EP Lab Digest - April 2008 - (Page 21)

APRIL 2008 SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW 21 each staff member on call? How frequently do they have to come in, on average? Is there a particular mix of credentials needed for each call team? There is no call time, other than the day after Thanksgiving, and this is done on a volunteer basis.The labs are covered weekdays until the cases are done, usually at 18:00. A call list exists for rare emergencies. come to our SDA (same day area), where their devices are interrogated. To improve patient care, we have initiated remote follow-up in 2007 using the LATITUDE and CareLink systems. We are also currently adding Biotronik’s remote followup. Our current remote follow-up volume is approximately 25 per month, and the number is increasing each month. in the practice of electrophysiology? How is your lab preparing for these future changes? An increasing number of devices are implanted in the private sector in the United States. This allows the academic centers to further focus on complex ablations such as for atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. We have state-of-theart EP equipment with two fully current mapping systems (Carto, EnSite) with the most recent software for image integration or ultrasound guidance. We are currently integrating Hansen Medical’s remote catheter system into this workflow. A close collaboration with our industrial partners allows us to develop new software and hardware application to facilitate complex ablations. What trends do you see emerging See SPOTLIGHT page 22 Does your lab use a third party for reprocessing? Yes, we use Ascent Healthcare, but we are trending away from resterilization since the cost savings has been dwindling over the past few years. Catheter vendors have been more aggressive in providing us with better pricing, though. Approximately what percentage of your ablation procedures are done with cryo? What percentage is done with radiofrequency? Most ablations are performed with radiofrequency. Septal pathways or septal tachycardias, especially in the pediatric population, are performed with cryo. Some of our investigator-initiated research protocols also involve cryoablations. Do you perform only adult EP procedures or do you also do pediatric cases? Is there cross training for pediatric cases? Dr. Mubadda A. Salim is UMMC’s pediatric electrophysiologist. Approximately 20 cases per year are brought up to the adult EP lab. Pediatric anesthesia is used for these cases; adult EP fellows scrub in and the adult EP attendings act as resources. RN staff are used only as circulators. Do your nurses/techs participate in the follow up of pacemakers and ICDs? If so, how many device visits per week do they handle? Do you use any particular software for follow up? How many of your ICD/pacemaker patients require a doctor for their visits? The Device Clinic is held every Wednesday from Noon to 4:30pm. Staff rotate through the clinic, where about 20-25 patients are seen. All patients in the clinic are examined by a physician. Patients can also http://www.cardiostim.fr http://www.cardiostim.fr http://www.cardiostim.fr

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

EP Lab Digest - April 2008 Pediatric Electrophysiology Medical Relief Work on the Yucatan Peninsula: A Labor of Love EP 101: Considerations for the Elderly EP Patient Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: University of Maryland A Summary of the ACC/AHA/Physician Consortium 2008 Clinical Performance Measures for Adults with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter Can Psychosocial Characteristics Predict Fatal Outcomes in Patients? Interview with Jonathan S. Steinberg, MD, FACC 10-Minute Interview: Diane D. Sheffield, RN, BSN AED Access for All: An Organization for SCA Survivors New Column: 5 Quick Clues to AV Nodal Reentry Tachycardia CMS 2008 OPPS Final Rule Review New Online AED and CPR Training Opportunities: Q & A with Keith Weaver Highlights from the 5th Annual International Arrhythmia Winter School Email Discussion Group Events Calendar Second Annual Salary Survey Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index

EP Lab Digest - April 2008

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