What is Mechanical Thrombectomy? Mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure that uses a device to remove blood clots from a blocked blood vessel, is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. It still remains, however, severely underutilized in 2023. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and the majority of strokes…
My Electrophysiology Story I remember the first time I saw a permanent pacemaker being placed in a cardiac cath lab by a cardiologist. At that time, it was fairly interesting given for many years these devices were implanted by a surgeon within the walls of an operating room! Boy, how times have changed. As we…
Ambulatory Surgery Center and Hospital Joint Ventures A global pandemic and economic downturn did not stop the proliferation of joint ventures between ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospitals. The trend continues as federal regulators expand on the types of procedures that can be performed in the ambulatory setting. Hospitals recognize the need for a surgery…
Why a Perioperative Assessment is Right for 2023 Hospitals are facing challenging economic times following the COVID Pandemic, including shrinking reimbursements, and an increasing number of patients on Medicare as the population ages. The Operating Room (OR) is typically the largest revenue generator for a hospital, though it is also a significant cost center that…
Nearing Year End– A Few Random Thoughts As we approach year-end 2022, a few random thoughts come to mind….one is heartwarming, and the other makes me chuckle! The heartwarming story jumps to mind as we are in the thick of this holiday season. I thought of a client this weekend as I challenged my granddaughter…
Cardiac Care Excellence Awards Twenty-six Corazon, Inc. partner hospitals were recently bestowed a “Cardiac Care Excellence Award” by Healthgrades as part of their annual Specialty Excellence Awards. This award serves to recognize hospitals “that deliver superior patient outcomes in heart bypass surgery, coronary interventional procedures, heart attack treatment, heart failure treatment, and heart valve surgery.”…
Open-Heart Surgery: A Cornerstone Cardiovascular Program Open-heart surgery (OHS) has long been a cornerstone of cardiovascular patient care as it encompasses some of the most clinically complex procedures that can be performed to support, renew, or improve heart function in patients. The term typically includes coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and surgical heart valve replacement…
Treating Peripheral Vascular Disease Within the past 30-40 years, there has been a technological revolution in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry has not always kept up with the advancements in care and in some areas, has fallen far below the potential level that is achievable. The impact on the industry…
The Importance of Discharge Medications When I look back at my career, there are certain patients that stood out. Notably, these patients were “repeat customers” who would return periodically with in-stent restenosis or progressed disease. I would wonder why some patients never seemed to require additional treatments while others routinely came back… After conversing with…
The introduction of cardiopulmonary bypass in the 1950s revolutionized the field of cardiac surgery. Fast forward to today and we are seeing how technology, innovation, and consumer demand drive the move towards less invasive methods of treatment. This move does not represent a decline in cardiac surgery, but an evolution in the way health care…
