Thomas M. Tu, MD, an interventional cardiologist, and John M. Mandrola, MD, an electrophysiologist with Baptist Medical Associates in Louisville, Ky., discuss the complex relationships that medical societies and physician specialists form with the cardiac device and pharmaceutical manufacturers that provide the products to support their specialties.

U.S. healthcare is undergoing massive changes. While its often easy to focus on the negative side-effects of this transformation, healthcare professionals should not lose sight of its many opportunities. One of the biggest opportunities, particularly for cardiology, is a movement towards team-based care, which involves using non-physician practitioners and clinical staff to participate in the decision-making, coordination of care and shared responsibility for quality.

As physicians face tighter scrutiny from consumers and public health experts, a survey conducted by Jackson Healthcare reveals that physician salary accounts for approximately 8 percent of total U.S. spending on medical care, while only a minority of physicians receive additional earnings for ordering imaging or other tests.

Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) Chair of Health Policy Richard I. Fogel, MD, echoed the thoughts of many during the 32nd annual HRS meeting: This is a very dynamic healthcare environment with a lot of unknowns. While I am not sure what the picture will look like in the next five years, one thing is for certain, healthcare in the U.S. will be forever different.

Specialties, such as cardiology, are particularly susceptible to the ongoing transformations and diminishing reimbursements of the U.S. healthcare landscape. In fact, American College of Cardiologys (ACC) CEO Jack Lewin, MD, advised the cardiology community to begin preparing now for a move away from the current fee-for-service model at last months 60th annual ACC scientific sessions.

NEW ORLEANSWhile practice integration is a top of mind issue for cardiologists, it is not occurring in a vacuum. Cardiologists need to consider other marketplace trends as they approach negotiations with hospitals and integrated delivery sessions, according to presenters at the Managing Your Practice in a Transforming Health System: Part 1 session, held Sunday at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

As Congress and other policymakers seek to lower costs, improve access and ensure quality in the U.S. healthcare system, there are increasing opportunities for collaboration between healthcare providers and payors.

On Oct. 1, 2013, physician practices and hospitals will be required by CMS to have transitioned from the 30-year-old ICD-9-CM codes to the ICD-10-CM (clinical modification) and ICD-10-PCS (procedural coding system) codes. The switch will cost time and money because ICD-10 has nearly nine-times more codes. Many practices and facilities, however, have not even begun a preliminary assessment of what the transition will require, which could negatively impact their bottom line.