A hospital in New Hampshire whose patients may have been exposed to hepatitis C has revised processes for securing syringes in its cardiac cath lab after an investigation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the states Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found the facility failed to meet standards. The HHS reported Aug. 9 that an additional patient who received care in the cath lab tested positive for hepatitis C, bringing the total to at least 31.

ORLANDO, Fla.When it comes to MRI safety, the risks involved with imaging patients who have implantable cardiac defibrillators or other implants are often discussed. However, statistics show that incidents involving implants are the fifth most common type of accident, with other issues deserving more attention, according to a presentation Aug. 12 at the 40th annual meeting of AHRA: the Association for Medical Imaging Management.

A new approach to compute fractional flow reserve (FFR) using coronary CT angiography (CCTA) appears to be cost-effective, according to results of a simulation study presented at the Society of Cardiovascular CTs 2012 annual scientific meeting.

BOSTONThe Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston has been able to demonstrably improve patient outcomes with its diabetes management model, but with a finite set of resources, how can the center move beyond the approximately 250,000 patients that it and its more than 40 affiliates currently treat? By moving to the virtual space, said Chief Medical Officer Martin Abraham at a July 26 panel at the 4th Annual mHealth World Congress.

In a real-world setting, many administrators struggle to balance pinching pennies and delivering care. As hospital reimbursement dwindles and innovation blossoms, hospital staff must find creative ways to save a buck without skimping on care. Staff members from three hospitals share their solutions ranging from data dissemination to innovation to physician engagement.

Revelations about the cause of MI have led researchers to seek out new ways to address coronary artery disease through imaging vulnerable plaque.

CT Angiography Source Images may help predict which patients suffering from ischemic stroke will benefit from endovascular therapy, according to preliminary results of the Stroke Treatment and Revascularization Therapy (START) trial presented July 24 at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgerys annual meeting in San Diego.

U.S News and World Report issued its much-publicized hospital rankings, including the 50 top-ranked hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery, and outside of two hospitals in Los Angeles, no other Western facilities made it into the top 30.