Understanding end users' perspectives towards health information exchange (HIE) technology is crucial to the long-term success of HIE, according to researchers from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn., who developed an in-depth understanding of HIE usage by applying qualitative methods.
BOSTON—Despite recent studies that question the "inappropriate use" of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in primary prevention, the large OMNI registry, presented May 11 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), found that patients who received ICD implants in a non-evidence based manner experienced similar therapeutic benefit and outcomes to those who received evidence-based treatments.
BOSTON—While innovations within the healthcare industry remain electric, there is still unexplained variations in care patterns in the U.S., particularly for device implants. Cardiologist density and patient insurance type could be some of the culprits, Paul Heidenreich, MD, of Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., said, adding that more work needs to be done to figure out the reasons for these differentiations.
BOSTON—When planning to implement a remote monitoring initiative, organizations should develop a flow that works for their particular clinic, advised Nancy Lee, RN, CCDS, arrhythmia device specialist at the Arrhythmia Center at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, during a presentation May 10 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
BOSTON—To hold or not to hold, that may be the question on surgeons' minds as patients present for surgery. Should anticoagulation be continued at the time of surgery or held in fear of thromboembolic risk? According to Michael C. Giudici, MD, of Genesis Heart Institute in Davenport, Iowa, the complication risks may be similar for both options; however, he summed that in most cases anticoagulation can and should be continued.
Healthcare organizations are using social media as a tool to connect consumers and providers, according to a May white paper from CSC. And despite what some may believe, social media is not, as CSC purports, a flash-in-the-pan; rather, healthcare should get used to it.
LAS VEGAS—A robotic remote-control coronary intervention system demonstrated technical and clinical effectiveness comparable to manual operation, but the operator exposure to radiation was significantly lower, based on PRECISE, a late breaking clinical trial presented May 10 at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).
The Sprint Fidelis implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) lead was recalled in 2007 after a high fracture rate was found, but understanding how to best manage patients who are implanted with these leads remains controversial. Performing device removal during elective surgery for a generator change could prove cost-effective and reduce risk for these patients, according to a study presented during a poster session May 9 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
BOSTON—The revenue generated by device clinic care is entirely consumed by the resources (time and salary) expended in an electrophysiology practice, asserted Suneet Mittal, MD, of the Valley Health System in New York City, during a presentation May 10 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
BOSTON—Adding to the hoopla surrounding Riata research, a late-breaking study presented May 10 at the 33rd annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society showed that survival for Riata (St. Jude Medical), but not Riata ST leads, was significantly lower than that of the Quattro Secure leads (Medtronic). However, the authors noted that this could be due to the fact that Riata ST leads had a shorter follow-up period.
The use of newer technologies in renal artery stenting, such as drug-eluting stents, distal protection devices and intravascular ultrasound, appear to have no advantageous effect on re-hospitalization and mortality and add more than $43,000 to the healthcare system, according to a retrospective study presented May 9 as a scientific poster at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). The study co-investigator told
Cardiovascular Business that larger, prospective trials are needed to validate the use of these technologies.
BOSTON—What eligible providers should be doing to satisfy meaningful use, especially practicing physicians, is to connect with their local regional extension center, said Michael Mirro, MD, of the Parkview Physician Group in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 9 in an interview at the 33rd
annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society.
LAS VEGAS—A simple, low-cost approach of four telephone contacts with patients following drug-eluting stent implantation significantly improves one-year drug adherence of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to near perfect scores, based on the findings of the single-center, Canadian EASY-IMPACT trial presented May 9 as a scientific poster at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).
LAS VEGAS—While higher failure rates with transradial PCI are clearly aligned with lower operator volumes, Christopher T. Pyne, MD, of the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass., suggested that switching sides of the transradial is a better bailout strategy than “going femoral,” during a May 9 presentation at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).
BOSTON—Remote monitoring reduced unplanned hospital admissions and in general total healthcare utilization in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), according to results presented May 10 at the 2012 Heart Rhythm Society's annual scientific sessions.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has amended the Physician Payments Sunshine Act to provide time for organizations to prepare for data submission.
A tidal wave of healthcare business intelligence (BI) purchases is anticipated in the next three years, according to a new report from market researcher KLAS
. Energy around healthcare BI is increasing at a frenetic pace with 52 percent of providers looking to buy (33 percent) or replace (19 percent) their BI tools in the next three years.
While there is evidence for short-term effectiveness of electronic reminders, especially short message service (SMS) reminders, long-term effects remain unclear, according to an article published April 25 in the
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
In many healthcare organizations, physicians play an administrative role that is increasingly complex and changing in scope. As such, stipend amounts for nonclinical effort continue to evolve as a component of many physicians’ total compensation plans, according to a report released by Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
At the outset, using local growth factors to set spending targets may better align savings for ACOs with savings for Medicare and reduce the financial uncertainty involved in participation, according to a perspective paper published April 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
