EP Lab Digest - March 2008 - (Page 14)

14 SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT Continued from page 12 INTERVIEW MARCH 2008 been so many that it is difficult to pinpoint just one. in order to cut or contain costs? In addition, in what ways have you improved efficiencies in patient through-put? We have always been stringent on our cost per case. We use two major vendors for EP catheters, and get low pricing because we use two. Our turnover time and time per case is quite fast. How does your lab handle call time for staff members? We do not use an on-call system. Does your lab use a third party for reprocessing? We are single use but also recycle our catheter tips. What procedures do you perform on an outpatient basis? The vast majority of our cases in the EP lab and Operating Room are done as outpatients. Very few patients are done as inpatients — they would fit into this category only if they were transferred in from an outlying hospital. Approximately what percentage of your ablation procedures are done with cryo? We do not use cryo. Do you perform only adult EP procedures, or do you also do pediatric cases? Our state regulates us as an “adult lab”. Medical Director Ali Al-Mudamgha, MD. How are new employees oriented and trained at your facility? We use a competency-based orientation. We often say we are constantly being trained, since we learn daily. Do your nurses/techs participate in the follow up of pacemakers and ICDs? No. What types of continuing education opportunities are provided to staff members? We have a Network Resource staff that helps us with continuing education. Some of it is provided online. There is also always hands-on education. What are your thoughts about non-EPs implanting ICDs? Do you train such individuals? Our physicians do assist in training non-EPs to implant. What about device recalls? How has your lab handled these? Recalls are handled through the Operating Room and the private physician offices. How is staff competency evaluated? Competency is evaluated yearly. When our very first atrial fibrillation ablation took place in April of 2003, the procedure time was nine hours and 30 minutes. Now we perform two atrial fibrillation ablations per week. Our procedure time now is approximately two hours and 30 minutes. What committees, if any, are staff members asked to serve on in your lab? Some of the committees include Performance Improvement, Ethics, and Magnet, to name a few. Is your lab doing webbased/transtelephonic device follow-up? Our lab does not do follow-up, although our physicians are using Webbased follow-up programs in their offices. How do you handle vendor visits to your department? Do you contract with vendors? Our vendors are to be scheduled to come to the lab. For the most part, pricing is discussed with our purchasing agent. Is your EP lab currently involved in any clinical research studies or special projects? Yes. When was your last inspection by the Joint Commission? Our last inspection was in December 2007. Does your lab utilize any alternative therapies? We were one of the first labs to use Precedex® for sedation. Are you ACGME-approved for EP training? No. One of our electrophysiologists, Jamal Ahmed, MD. Please describe one of the more interesting or bizarre cases that have come through your electrophysiology lab. Over the past 10 years there have Does your lab provide any educational or support programs for patients who may have additional questions or those who may be interested in support groups? We started an ICD support group in 1998. Please tell our readers what you consider unique or innovative about your EP lab and staff. See SPOTLIGHT page 16

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EP Lab Digest - March 2008

EP Lab Digest - March 2008 ECG 101: The Case of a Dizzy Patient with a Left Bundle Branch Block Delayed Defibrillation: Research and Results Interview with Paul S. Chan, MD Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Parent Heart Watch from 36,000 Feet… Perspectives from the Annual Leadership Conference Clinical Trial Overview: 2008 Are MRI-Safe Pacemakers and Leads on the Horizon? Q & A with J. Rod Gimbel, MD Navigating Tortuous Coronary Sinus Anatomy Using a Bipolar Lead Email Discussion Group: March 2008 Guidelines on ECG Interpretation Spotlight Interview Update: What Have We Learned? The Value of Educating Staff Events Calendar Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index In Memoriam

EP Lab Digest - March 2008

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