterization have prompted less-stringent parameters on programs without surgical back-up and a greater emphasis on continuous quality improvement to ensure strong outcome performance. In this vein, the document pushes for the adoption of robust quality improvement infrastructure as an alternative to basic volume thresholds as indicators of programmatic excellence.
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Experts address PCI without surgical backup in new consensus document
on May 15, 2012 |
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Topics: Public Reporting, Management Tools, Performance Improvement, Process Improvement, Care Coordination, Methodologies, Chronic Care Management, Continuum Integration, Medical Cardiology, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Readmissions, Quality
Nicole MacMillan, Cardiovascular Roundtable
In late April, the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the American Medical Association- Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement (AMA- PCPI) released an updated set of performance measures for heart failure management. The measures, an update of the 2005 ACC/ AHA HF performance measures, place an increased emphasis on coordinated, cross-continuum care, while eight past measures deemed redundant and no longer useful were retired. Of the nine total measures, two are focused on the inpatient setting, five on the outpatient setting, and two bridge both settings.
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2011 HF management performance measures stress cross-continuum coordination
on May 14, 2012 |
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Topics: Cardiac Cath, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Appropriateness, Quality, Performance Improvement
Jake Hartman, Cardiovascular Roundtable
On the heels of appropriate use criteria updates for PCI released earlier this year, the American College of Cardiology has just unveiled the first set of criteria aimed at clearly defining appropriate use for diagnostic catheterization. In a study examining 166 potential indications that could warrant a diagnostic cath procedures, the multi-disciplinary team responsible for these new guidelines found that fewer than half should be classified as appropriate.Â
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Appropriate use criteria for diagnostic cath
