Dr. Zielske and Sara will address recent changes in CPT and ICD-10 coding for heart assist systems and Impella devices. Learn from their deep insight into coding for cardiac devices and the key changes hospitals need to be aware of to gain full reimbursement for complex procedures in the cardiac cath lab. Get the latest on just-implemented code changes as of April 1, 2018. To get paid properly, you must code exactly. We’ll tell you how.

Ms. Leon-Chisen will address the FY2018 changes for heart assist systems and Impella devices. Learn from her deep insight into coding for cardiac devices and the key changes hospitals need to be aware of as well as the most effective ways to get your top coding questions answered.

What trends and strategies are shaping the future destiny of the cardiovascular service line? Take a look at the future forecast through the expert eyes of Brian Contos, an executive director with The Advisory Board Company. Is your program poised to take advantage of changing market dynamics such as outpatient care, reimbursement and payment policies? And what about implantables, MACRA, patient-focused care and interventional procedures?

Diagnosing and treating patients well starts with choosing the most precise test. Cardiac PET imaging is the test of choice more often these days when it comes to assessing coronary artery disease, myocardial perfusion, viability and ventricular function in more complex patients. It makes sense clinically, operationally and financially. It also trumps SPECT in many ways, and can even play a role in cardiac disease prevention.
 

Cardiologists are facing rapid changes in reimbursement due to new payment models, but James C. Blankenship, MD, MHCM, says physicians should focus on providing the best quality of care for patients. He recommends physicians take care of everyone in their practice or group, as well. These days, physicians must also understand the balance between the traditional fee-for-service model and alternative payment models such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System.

With the rollout of the Affordable Care Act and changes to reimbursements, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, GA, recognizes it’s a critical time to control expenses.

Priorities need to focus on training and outreach from clinical, operational and financial perspectives as well as strengthening the heart team --;Prairie Heart and Vascular Institute in Springfield, Ill., is leading the way.