There were modest reductions in low-value services provided by Medicare Pioneer ACOs in the first year of the program, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.  Cardiovascular testing and procedures were among the leading drivers of savings.

Amid a challenging reimbursement scenario, Providence Spokane Heart Institute in Spokane, Wash., managed to trim more than $500,000 in costs in 2014 without compromising care in its PCI programs.

For physicians who treat patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the complex has become more and more commonplace.

The well-being of patients depends on the active and positive engagement of practicing cardiologists in policymaking.

For three years, Carly Heyman visited numerous doctors, searching for answers on why she was feeling so sick. She spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours going from specialist to specialist, all of whom could not help her. Her symptoms persisted. 

A person’s hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) level has a modest effect on predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, according to a linear regression model.

Growth seeded the need for a dedicated PCI program at Saratoga Hospital that went live in January along with a complete technology overhaul: cath lab, echo, hemodynamic monitoring and a fully integrated cardiovascular information system. The PCI program, close to 100 interventions later, is considered a jewel of the county. It also is a model for other facilities needing a technology refresh.

Thoratec voluntarily issued an urgent medical device correction letter on Sept. 16 alerting hospitals to monitor the expiration date of the backup battery contained in the HeartMate II left ventricular assist system device.