HCI's Monthly Review of the Healthcare Industry
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Robert J. Stilley
President, CEO
HeartCare Imaging, Inc.
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Dear Colleagues,
As I reviewed this month's newsletter's content I was reminded of what a fascinating profession we've chosen. Whether you are interested in direct patient care, research, business, or politics; there is something for everyone. And, I'm sure most of us are involved in more than one of the aforementioned areas. During my career I have seen tremendous advances in technology that have allowed for early diagnosis and treatment resulting in not only longer life expectancy but a better quality of life. This fact sometimes seems to get lost in the constant barrage of negative press, but it is a fact. If you don't believe me look up 'exploratory surgery' or 'hospital wards' in your medical (relatively recent) history books!
Before I close I would like to give a shout out to Jupiter Medical Center where I recently fulfilled my term as Board Chair. Jupiter Medical Center has just received a 5 star rating from CMS on the heels of also receiving a "Top Hospital' - A rating from the Leapfrog Group. JMC's team of professionals know what it takes to be the best and I'm pleased to be part of the team.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter!
Sincerely,
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ACC: Study promotes routine PET/CT CAC for cardiac risk
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Should coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring be a routine part of PET/CT stress testing for assessing an individual's risk of heart disease? Yes, according to researchers from Utah who explained why in a Saturday presentation at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2019 meeting in New Orleans.
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New Guidelines Advise Against Aspirin to Prevent Heart Disease
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Most healthy people shouldn’t take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or cardiovascular disease, major heart-health organizations now recommend, saying the risk of serious bleeding outweighs the benefits.
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Stress Test-Based Physiological Age May Be Superior Mortality Predictor
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Estimated age based on exercise stress testing performance may be a better predictor of mortality than chronological age, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
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Napping tied to 5 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure
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A napping habit could lower blood pressure to a similar extent as other lifestyle modifications and some drugs, according to research scheduled to be presented March 18 at the American College of Cardiology’s scientific sessions in New Orleans.
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Olive oil could help keep stroke at bay for obese Americans
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If you're obese and you want to do your heart a favor, try adding some olive oil to your diet.
So suggests new research, which found that healthy but severely obese patients who consumed olive oil at least once a week had lower platelet activation. That means their blood showed less propensity toward forming clots -- which might help lower their risk of heart attack or stroke. But the findings do not prove that olive oil is the reason for the benefit.
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Increased Ankle-Brachial Index May Identify Patients With T1D at Risk for Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction
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In patients with type 1 diabetes and increased ankle-brachial index (ABI), a marker of arterial stiffness, there is a 3-fold increase in the risk for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, according to study results published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The highest risk was found in patients with both increased ABI and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
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Brain shrinkage linked to poor cardiovascular health, study says
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oor cardiovascular health may bring on diminished brain function, a new study says.
Smoking, obesity and diabetes, along with other risk factors like high blood and pulse pressure, are associated with brain shrinkage, according to research published today in the European Heart Journal. These risk factors reduce blood flow to the brain, which leads to diminished brain function.
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GDM Linked to Increased Cardiovascular Event Risk Postpartum
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Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an increased risk fir developing cardiovascular events postpartum, according to a review published online March 7 in Diabetologia.
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AHA News: Can Social Connection Aid Heart Health in African-American Community?
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For black adults, connecting with neighbors could do much more than create a sense of community -- it also might be good for their heart.
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Researchers Using Geisinger MyCode Database to Study Sudden Cardiac Death
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When it comes to genetic research, Geisinger's MyCode initiative has one of the largest databases in the world.
That is one of the reasons Geisinger was awarded millions to research sudden cardiac death.
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Diabetes Type 2: Weight loss surgery can cut the risk
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WEIGHT loss surgery can slash the risk of heart disease by more than 70 percent in Type 2 diabetes sufferers, experts claim. They discovered that "bariatric" procedures like gastric bands and gastric bypasses can protect patients. Researchers also found the post-surgery group were 69 percent less likely to suffer peripheral arterial disease - where fatty deposits restrict blood supply to the legs and can lead to limb amputations. Nottingham University's Mohammed Alkharaiji told the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in Liverpool yesterday that his team's results can protect Britain's 4.2 million people with Type 2.
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Study finds test of protein levels in the eye a potential predictor of (future) Alzheimer's disease
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Low levels of amyloid-β and tau proteins, biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in eye fluid were significantly associated with low cognitive scores, according to a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
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Scientists Spot Clues to Predicting Breast Cancer's Return
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Figuring out which breast cancer patients will live disease-free after treatment is a bit of a guessing game. But new research indicates breast cancer cells hold molecular clues that may allow doctors to predict who is at high risk of having a recurrence up to 20 years later..
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Hong Kong study shows RBD patients' first-degree relatives more prone to have Parkinson's disease
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People with first-degree relatives suffering from rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) are at three to six times greater risk of having Parkinson's disease, according to a study done by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) that made result public on Tuesday.
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ADHD Meds Safe With Epilepsy, Study Finds
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often occurs in people with epilepsy. Now, new research provides reassurance that taking ADHD medications won't raise their risk of seizures.
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Later PET/CT follow-up helps for oropharyngeal cancer
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Using PET/CT for follow-up at a later interval than what's recommended by existing guidelines can potentially adjust the management of patients who have been treated for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), according to a study published online March 5 in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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New 'tracers' improve diagnosis of cancer and may be useful for treatment
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Researchers have identified two new nuclear medicine tracers that make it easier to diagnose and potentially treat multiple types of cancer, providing high-quality images with less patient preparation and shorter acquisition times.
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Dementia May Strike Differently, Depending on Race
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Dementia appears to strike people of different races in different ways, brain autopsies have revealed.
Hispanic and black people are more likely to suffer from dementia that's caused in part by micro-strokes or hardening of the arteries that serve the brain, researchers report.
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Low-cost laser probe for skin cancer screening developed by UBC doctoral student
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A University of B.C. doctoral student has developed a low-cost laser probe to aid in early detection of a deadly form of skin cancer.
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New imaging system detects tiny tumors, may aid earlier diagnosis
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A new system may be able to spot different types of cancer at earlier stages, a new study says.
The imaging system uses near-infrared light, to pinpoint a 0.1-millimeter fluorescent probe through the digestive tract of a mouse, according to findings published Thursday in Scientific Reports. This allows the system to detect a signal to a tissue depth of 8 centimeters, which is deeper than current biomedical optical imaging technology.
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3D modeling gains more traction in care organizations
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One touted goal of three-dimensional modeling—which encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality and 3D printing—is improved pre-surgical planning and intraoperative guidance. Increasingly, organizations are experimenting with 3D models to help surgeons and interventional radiologists determine how to best perform intricate procedures. These advanced visualization approaches replace flat two-dimensional images with life-like replications of patient organs and other body parts that physicians can hold in their hands or manipulate in a video-game-type setting.
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AMA urges Amazon, Facebook, Google and Twitter to do more to limit false anti-vaccine claims
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The American Medical Association is urging the country's largest internet technology firms to clamp down on misinformation about vaccines in light of the ongoing series of measles outbreaks. The nation's most influential physician organization on Wednesday sent a letter to the CEOs of Amazon, Facebook, Google, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube expressing concern that their respective internet media channels are spreading false information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and as a result have been driving parents to not immunize their children.
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ECRI's 2019 list of patient safety worries includes EHRs
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Medical errors caused by mishandled diagnostic tools within the electronic health record join EHR-exacerbated physician burnout on the group's annual list of Top 10 concerns.
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Commercial healthcare prices rose three times faster than inflation
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Commercial healthcare prices in metro areas are rising while usage is falling, according to a new analysis.
Prices increased 13% as utilization dropped 17% from 2012 to 2016, a new iteration of the Health Care Cost Institute's analysis of more than 1.8 billion commercial claims revealed. Metro areas with higher prices tended to have lower use, and vice versa, HCCI researchers found.
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Four top health systems share unique approaches to improve patient engagement
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Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. are seeking ways to better engage patients with a variety of handheld and home-based technologies to improve patient experience and health outcomes.
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Politics that Affect Medicine
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CMS helps states with Medicaid work requirement waiver
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The CMS rolled out new tools on Thursday to help states get approval to make changes to Medicaid such as implementing work requirements. The CMS Administrator Seema Verma defended the administration's push to get more states to pursue 1115 demonstration waivers even as the agency faces criticism over coverage losses due to work rules.
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White House slams 'Medicare for All' as bad for Americans' health and wallets
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he Trump administration slammed "Medicare for All" in its annual economic review Tuesday, claiming that creating a new government-run health care program would be expensive, damage the economy and hurt Americans' health.
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National Cancer Institute chief to serve as acting FDA head
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U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has tapped National Cancer Institute Director Norman Sharpless to serve as acting commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration, following the resignation of Scott Gottlieb earlier this month. Sharpless, who has led the National Institutes of Health’s cancer unit since 2017, will take over following Gottlieb’s exit in April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday.
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White House proposes deep cuts to HHS and Medicaid in new budget
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The White House on Monday proposed cutting HHS funding by 12% in fiscal 2020, as well as slashing Medicaid spending and allowing states to lower benefits.
In a budget request with a $2.7 trillion federal spending cut, the Trump administration on Monday would give HHS $87.1 billion in funding. The White House also aims to cut Medicaid spending by nearly $1.5 trillion from 2020 through 2029 through repealing the Affordable Care Act's expansion of the program and converting overall funding to a block grant or per capita caps to states.
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Trump once again requests deep cuts in U.S. science spending
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For the third year in a row, President Donald Trump’s administration has unveiled a budget request to Congress that calls for deep spending cuts at many federal science agencies, including a 13% cut for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a 12% cut for the National Science Foundation (NSF), while providing hefty increases for the military.
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Generics take the spotlight as House talks drug legislation
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House lawmakers and representatives for generic drug companies clashed Wednesday over how to handle exclusivity periods in a way that will bring more generics to market.
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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.
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Case-Based Approach to Diagnosis and Management of Cardiac Amyloidosis
7:30 am – 11:30 am | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Palm Harbor, Fla.
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Save the date for RSNA 2019
Join us for our 105th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1–6, 2019, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.
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Annual Scientific Session of the
American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
September 12-15, 2019 | Chicago, Ill.
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HeartCare Imaging, Inc. | Phone: 561-746-6125 | Fax: 561-741-2036 | info@heartcareimaging.com
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