Brian Maher on September 28, 2011 |
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Topics: Vascular, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Stroke, Cardiac Surgery, Evidence-Based Practice, Methodologies, Performance Improvement, Appropriateness, Quality, Outcomes
A recent analysis of the utilization of carotid artery stenting (CAS) among Medicare beneficiaries indicates mortality rates are lower for operators who perform a higher volume of procedures per year compared to those who handle fewer cases. The findings suggest operator experience is associated with 30-day patient mortality, but generally raise questions regarding the effectiveness of CAS in a real-world setting.
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Operator Experience Matters With Carotid Artery Stenting
on September 26, 2011 |
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Topics: Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Regionalization and Networks, Strategy, Strategy Development, Planning, Strategy Implementation
Jake Hartman, Cardiovascular Roundtable
In last month’s Cardiovascular Insights piece, I highlighted some of the key drivers behind the boom in developing a regionalization strategy for the CV service line. In today’s blog, I’d like to share a story from our research on how one organization is leveraging a waterfall approach to CV strategic planning this is centralized, yet allows for site specific nuance in executing on system-level aims.
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Regionalization and Network Strategy Research Preview - Effectively Disseminating the CV Strategic Plan
Brian Maher on September 23, 2011 |
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Topics: Cardiovascular, Service Lines, CT, Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Emergency Department, Cost Management, Margin Performance, Finance, Throughput, Efficiency, Performance Improvement, Risk Stratification, Methodologies, Appropriateness, Quality
The results of the highly anticipated CT-STAT trial were released this week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study objective was to compare the efficiency, cost, and safety of coronary CT angiography to rest-stress myocardial perfusion imaging to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) for emergent low-risk patients. Overall, CCTA was found to be more efficient and less costly than traditional SPECT imaging in the diagnostic work-up of this patient subset. While helping to further validate the role of CCTA to expedite care for appropriate chest pain patients, the study raises new questions about future opportunities for CCTA, and if it can supplant more established tests for diagnosing and ruling-out CAD.
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Latest CT-STAT Results Point to Value of Coronary CTA
