The Center for Biomedical Informatics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has developed a new application for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch to help doctors and nurses record and grade adverse events in clinical trials.

Focusing on improving quality process measures overall, rather than individually, can improve patient care after CAGB surgery, while at the same time decreasing length of stay and costs, according to a study published in the July 26 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Autograft aortic root replacement (a.k.a. the Ross procedure) may have more of a clinical benefit and improve outcomes in patients with aortic valve disease compared with homograft aortic root replacement, according to results of a study published in the Aug. 3 edition of the Lancet.

Publicly reporting key process indicators may be clinically linked to improving hospital performance, lowering mortality and reducing length of stay, but alone they may provide too little information to be used as an indicator for healthcare quality, according to a study published in this month's Health Affairs.

Due to increasing economic pressures, many cardiology practices are following the lead of hospitals and hiring (or plan to hire) an in-house marketing specialist. Done right, this can be an excellent strategy. But be sure to first define your objectives and expectations carefully, and then hire the right person with the right skills for the position.

When it comes to diseases and conditions affecting the cardiothoracic vasculature, each minute can make all the difference. Sudden aortic syndromes are life-threatening and require a highly-skilled, multidisciplinary team of physicians and resources. Through its level one vascular emergency program, Clarian Cardiovascular in Indianapolis has reduced time-to-treatment and mortality rates.

In the past decade, nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) plans set aside billions of dollars in surplus--essentially retained profits--even as they raised premiums for consumers by as high as 20 percent annually, according to a report by nonprofit publisher Consumers Union.

ER wait times in U.S. hospitals are the longest since 2002, reaching four hours and seven minutes in 2009, an increase of four minutes compared to 2008 and 31 minutes more than the nationwide average in 2002, according to a report from Press Ganey Associates.