SCAI wants lead-free cath labs and a better work-life balance for cardiologists
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) President Srihari S. Naidu, MD, a professor of medicine at New York Medical College, and director of cath labs and the HCM program at Westchester Medical Center, says SCAI is working on new policies that would increase cath lab safety and improve the work-life balance of interventional cardiologists.
"The lead protection we wear is causing a lot of damage. We see this with out colleagues who have been doing this for decades are hunched over, they have back problems, and recently we have had some dramatic episodes where people have been paralyzed," Naidu told Cardiovascular Business. "I think as a field we have a really minimized the risk we take, because we are selfless, caring and trying to take care of our patients, and we ignore ourselves. That time has to change."
He said SCAI is working on polices to change this, and working with industry and government agencies to change the status quo and make cath labs lead free, or at least minimize the risks. Naidu said this will be a five-to-10 year plan for SCAI, but pressure will be constantly applied to make sure it happens.
SCAI has argued that increasing radiation protection in the cath lab will help attract and retain interventional cardiology staff and attract more women to into the subspeciality. As physician shortages increase, hospitals that feature improved barrier systems and other new technology to enable lead-free cath labs will have an advantage over other hospitals in recruiting and retention. Improved safety also allows interventional cardiologists to practice longer.
SCAI also wants to work on policy to reduce physician burnout and help build a better work-life balance. Naidu said the society needs to protect its members by helping them with their day-to-day lives.
"I am still on call every fourth night, I am running in at night and doing these cases, and I am on call a lot. It adds a lot of stress, a lot of burnout and a lot of stress on your family and your kids. I think we need to realize that needs to be balanced in some way. We need people to have a way to build a better work-life harmony, how to find things outside of medicine that are happy, build into retirement at a reasonable age, and reduce administrative burdens," Naidu explained.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]