Heart disease prevention in routine clinical practice is inadequate, with only a third of patients being referred to and joining prevention and rehabilitation programs, while doctors are prescribing more drugs. Saving people's lives from acute MI is not sufficient, and an urgent investment in prevention is needed to address the lifestyle causes of heart disease, according to study in the March 12 issue of the Lancet.

With a potential for generating cost savings and increased revenue, hospitals are looking toward inventory management to find ways to streamline the entire supply chain to stay competitive without sacrificing the quality of services provided for patient care.

As the number of people with implantable cardiac devices increases, wireless telemetry will grow in use. Studies have shown economic and practical value associated with using remote technology.

Savvy cardiology departments tap into CVIS to engineer cost-savings, streamline workflow and deliver better patient care.

In 1910, William Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic, said, The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered. Nearly 100 years later, these words still ring true. As the Obama administration, Congress and others begin to tackle healthcare reform, it is critical that the interests of patients be the driving force of any systemic overhaul.

As both employees and clinicians, providers at hospitals and physician practices have an excellent opportunity to be at the forefront of reforming healthcare, by helping to change behaviors that lead to a wide range of self-inflicted chronic health issues.

The month of March brings with it the winds of seasonal change. It also brings the annual American College of Cardiology meeting, whose scientific and educational sessions will carry messages of change and progress in cardiovascular medicine and practice. In this issue, we pick up on the theme of progress and examine how the latest advances, be they in technology or strategy, are helping providers cope with the challenging economic climate.

In a surprise decision, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 today that Vermont resident, Diana Levine, can sue Wyeth for injuries she suffered after she was administered one of the company's FDA-approved drugs.