Staffing

This channel provides news on management of staff and proper staffing levels for safe, high-quality healthcare system. Physician and clinician workforce shortages have become growing challenge for hospitals, with burnout also now affecting nearly all medical workers. Topics include medical staffing issues, statistics, compensation how to improve clinician morale and the workplace environment, and ways to combat clinician burnout.

There has been a growing shortage of cardiologists the past several years, but this has accelerated due to burnout from the pandemic, falling reimbursements and increasing administrative burdens. This prompted a joint session on this topic with the ACC and the Heart Rhythm Society at HRS 2024, with ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, FACC, president and CEO of Cardiovascular Management of Illinois, former ACC president Ed Fry, MD, chair of the Ascension National Cardiovascular Service Line, and EP Parin Patel.

Addressing staffing shortages in cardiology

ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, RN, Edward Fry, MD, and electrophysiologist Parin Patel, MD, discuss the growing cardiologist shortage.

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Private equity in healthcare: Cardiologists, government officials and advocacy groups share their perspective

The FTC and other federal agencies launched a public inquiry to see how physicians, patients and other stakeholders felt about the rising influence of private equity in healthcare. Based on the public comments available online, many in the industry are concerned about the trend's long-term impact on patient care. 

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Cardiology salaries are No. 7 among all specialties—thoracic and vascular surgery also make top 10

Physician compensation in the United States is up 6% compared to the previous year, according to a new report. It only increased by 3.9% in cardiology, however, suggesting the specialty is slightly behind the curve.

Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, president and CEO of MedAxiom, said iIt is no longer enough to just be a cardiologist making clinical decisions, they also need to be much more aware the business side of healthcare. #Cardiologybusiness #CVBusiness #CMS #Cardiology #ACC #ACC2024 #Medaxiom

Business concerns over costs and thin margins means it is no longer enough to just be a cardiologist

Cardiologist Jerry Blackwell, MD, president and CEO of MedAxiom, believes cardiologist can't just focus on clinical decisions, as they also must be aware the financial ramifications. 

Video interview with Nandita Scott, MD, Mass General Hospital, on balancing motherhood or fatherhood as a cardiologist and how to make things work with a work-life balance. #cardiologistmom #ACC #ACC24 #ACC2024

Industry changes are making it easier for cardiologists to start families

One of the biggest decisions in a cardiologist's life is knowing when, exactly, to start a family. Nandita S. Scott, MD, co-director of the Corrigan Women's Heart Health Program at Mass General Hospital, shared her perspective on this important topic. 

Jeff Kuvin, MD, explains the effort to create an new independent cardiology board. He is the ACC point person for the effort.

The push for an independent cardiology board continues

Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, one of the leading voices behind efforts to create a new Board of Cardiovascular Medicine, spoke with Cardiovascular Business about where things stand today.

ACC President Cathie Biga explains how cardiologist employment models undergoing a profound transformation during an interview with Cardiovascular Digital Editor Dave Fornell at ACC 2024.

What happened to cardiology's private practices?

Hospital employment models, reimbursement policies and private equity have all led to a massive reduction in the number of cardiologists working for a private practice, ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, told Cardiovascular Business.

An Illinois appellate judge upheld a pervious trial victory that cleared and central Illinois cardiologist Amit Dande, MD, and Prairie Cardiovascular Consults LLP of alleged misdiagnosis of the severity of a patient's heart condition that led to his death prior to a schedule percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Cardiologist sues health system that called him an ‘immediate threat to the public’

The health system, meanwhile, said it stands by its decision to terminate the interventional cardiologist after working with him for several years. 

Around the web

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.

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