November/December 2009

Advances in CT scanner technology have enabled patients to be imaged with very low doses of radiation exposure. Some low-dose strategies, however, accept a certain amount of noise. Workstation vendors are aiming to enhance their software to help reconstruct higher quality images.

With increasing numbers of Americans affected by heart failure, the healthcare systems mantra for care is teamwork.

Like every medical device seen in hospitals today, contrast media power injectors are becoming much more integrated with other devices, specifically in diagnostic and interventional cardiology.

Diabetes currently afflicts 171 million people globally, including 23.6 million Americansand these figures are expected to double by 2030. The adverse vascular consequences of diabetes are well documented, along with the increased incidence of atherosclerosis. Research suggests that the representation of coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes varies widely and the decision whether to perform PCI or CABG is not so clear cut.

The urgency to transition the U.S. healthcare system to a paperless system has increased as the government has offered incentives to get connected and penalties for those who lag behind. Advances in image and report IT capabilities allow cardiologists to now provide seamless access to all patient data across hospital departments and facilities.

Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Services (CCEMS) in Houston began a campaign in 2004 to increase sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival rates in their region. The EMS team is using hypothermia treatment, a threshold impedance device, an automated chest compression device, ECG upload and wireless communication with the cath lab to improve patient outcomes.

As hospitals and cardiology groups deal with the challenging economy, the group of luminaries in our electrophysiology (EP) roundtable cover story all agreed that an EP program makes good economic sense. This is quite a change from just a few years ago when common wisdom held that EP was a loss leader for hospitals.

Healthcare reform currently is generating a great deal of debate. However, there are at least two points on which Washington legislators seem to have reached a consensus. First, providers will be subject to greater transparency and accountability. Second, once most physician practices are equipped with EHRs, the data necessary to drive such transparency and accountability will flow effortlessly across the various health networks. While the ACC accepts the first premise, those with a working knowledge of health IT recognize that the second will be much more difficult to achieve.

A current review of the news shows that hospital-physician alignment has captured the headlines and cardiology is leading the charge as the No. 1 specialty to have discussions with hospital and health systems. Driving this trend are myriad market forces.