Quality

The focus of quality improvement in healthcare is to bolster performance and processes related to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Leaders in this space also ensure the proper selection of imaging exams and procedures, and monitor the safety of services, among other duties. Reimbursement programs such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) utilize financial incentives to improve quality. This also includes setting and maintaining care quality initiatives, such as the requirements set by the Joint Commission.

FDA announces yet another recall, the fifth of 2023, for troubled heart devices
The latest Class I recall is due to mechanical issues that can cause the devices to stop charging their batteries.
Imaging companies join forces to deliver AI-guided echocardiography exams
The collaboration, announced at ASE 2023, was launched in the name of patient access.
Top 20 children’s hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery
Did your facility make the cut? For its 2023-2024 list, U.S. News and World Report evaluated data from 119 hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists.
How a New Hampshire heart surgeon racked up 21 malpractice settlements
A law firm hired to investigate the situation reviewed more than 300,000 pages of documents and conducted more than 250 hours of interviews.
Rethinking SAVR in the TAVR era: New Cleveland Clinic study explores data from nearly 3,500 patients
SAVR may be even safer for low-risk patients than previously believed, according to new research published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. What does this tell us about patient care going forward?

FDA announces yet another recall, the fifth of 2023, for troubled heart devices

The latest Class I recall is due to mechanical issues that can cause the devices to stop charging their batteries.

August 17, 2023

Imaging companies join forces to deliver AI-guided echocardiography exams

The collaboration, announced at ASE 2023, was launched in the name of patient access.

June 23, 2023

Top 20 children’s hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery

Did your facility make the cut? For its 2023-2024 list, U.S. News and World Report evaluated data from 119 hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists.

June 21, 2023

How a New Hampshire heart surgeon racked up 21 malpractice settlements

A law firm hired to investigate the situation reviewed more than 300,000 pages of documents and conducted more than 250 hours of interviews.

June 14, 2023

Rethinking SAVR in the TAVR era: New Cleveland Clinic study explores data from nearly 3,500 patients

SAVR may be even safer for low-risk patients than previously believed, according to new research published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. What does this tell us about patient care going forward?

June 13, 2023

Treating elderly atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients—even those who are traditionally ineligible for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)—with a very low dose of edoxaban is associated with improved outcomes, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.

TAVR among 90-year-old patients: An updated look at mortality, hospital costs and more

In-hospital mortality and other key outcomes have improved in recent years, but treating these older patients is still associated with certain challenges.

May 30, 2023

‘Promising’ results as first patients undergo PCI with next-generation pVAD device

The new product from California-based Supira Medical was designed to limit hemolysis and other complications among patients undergoing high-risk PCI or in cardiogenic shock

May 19, 2023

artificial intelligence AI deep learning

AI model predicts LVEF during routine coronary angiograms

The video-based deep neural network showed potential for limiting invasive exams and improving patient care.

May 10, 2023

Around the web

Health Exec

Surgeons successfully transplant pig hearts into recently deceased humans

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health successfully transplanted two genetically engineered pigs hearts into recently deceased humans in June and July.

Health Exec

Machine learning predicts drug cardiotoxicity

Machine learning is playing a key role in predicting all major forms of drug cardiotoxicity, potentially helping reduce late-stage clinical trial failures.

Health Exec

After heart attack, older patients have longer hospital stays but smaller total bills

Heart attack patients aged 65 and up stay hospitalized longer than those aged 65 or under—yet the seniors ring up significantly smaller bills per stay. The bad news is that the “savings” likely come in the form of fewer percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs, aka angioplasties) to open blocked heart arteries nonsurgically.