Cath Lab Digest

Maury Regional Medical Center is also unique in that we have one cardiology group that is very dedicated to cardiology services in the hospital. The group covers all cardiac-related consults for both inpatients and referrals. They read all stress tests, EKGs and echos performed in the facility. The cardiologists also provide coverage for the CardioPulmonary Rehab department.

Is there a problem or challenge your lab has faced?

Being a community hospital, it is a challenge to stay competitive with larger metropolitan medical centers within our area. Maury Regional Medical Center has addressed this challenge by striving to be the best, not only in our region or state, but the best in the country. Our motto is “Extraordinary People, Extraordinary Care.”

What’s special about your city or general regional area in comparison to the rest of the U.S.? How does it affect your “cath lab culture”?

Being in the southern U.S., the diet is not as healthy as it should be, and in turn, most of the patient population we care for is overweight. A healthier city would see fewer patients, but there is only so much exercise one can do; ultimately, it is all about the genes.

The following two questions are courtesy of the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP):

Do you require your clinical staff members to take the registry exam for Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS)? Does staff receive an incentive bonus or raise upon passing the exam?

No, the exam is not required. If staff chooses to take the exam and become registered, incentives are available.

Are your clinical and/or managerial team members involved with any professional organizations that support the invasive cardiology service line, such as the SICP, ACVP, or regional organizations?

We do have one team member involved with the SICP.

New! A question from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry:

How do you use the NCDR Outcome Reports to drive QI initiatives at your facility?

The NCDR reports are reviewed quarterly with the staff and with the cardiologists. It is also discussed in our Chest Pain Committee meetings. This data provides a guide for best practice. Even though we review every STEMI case, this data drives our quality initiatives. Specifically, the team has worked on decreasing the door-to-balloon times, arrival time for STEMIs from transferring facility, decreasing post procedure complications, and decreasing patient length of stay.

*RCVT is the previous name for the registered cardiovascular invasive specialist (RCIS) credential offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International.

Valerie Yeiser can be contacted at vyeiser@mauryregional.com