More good news for TAVR interventions - better case selection contributed to significant reductions in complications and longer term mortality.
The most pertinent risk factors? COPD and previous stroke.
Is ExECG your default diagnostic?
"Exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) is underutilized as the initial test modality in patients with interpretable electrocardiograms who are able to exercise. Although stress myocardial imaging techniques provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic information, variables derived from ExECG can yield substantial data for risk stratification, either supplementary to imaging variables or without concurrent imaging. (abstract)
What's your diagnostic test workflow?
A recent paper in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging reviewed literature on the latest advances in exercise stress electrocardiography (ExECG) and argued that despite the ACC's recommendations, the test is still "underutilized" as the initial diagnostic test modality for suspected coronary artery disease.
[infographic] 5 Essential Characteristics of Effective Cardiovascular Teams
Read more about each essential characteristic of effective cardiovascular teams on the Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals Blog.
Benchmarking and Quality Improvement – Essential Characteristic #5
Is it obvious? Highly effective cardiovascular teams demonstrate commitment to cardiovascular quality improvement.
In a 2014 report entitled "Cardiovascular Care High Performers," the National Committee for Quality Assurance detailed the importance of benchmarking and continuous cardiovascular quality improvement.
What is the practice culture of effective cardiovascular teams, according to the report? It's characterized by a "strong organizational commitment to improving quality, to openness at being measured on performance and having results shared within the practice, to working on closing gaps and to trying new strategies to engage patients."
Commitment and openness, especially to being measured, sharing results, and working on closing quality gaps, has been proven to improve outcomes, from a single group to an entire state.
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