Cardiovascular Business - September/October 2008 - (Page 13) areas more precisely than before,” he notes. In four to five hours, a cardiologist can make precise burns with ablation equipment and cure the problem of atrial fibrillation. Shorter procedure times translate into increased volume, according to D. Scott Kirby, MD, of Cardiology Associates, who reports performing anywhere from 35 to 50 ablation procedures per month and has done more than 60 atrial fibrillation ablations this year alone. The EnSite system maps the electrical activity of the heart, localizing and visualizing electrophysiology catheters in real-time, creating 3D displays of cardiac anatomy and arrhythmias and enabling the navigation of non-proprietary catheters without the use of fluoroscopy. “We are able to much more Since Cardiology associates in mobile, ala., acquired a Ge LightSpeed VCt three years ago, they have precisely locate, with single heartbeats, performed more than 4,300 coronary Ct angiography scans, and total procedure volume has grown 10 where the irregularities are, and go in percent per year since the first year. and burn that area,” says Kirby. “There are new technologies being developed all the time, but it is the combination of new tech90-minute parameters, according to Deible. She attributes this nologies and the people who use them that make the difference,” to the dedicated effort by a special collaborative team that reChunn concludes. views core measure data to identify shortcomings. “Couple this with prompt identification of a STEMI via notification from the field ECG monitors and quick cath lab access via a 24/7 ‘one-callD2B times and hybrid labs does-all’ physician phone line and you have the makings of a sucThe NIH Heart Center at the 228-bed, acute-care Suburban cessful D2B program,” Deible says. Hospital in Bethesda, Md., provides cardiac surgery, elective and The growth of the cardiac program at Suburban is largely atemergency angioplasty as well as inpatient, diagnostic and rehatributed to the combination of non-invasive imaging modalities, bilitation services to the surrounding Montgomery County. The electrophysiology and hybrid labs that incorporate peripheral arsenal of technology offered is provided in an environment that and interventional technology and procedures. combines high tech with high touch, says Regina Deible, RN. Larger facilities, i.e., 1,000 beds or more, are usually privy to In the last month, the center has met its 90-minute door-tothe newest technologies as they enter the market. But not every balloon time 100 percent of the time. Since opening two years small, community-based hospital has the capability to offer a full ago, the center has been running at 85 to 90 percent of the CardiovascularBusiness.com Cardiovascular Business 13 http://CardiovascularBusiness.com
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