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May 2, 2012

Top Stories

Study assesses imaging tests for coronary artery disease
PET, cardiac MR and SPECT -- the most commonly used myocardial perfusion imaging tests -- are highly sensitive for diagnosing obstructive coronary artery disease, but PET and CMR have higher diagnostic accuracy than SPECT, according to a Dutch study. The researchers, however, said the analysis is limited by the small numbers of studies in certain subgroups. "We suggest that referring physicians consider these findings in the context of local expertise and infrastructure," they said. TCTMD.com (5/1)

5-part strategy helps reduce MI deaths, study says
Hospitals that used a five-prong strategy reduced the risk of patient death 30 days after myocardial infarction by more than 1%, compared with facilities that did not use any of the methods, Yale University researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The five elements were not cross-training ICU nurses for the cardiac catheterization lab, conducting monthly meetings for clinicians and transport staff, having a cardiologist always available, encouraging creative problem-solving by providers and having both physician and nurse champions. MedPage Today (free registration) (4/30)

Medical Focus

ICD patient deaths shift to heart failure, noncardiac causes
A study of 2,859 patients with implantable defibrillators or resynchronization devices including a defibrillator faced a higher risk of dying from heart failure or a noncardiac reason than from sudden death, according to researchers at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. The study in HeartRhythm looked at patients in clinical practice. MedPage Today (free registration) (5/1)

Illegibility continues to plague handwritten prescriptions
Only about 36% of all prescriptions in the U.S. are electronic, according to Surescripts, despite numerous studies showing that illegible handwriting can cause serious medication errors or waste time when pharmacists have to clarify prescribers' intent. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/28)

Cardiac arrest in young athletes sparks screening debate
The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Well blog (4/30)

Regulatory & Policy

ASNC joins opposition to CMS rule on overpayments
More than 100 medical groups including ASNC voiced opposition to a proposed rule that would require them to review up to 10 years of claims to determine whether they received overpayments from Medicare and return overpayments within 60 days of discovery. Read the letter. American Medical News (free content) (4/30), The Hill/Healthwatch blog (4/30)

Senate bill would block fee cuts for multiple imaging tests
Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and David Vitter, R-La., have introduced a bill that would prevent the CMS from implementing a 25% fee cut to reimbursements for the professional component of multiple imaging tests conducted on the same patient at the same location on the same day. The measure aims to prevent fee cuts until an Institute of Medicine panel reviews the issue. AuntMinnie.com (free registration) (4/27)

ASNC News

Walk-In Registration Option Still Available for Nuclear Cardiology for the Technologist (#NCTech)
If you haven't yet registered for Nuclear Cardiology for the Technologist, held May 4-6, 2012, in Chicago, Ill., on-site registration is still available. This popular continuing education program is intended for technologists practicing nuclear cardiology and will familiarize nuclear cardiology and nuclear medicine technologists with current standards for performing nuclear cardiology and cardiac PET procedures and the future direction of techniques and procedures currently in research and development. For attendees and members who wish they could be there, tweets from and about this event will be tagged with the hashtag #NCTech.

Free ASNC Membership for Fellows-in-Training
ASNC is pleased to offer free Affiliate Membership to cardiology and nuclear medicine fellows and residents who are training in nuclear cardiology. Affiliate members receive complimentary subscriptions to the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology and other ASNC publications, member rates on ASNC educational programs and the Annual Scientific Session, and access to ASNC's online member directory. Please share this invitation to join ASNC with fellows in your institution today.

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SmartQuote

Judgment is more than skill. It sets forth on intellectual seas beyond the shores of hard indisputable factual information."

--Kingman Brewster Jr.,
American educator and diplomat

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