A new study based on NCDR data examines appropriate use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used data from the ACC's CathPCI Registry. It examined records from 1,091 U.S. hospitals captured between July 1, 2009 and Sept. 30, 2010 and found that a vast majority of PCIs performed in acute settings (98.6 percent) was classified as appropriate. For non-acute indications, however, 11.6 percent was classified as inappropriate, with substantial variation noted across hospitals. These classifications were based on the College's "Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Coronary Revascularization."
Overall, the study found that although the majority of patients are appropriately selected for PCI procedures, there are opportunities for improvement, especially in the non-emergency setting. Studies like these are extremely beneficial to patients and to the entire field of medicine. They highlight the important role NCDR registries can play in identifying opportunities for individual hospitals and practices to monitor their performance and adopt or develop quality improvement initiatives to optimize the care they deliver. For more information on the study, click here. You can also learn more about the College's ongoing efforts related to appropriate use of PCI and other therapies and procedures in the "Appropriate Use" issue center on CardioSource.org.
On a separate note, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its proposed 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule late last week. Your ACC is currently reviewing the rule and more details are forthcoming; however, a brief highlights summary is available online.
Finally, don't forget that registration for the 2011 Legislative Conference (Sept. 11-13) is still open. The conference will feature a special "View from the Hill" session with key congressional staff serving as panelists and discussing health reform implementation efforts and more. In addition, health care economist Len Nichols will discuss payment innovation in a Monday keynote presentation and General Stanley McChrystal is the featured speaker during Sunday night's dinner to benefit the ACC's Political Action Committee. Get the details!
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