March/April 2018

Could the ORBITA trial’s enduring value be in prompting the cardiology community to rethink how it diagnoses, treats and even defines angina?

A small but growing number of survivorship clinics for congenital heart disease (CHD) patients are popping up in healthcare systems across the country, but some cardiologists wonder if the model is sustainable.

Known for its conservative and what many call risk-averse nature, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seems to be headed in a bold and ambitious direction under Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD. What will his leadership mean for cardiology?

By targeting inefficiencies, a quality improvement program led to gains of approximately five or more hours per day in cath lab time. The approach could work as a model for other practices.

Taking call is hardly a new burden for cardiologists, but emerging trends as well as evolving attitudes are taking some of the sting out of the obligation.

Program planners predict shared decision making (SDM) will be a hot topic when the American College of Cardiology (ACC) hosts its 2018 Scientific Session March 10-12 in Orlando. They’ve planned a two-part intensive, as well as several other sessions, around the subject.

Peer-to-peer support benefits patients, but the model needs to change rapidly to keep up with treatment innovations.

“In a business that’s constantly changing, there are always areas for improvement,” said Cathleen Biga, RN, MSN, a member of the Cardiovascular Business editorial advisory board. Cathie shared the sentiment with my colleague Daniel Allar, who was interviewing her about the upcoming American College of Cardiology Cardiovascular Summit that she co-directs and we’ll be attending.

Paying for call coverage isn’t always an option and, even when it is, sometimes it’s more bandage than cure. The priority should be addressing long-term physician satisfaction.

The days of physicians saying, “I want this” are fading fast, if not gone, in many locations, as hospitals restructure purchasing around committee decision making and formal processes.