on May 30, 2012 |
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Topics: Process Improvement, Efficiency, Performance Improvement, Cardiac Cath, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Regionalization and Networks, Strategy
Nicole MacMillan, Cardiovascular Roundtable
A recent American Heart Association (AHA) survey of hospitals offering percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) reveals that many regions of the United States are now served by systems of care designed to quickly treat and transfer patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The AHA surveyed nearly 900 PCI sites across 47 states, comprising 381 unique STEMI systems.
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STEMI systems of care increasing in number, efficiency
on May 23, 2012 |
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Topics: Cardiac Cath, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Clinical Technology, Technology Assessment, Planning, Strategy
Nicole MacMillan, Cardiovascular Roundtable
A recent study presented at the 2012 EuroPCR conference in Paris has demonstrated promising evidence in favor of CardioKinetix’s “Parachute” device, designed to segment off part of the left ventricular wall in heart failure patients. This was the first-in-human trial for the parachute device. Researchers found it significantly improved symptoms of heart failure, decreased ventricular volume, and reduced death and hospitalization for heart failure one year post-implantation.
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Parachute device a promising intervention for heart failure
on May 21, 2012 |
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Topics: Cardiac Cath, Cardiovascular, Service Lines, Cardiac Surgery, Imaging, Appropriateness, Quality, Performance Improvement, Outcomes
Megan Tooley, Cardiovascular Roundtable
While it is generally accepted that routine stress echocardiography (echo) in asymptomatic patients is not appropriate in the years immediately following revascularization, the value of such risk evaluation in longer-term follow-up is unclear.
A large observational study published online this month in the Archives of Internal Medicine provides new evidence against this practice. The study indicates stress echo does not lead to more favorable outcomes even in long-term follow-up, and might not be worth the added cost.
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Questioning the value of stress echo post-revascularization in asymptomatic patients
