Volume XV | Issue 1| January 2023 | |
HCI's Monthly Review of the Healthcare Industry | |
Robert J. Stilley
President, CEO
HeartCare Imaging, Inc.
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Dear Colleagues –
Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Goodbye January…1/12 of the year gone! Last month I focused on the need for teamwork in order to achieve success. This month I’d like to discuss ‘expecting excellence’. Recently, we had an experience with equipment that was down and never fully repaired. It was operating and able to get the job done, but I noticed that we were working around the problem vs. having it completely resolved. I told our team this was not acceptable. We were listening to our vendor’s excuses vs. requiring them to provide the excellent service we know they are capable of providing. Trust me, at HCI we will not provide that kind of service or accept it on our partner-client’s behalf, and therefore, this problem has been resolved. In the world today, this pattern of accepting mediocrity seems to occur more and more. It’s not easy to push for excellence. In fact, it’s hard, but it’s necessary and ultimately rewarding for all involved. When I’m hesitant to push, I remind myself that we are here to take care of patients and they deserve excellence. Those that respond well to the ‘push’ truly get it and appreciate it. If we find someone that doesn’t…well we probably don’t want to associate with them and need to find someone that shares our values. At HCI we always expect excellence and will do all we can to deliver it for our partner-clients and their patients.
Enjoy the newsletter which includes a new ‘Neuroscience’ section…thanks to our new Medical-Science Liaison, Samantha Stilley, PhD.
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Autoimmune Disorders Tied To Elevated Atrial Fibrillation Risk, Particularly In Women, Study Suggests
Healio reports, “Autoimmune disorders were associated with elevated atrial fibrillation risk, particularly in women,” investigators concluded in findings published online in the journal EP Europace.
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Cath Labs Vary Widely in Cardiac Arrest Survival
When cardiac arrest occurs in the catheterization laboratory, the chances of survival has depended to a large extent on the facility, a national registry study showed.
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Revolutionary Technology Shortens Cardiac Scan Time, Provides High-Quality SPECT Images
A cardiac SPECT imaging system performs scans 10 to 100 times faster than current SPECT systems, according to new research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2022 Annual Meeting. The advantages of self-collimation SPECT include dramatically shortened scan time, better image quality, increased patient throughput, and reduced radiation exposure to patients.
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Here's What Damar Hamlin's Cardiac Workup Might Look Like
Almost 2 weeks after Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game, the underlying cause that triggered his condition has yet to be revealed -- but that's because his doctors have to conduct an extensive workup involving several possibilities.
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Next-generation TAVR system approved to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis
Abbott announced its next-generation transcatheter aortic valve replacement system has been approved by the FDA to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis at high or extreme surgical risk.
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Comparison of diuretics shows no difference in heart failure survival
Two drugs widely used to treat adults with heart failure—furosemide and torsemide—showed no difference in their ability to improve patient survival when compared, according to findings from a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health.
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Researchers use AI to triage patients with chest pain
Artificial intelligence (AI) may help improve care for patients who show up at the hospital with acute chest pain, according to a study published in Radiology.
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Ten-minute scan enables detection and cure of the most common cause of high blood pressure
Doctors at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Hospital, and Cambridge University Hospital, have led research using a new type of CT scan to light up tiny nodules in a hormone gland and cure high blood pressure by their removal. The nodules are discovered in 1 in 20 people with high blood pressure.
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Scientists find way to heal scars left behind by heart attacks
Preclinical studies in rats have found that a single injection of tropoelastin into the wall of the heart in the days following a heart attack could "turn back the clock" on muscle damage, making the scars "stretchier" and help improve the heart's ability to contract. Tropoelastin is the protein building block that gives human tissue its elasticity and ability to stretch.
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A panel of US-based experts in cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology, and primary care has prepared specific recommendations for early identification and intervention in obesity, diabetes, and other cardiorenal and metabolic diseases. A detailed report on recommended strategies has been published in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications.
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Simulation-Based Training Effective for Transesophageal Echo
Simulation-based teaching of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) improved cardiology fellows' knowledge, skills, and comfort with the procedure compared with traditional training, a new study shows.
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Cardiovascular disease: Walking 6,000+ steps daily may lower risk for older adults
Compared to people who walked 2,000 steps per day, researchers found that individuals walking between 6,000 and 9,000 steps daily had a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, by 40% to 50%.
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Why are women less likely to survive cardiac arrest than men?
A 5-year research project outlines some of the reasons why women are less likely to survive cardiac arrest than men.
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CDC: 39 states, regions record high or very high flu activity
New data released by the CDC suggest flu activity is dropping in many parts of the US, but nationwide flu cases remains high, with the number of lab-confirmed flu patients admitted to hospitals reaching almost 19,000 for the week ending Dec. 31 compared with around 18,000 patients in the prior week. High or very high flu activity levels were reported in 39 states and regions during the period, down from 44 in the previous week, while the latest estimates showed there have been at least 22 million influenza cases, 14,000 flu-related deaths and 230,000 hospitalizations in the country so far this season.
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Report Examines Young Adults Mental Health Challenges
Almost half of 18- to 25-year-olds in the US were affected by some type of mental illness or substance use disorder in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults also experienced the highest rate of "serious" mental illness that year at 11.4%, compared with 7.1% of people ages 26 to 49 and 2.5% of those ages 50 and above, and many adolescents and adults who were surveyed attached some blame to the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Health Care Professionals will be AI Gatekeers
Arman Kilic, director of the Harvey and Marcia Schiller Surgical Innovation Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, says artificial intelligence can help clinicians make more informed decisions and optimize care, and it can improve operational efficiency. AI can analyze data quickly, but it's a resource, not a replacement for health care professionals, who "will ultimately be the gatekeepers to this technology and guide when and how it is used," Kilic said.
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Autopsies Show COVID-19 in the Brain
Early this year, leading researchers discussed what we knew -- and didn't know -- about COVID-19 and the brain. Since then, new findings have emerged about SARS-CoV-2 and the nervous system, including the results of an autopsy study that showed the presence of the virus throughout the body and brain.
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Scientists Take Another Step Toward Building a Better, Safer Opioid
Using cryoEM technology, researchers have decoded the detailed structures of an entire family of opioid receptors bound to their naturally occurring peptides. This new structural framework should help in the development of safer, more effective medications to treat chronic pain.
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U.S. Cancer Death Rate Has Fallen 33% Since 1991, Here’s Why
This week the American Cancer Society (ACS) published their annual report on cancer statistics. They estimate that the cancer death rate has dropped 33% since 1991 and that 3.8 million cancer deaths have been prevented from 1991 to 2020. From 2019 to 2020 they estimate that the cancer death rate declined by 1.5% despite the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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CDC, FDA Flag Early Signal of Stroke Risk With Bivalent COVID Vaccine
An early signal of stroke risk was detected in older adults who received Pfizer-BioNTech's bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA and CDC announced in a joint statement late on Friday, yet the agencies found no link in further analyses and are not recommending a change in COVID-19 vaccination practice.
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New Research Furthers Case for Exercise Promoting Youthfulness
A recent paper published in the Journal of Physiology deepened the case for the youthfulness-promoting effects of exercise on aging organisms, building on previous work done with lab mice nearing the end of their natural lifespan that had access to a weighted exercise wheel.
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Why do we love our cats, and what does it mean for our health?
There are some 85 million cats in American households, many of which are cherished family members. What is behind felines’ appeal to humans? Could it be their apparently choosy nature? And what is their effect on human health?
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Multiple sclerosis (MS): Intestinal bacteria may have an anti-inflammatory effect
A recent study found that types of gut bacteria in people with MS may vary depending on whether they’re experiencing symptoms.
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More Healthcare Organizations at Risk of Credit Default, Moody's says
More healthcare organizations are at risk of credit downgrades and defaults as they continue to battle high costs in an inflationary economic environment.
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Key Trends for Payers and Providers in 2023
Providers are likely to clash with payers over rate hikes after a year of intense cost pressures.
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Credit ratings for the nation's nonprofit hospitals will be under threat this year due to investment losses and rising expenses eating into margins, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.
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5 Takeaways from the 2023 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
The 41st annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference wrapped up in San Francisco on Thursday following a four-day schedule packed with presentations from dozens of health systems, insurers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and technology companies.
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Buy Now, Pay Later Firms Entering the Health Care Space
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services have become increasingly popular as a payment method for online shopping and even travel, and major players are creeping into the world of health care. But while breaking up medical bills can provide some short-term relief, critics worry about the lack of protections in the BNPL industry and the threat of overextending patients' budgets.
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Feeling Depressed? Performing Acts of Kindness May Help
Performing acts of kindness lead to improvements of symptoms for those who suffer from anxiety and depression, a new study reports.
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Early Retirement Can Accelerate Cognitive Decline
Early retirement can accelerate cognitive decline among the elderly, according to research conducted by faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
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Brain PET imaging reveals role of serotonin in Alzheimer's disease
PET imaging has shown a link between serotonin brain activity in early Alzheimer's disease patients to beta-amyloid plaque deposits, a hallmark of the condition, according to a study published online on January 6 in NeuroImage:Clinical.
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Novel Blood Test Detects Alzheimer's Neurodegeneration
A novel blood test to assess brain-derived tau detected Alzheimer's-related neurodegeneration and differentiated Alzheimer's from other neurodegenerative diseases.
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New Alzheimer's Drug Approved by FDA, Promises to Slow Disease
U.S. health regulators gave early approval to a new Alzheimer's drug from Eisai Co. and Biogen Inc., the most promising to date in a new class of medicines that may help slow cognitive decline caused by the disease.
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Shortcomings in how the CMS oversees Medicare Part B cost the program and its subscribers millions of dollars, according to the HHS Office of Inspector General. Nearly 25% of drug codes were missing valid manufacturer-reported average sales price data for at least one three-month span between 2016 and 2020, leaving Medicare administrators unable to calculate appropriate payments for 8% of drug codes at least once during the study period, according to the OIG.
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CMS Awards 200 New Medicare-funded Residency Slots to Hospitals Serving Underserved Communities
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a critical step to advance health equity and access to care, awarding the first 200 of 1,000 Medicare-funded physician residency slots to enhance the health care workforce and fund additional positions in hospitals serving underserved communities.
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Defense Secretary cancels military vaccine requirement
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed a memorandum Tuesday stating that the agency will no longer require COVID-19 vaccines for military members, but he added that it will still promote and encourage vaccination for all. Austin said more than 2 million troops -- 96% of active and reserve service members -- have been fully vaccinated to date.
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Joint Commission makes health equity a national safety goal
Health equity will be a national patient safety goal, effective July 1, the Joint Commission announced. Accredited hospitals will be required to identify patients' needs and disparities and develop a strategic plan to boost health equity.
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Healthcare Closely Watching FTC's Proposed Ban on Non-Competes
A newly proposed rule from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that would ban non-compete clauses is being watched closely by the healthcare industry, already strained by staffing shortages and affected by changes in ownership structure even before the pandemic.
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For over 25 years, HRSI has provided Authorized User (AU) classroom and laboratory training to physicians. HRSI's training is recognized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and fulfills the didactic training required by law. | | |
Capsid Consulting's mission is to enhance the Infection Prevention (IP) and Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP) in long term care facilities around the United States via teleconsulting. Through our sister company, PraxisID, we support rural hospitals and clinics by providing full-time Infectious Disease staff to participate in patient care via telehealth as well as any other critical Infectious Disease needs. | | |
Free CME
Title: Why Does My Patient Have Angina?
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
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Free CME
Title: We've Measured Flow. Now What Does IT Mean?
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This lecture will detail the scientific literature describing myocardial perfusion dating back to the first measurements in 1949. The goal is to synthesize the entire spectrum of myocardial perfusion in order to understand objective limits for distinguishing normal from abnormal. We first discuss myocardial perfusion in normal people (not patients!) aged less than 40 with no risk factors. From this cohort we can understand truly normal perfusion, not accessible or measured invasively due to unethical risk of invasive catheterization for people. At the other end of the spectrum, transmural or nontransmural infarcts as verified by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging permit a boundary of low resting flows identifies nonviable myocardium. Frank ischemia (angina, ST-segment depression, and a relative perfusion defect) and its associated myocardial perfusion can be imaged to understand how stress flows must fall in order to reach this low level. A wide continuum falls between normal flows and ischemia and relates to risk factor burden, anatomic atherosclerosis, clinical heart disease, and previous revascularization procedures.
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Free CME
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Identify reasons for diagnostic challenges in chronic abdominal pain
- Define conditions that require objective testing
- Explain relevant radio-pharmaceuticals & physiology
- Explain consensus recommendations for CCK-CS
- Explain standardized reporting of CCK-CS
- Identify essential CCK-CS findings and relevant diagnoses
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Free CME
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Identify reasons for diagnostic challenges in chronic abdominal pain
- Define conditions that require objective testing
- Explain relevant radio-pharmaceuticals & physiology
- Explain consensus recommendations for CCK-CS
- Explain standardized reporting of CCK-CS
- Identify essential CCK-CS findings and relevant diagnoses
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Free CME
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Use a systematic interpretational approach for CCK-CS
- Use a structured reporting checklist for CCK-CS
- Identify rare but essential gallbladder findings and responses to stimulation on CCK-CS
- Identify causes for unexpected gallbladder contraction
- Identify rare but essential findings in the bowel on CCK-CS that could contribute to patient management
- Optimize CCK-CS imaging time to capture critical information by omitting unessential imaging
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Free CME
To view this FREE CME activity, please register.
You must achieve a score of 75% or above to receive credit.
You may take the test up to 3 times. Thank you for your participation.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Clinicians who treat patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are faced with the challenge of making a therapeutic decision to recommend revascularization or medical treatment. A conflict often exists between making that decision based on assessing myocardial ischemia through measurements of coronary flow and function versus visualizing anatomical stenosis through angiography. The purpose of this lecture is to provide insight into the measurement of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and it’s interpretation. The presentation will provide clarity concerning the tools to measure MBF and their interrelationship. The concept of coronary flow capacity (CFC) will be presented and its relevance and impact on clinical practice and patient care will be discussed. Clinicians who participate in this program will gain an appreciation for the use of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning with CFC to help identify patients who will benefit from revascularization.
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HeartCare Imaging, Inc. | Phone: 561-746-6125 | Fax: 561-741-2036 | info@heartcareimaging.com | | | | |
