In an effort to improve patient safety and utilization of resources, hospitals continue to research and implement various types of information technology. In particular, radio frequency identification (RFID) has been gaining traction in hospitals as a way to streamline processes for patient identification, tracking equipment, e-pedigrees for pharmaceuticals, as well as monitoring items in the supply chain. After discovering the benefits of RFID, many healthcare organizations are now utilizing the technology as a means to provide critical information in a timely manner, assisting hospital admi

In this time of terrorism and threats of danger in all areas of our life, do we consider the possibility of sabotage occurring in the cardiac catheterization laboratory? Sabotage is a word used to describe when disgruntled workers damage or destroy equipment and supplies or interfere with the smooth running of a workplace. These negative activities can be carried out as part of an organized group, or be the action of one or a few workers in response to personal grievances. Is the cardiac cath lab a target for sabotage?

Sabotage is an old word given to us by the French to describe workers st

Barbara, in addition to your position as executive director of Bethesda Heart Institute (BHI), what other management is in place?

Barbara: Right now BHI has an assistant nurse manager for the admission/recovery area (ARU), and Tracy Justice is the assistant nurse manager for the cath lab and electrophysiology procedures (EP) area. Prior to the opening of the Heart Institute, the hospital did not have open-heart services or an interventional laboratory. Bethesda Memorial Hospital originally had a 300-procedure diagnostic catheterization laboratory (cath lab).

The hospital actually began t

Achieving vascular closure after diagnostic or interventional angiography continues to be a challenging process for catheterization laboratory staff and patients alike. Use of manual compression is time-consuming and often uncomfortable for patients, although it remains the “gold standard” for safety and cost. Use of vascular closure devices (VCDs) promises immediate closure, but complication rates can be higher and complications more severe than with manual compression,1–6 and patient comfort can suffer when VCDs are deployed. An optimal approach to achieving hemostasis and vascular clo

In today’s healthcare marketplace, physicians are more time-challenged than ever, especially within the cardiovascular specialty. Patients are older, many have complex conditions and the shortage of heart and vascular doctors is affecting care delivery overall. Fewer physicians are expected to treat larger numbers of patients, while traveling to multiple hospital sites in some cases. Indeed, clinical pressures, private-practice duties and personal responsibilities make requesting additional time commitments from physicians extremely difficult.

Nevertheless, engaging physicians to perform

Everyone has those moments in their life when they question the career path they have chosen.

As much as I have adored my career in invasive cardiology, even I have doubted my path at times. I believe the doubt comes from the nature of the work (the long hours, the missed lunches and late-night calls) and seldom from the environment, despite the chaotic schedule. I have been blessed with supportive work environments that have allowed me to pursue development outside of the hospital walls. If you are in a similar situation, consider making the most of your diverse work experience and continu

Write a 2-to-3 sentence biography that introduces you personally and professionally.

I started my career in healthcare as a radiologic technologist (RT). I cross-trained in special procedures and found that I loved invasive procedures. I wanted to increase my knowledge of nursing care and pharmacology, which led me back to nursing school. I then transferred from the special procedures area to the catheterization laboratory, which allowed me to gain extensive nursing experience while still utilizing my radiology background. I was encouraged by my supervisor in the cath lab to sit for the reg

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare angiographic finding with a female preponderance and is usually associated with the peripartum period, cocaine use, severe hypertension or physical stress.1 The markedly heightened coronary sheer stress associated with the above conditions is undoubtedly a major etiologic mechanism. Not infrequently, patients present with dramatic clinical and hemodynamic compromise. Aliyary et al reported a woman with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock at 36 weeks of pregnancy. With intra-aortic balloon pump-assisted hemodynamic support, s

Time to Update Scheduling Methods

Whiteboards and schedule books have long been the mainstay of cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) scheduling, but with the advent of less costly PC-based systems, cardiology departments can now display procedure schedules locally or over the Internet. Communication of real-time procedure schedules helps all concerned parties stay informed regarding the status of procedures in process, and keeps the catheterization schedule transparent for improved physician relations.

Optimum Scheduling System

An optimum system for scheduling proced

Reams of Data Spanning Months, Years, Decades – Managing Patient Information for Anticoagulation Therapy Is the Final
Frontier in Multidisciplinary CV Solutions

When Cardiovascular Services, the Pharmacy and the HealthCare Improvement Division (HID) at PeaceHealth-St. John Medical Center implemented an electronic information system in our Anticoagulation Clinic in 2007, we did more than consolidate patient data. We enabled better clinical care by making a conscious effort to institute a coordinated, collaborative delivery model. Now our clinicians spend less time on administrati