Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

The ASNC is one of several medical imaging societies asking Congress to repeal the appropriate use criteria (AUC) criteria mandate. They say it poses issues for clinicians and is becoming outdated by changes in CMS payment systems. The AUC requirements call for documentation using CVMS authorized software in order to show advanced imaging such as nuclear and CT is justified, or else Medicare payments might be withheld.

American Society of Nuclear Cardiology urges Congress to speed prior authorizations, repeal AUC mandate 

Over the past few weeks, members of ASNC’s Health Policy Committee have held meetings with their members of Congress.

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American Heart Association awards $10.6M to researchers investigating the long-term cardiovascular effects of COVID-19

The grants went to 11 different research teams in the United States and are expected to fund these projects for three years.

Cardiology’s average salary climbs to $490k, No. 3 among all specialties

This continues a consistent rise in pay for the specialty—the same report recorded cardiology’s average salary as $459,000 in 2021, $438,000 in 2020 and $430,000 in 2019.

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Australian tech company opens new US office, eyes FDA approval for AI CAD solution

The company's flagship offering uses AI to evaluate 3D images of a patient's heart for signs of atherosclerotic plaque.

Women less likely to receive treatment, more likely to die after cardiogenic shock

Emerging data about differences in treatment for women and men may shed light on diverging outcomes.

VIDEO: Creating a telecardiology program

Ami Bhatt, MD, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) chief innovation officer, and former director of telecardiology at Mass General Hospital, explains how to create and manage a cardiac telemedicine program.
 

A cardiac CT scan being performed on a Cardiograph dedicated cardiac CT scanner at a Duly Health and Care outpatient clinic. Photo by Dave Fornell

VIDEO: Office-based cardiac CT and FFR-CT offer a new business model

In a new video, Evans Pap­pas, MD, and Sujith Kalathiveetil, MD, both of Duly Health and Care in suburban Chicago, explain the shift toward office-based cardiac CT evaluations and the role of FFR-CT. 

Telecardiology during the COVID-19 pandemic showed cardiologists another way to treat patients

Telecardiology saw a major boost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many health systems now want to keep it as a permanent treatment option. 

Around the web

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.