Breaking Through IT Barriers

In 2008, stents were red hot, the subject of burning questions and sizzling debate. That year, executives from four companies leading the field in stent technology came together for a Cardiovascular Business roundtable event. They discussed controversies dogging the technology, how the devices might evolve, which patients were benefiting and what it all meant for the market. The result was one of the magazine’s most-read cover stories to date.

For this issue, Cardiovascular Business returns to the role of convener, this time focused on information technology in cardiology. The topic is only getting hotter, especially considering announcements such as this one from CMS Acting Director Andy Slavitt: “We are deadly serious about interoperability. Technology companies that look for ways to practice data blocking will not be tolerated.” 

So, we invited executives from five cardiovascular IT companies to join us for an hour. They tackled every question we asked and more. We raised issues cardiologists told us too often bring heartburn and burnout. The result was a cordial, engaging conversation that became our cover story. The participants’ comments deliver a glimpse of where cardiovascular IT is going, the challenges it is facing and how today’s industry leaders intend to achieve their goals.

The story also kicks off a new series we’ll revisit from time to time. The idea is to bring together innovators, experts, visionaries, current and future leaders from the front lines of cardiovascular medicine to discuss and debate issues that are shaping the field and may even be keeping you up at night. We hope our roundtables will spark conversations that lead to new initiatives or revised directions, perhaps changing in some small way how you run your practice or department, where you stand on issues, or how you advance your mission.

If you have an idea for a topic you think Cardiovascular Business should tackle, even if it’s grouchy or controversial, please let me know.