Choosing to staff a cath lab at a bare minimum, in terms of personnel and skill levels, is not sufficient to meet the variable demands placed on this department and the healthcare needs of its patients. To avoid such a scenario, cath labs should have a specific staffing plan in place to improve retention, encourage training and continuing education, drive recruitment based on facility needs, and outline the staffing ratios and required skills needed to safely and efficiently operate the cath lab. The staffing plan should take into consideration the size of the facility, type of procedures bein

A Community “Blessing”

Blessing Hospital is a 426-bed community-based healthcare organization in Quincy, Illinois. Quincy may be a town with a population of just 42,000, but it is the primary medical hub for a region comprised of nearly 400,000 people living in west central Illinois, northeast Missouri, and southwest Iowa. Because its service area includes 18 counties, Blessing Hospital developed a system for one-call referral, public education, and standardization of treatment protocols for the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The program, called

I have lived and worked in the New Orleans area my entire life. I am truly blessed to be part of a wonderful family. My loving wife Charlotte is always there to give me support when it is needed. We are blessed with two great children: Alec (age 12) and Kyle (age 9). As a family, we love to do outdoor activities such as camping and traveling whenever possible. You have to have a special family to endure the on-call cath lab requirements.

I am a 1996 graduate of Louisiana State University Medical Center (LSUMC) with a bachelor’s degree in cardiopulmonary science. I received my registry as

In this issue of Cath Lab Digest, Dr. William Fearon from Stanford University talks about the FAME (Fractional flow reserve vs. Angiography in Multivessel Evaluation) study1 and how using fractional flow reserve (FFR) with a pressure wire was a highly successful approach to cost-effective stenting in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to using traditional angiography alone. FAME fits with cost-effective healthcare in a big way.

How does FAME make percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cost effective?

First, what does cost-effective health care mean?

The Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP) maintains that all invasive cardiovascular professionals should demonstrate knowledge and competence through education and certification in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and achievement of the invasive cardiovascular credentials Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS). The RCIS credential offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) has been recognized as the cardiac catheterization laboratory credential of choice by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and by the Society for Cardiovascular

I am someone currently embarking on the CVT/Physician Extender career path. I was military trained as a cardiovascular specialist and I have my hands in both echo and the cath lab, which includes EP and pacemaker insertion.

Upon my exiting of the military and re-joining civilian life, I have been extremely dissatisfied with the lack of the opportunity for me to perform both tasks, as I love both. My peers and physicians alike have been encouraging a physician’s assistant (PA) path for me and I have been very receptive to this idea, but my only catch is that I want cardiology only. I do

Multiple new and ongoing questions from readers. Your responses are welcome!

Answer or pose a question at cathlabdigest@aol.com

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Time-Out Information

At LaPorte Hospital cath lab, we perform a “time-out” at the beginning of every case. Patient information includes: patient name, DOB, MR#, procedure being performed, and physician performing the procedure. Is this enough information for time-out or is there additional information that needs to be stated? Should we also be addressing if antibiotics were administered or fluids for irrigatio

Vascular Solutions Launches the Gopher™ Gold Catheter

Vascular Solutions, Inc. announces the availability of the Gopher™ Gold catheter, a support catheter with a twist for treating coronary and peripheral stenoses. A new and improved design of the original Gopher, the Gopher Gold is designed for use when treating coronary and peripheral stenoses over an existing in-place 0.014” guidewire. The Gopher Gold catheter combines a highly torqueable, braided backbone with a 3F, highly radiopaque gold-plated distal tip, resulting in a catheter that can pull itself across a stenoses wh

Congratulations!

The North Shore Medical Center (Salem, MA) cardiac cath-EP lab clinical staff are demonstrating their commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in patient care. We congratulate three of our cath lab staff:

• Matthew Manuppelli, RT(R), CI, RCIS for successfully passing the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist exam offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International;

• Melinda Lyon, RCIS, RDCS(AE), RCES for successfully passing the Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist exam offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International;

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