The holiday season is here, often seen as a time of joy and celebration; however, it can also be a period of significant stress for many people. The pressure to meet social expectations, financial strain, and the hectic holiday preparations can negatively impact our mental and physical health, especially our cardiovascular health. Consider the Holiday…
When determining growth strategies for cardiovascular and thoracic programs and services within your hospital or hospital system, it’s crucial to assess the demographic and competitive healthcare landscape of your service delivery area. Understanding the community (market) needs and determining the appropriate number of providers to support growth strategies is foundational. One approach involves utilizing specific…
As a consultant, I often evaluate cardiovascular services. Whether it is a large academic medical center with more than 1,000 beds, offering a full suite of cardiac services including complex cardiovascular surgery, or a small community hospital with less than 100 beds, offering limited cardiac services. The goal is always the same – to provide…
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of co-presenting with Dr. Arnold Seto, Cath Lab Director, Long Beach VA Medical Center, Private Practitioner, Cardiovascular Care Inc., Professor of Medicine, Charles Drew University, Associate Professor of Medicine, UC-Irvine, and Treasurer, SCAI at our spring conference in Scottsdale, AZ. We began our conversation with what’s in and…
Although Heart Month is coming to an end, it doesn’t mean you should stop being on top of your heart health! We all assume having a dog would help your health; you go for more walks, you get a sense of purpose, and you get more human interaction. But could your furry friend help with…
I have a close family member who took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with heart failure. He had an active and vibrant lifestyle that suddenly became a series of doctor’s appointments, medications, and lifestyle adjustments. Despite his best efforts, his health continued to deteriorate, and he eventually had to have an ICD implant.…
Every year, as many as 400,000 patients will undergo major cardiac surgery operations with anywhere from 0.7% to 8% experiencing post-surgery cardiac arrest requiring resuscitation. Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) continues to be the standard approach in the management of those experiencing cardiac arrest. While it can be an effective approach it is not the…
Surgical Evaluation of Geriatric Patients by Dr. Steven Harrington: The heart, a remarkable organ that beats tirelessly throughout our lives, requires specialized care as we age. Ensuring its health means not only practicing heart-healthy lifestyle measures but also understanding the unique challenges the geriatric heart faces, particularly when surgical interventions come into play. In…
The Relationship Between Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Cardiac Surgery Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in 15% to 50% of adults undergoing cardiac surgery. The definition of AKI is defined by a 0.3mg/dL or 50% increase in serum creatinine from the patients’ baseline or oliguria. After using a comprehensive review of the literature, including pharmacologic…
Choosing the Right Delivery Model Traditionally, vascular and cardiac procedures were performed in hospital-based operating rooms or specialized interventional suites. However, advancements in technology and changes in healthcare delivery models have led to the emergence of Office-based labs (OBL) and ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) as an alternative setting for certain procedures. The concept of office-based…
