This Week at ACC
FDA Recalls Welch Allyn PIC 50 Automated External Defibrillators
The FDA has issued a Class I recall of Welch Allyn PIC 50 Automated
External Defibrillators manufactured from March 2002 through
Oct. 2004, citing a possible electrical contact problem. According to the
recall, the problem may result in the device's failure to provide a defibrillation
shock, possibly resulting in delay or failure to resuscitate the patient.
This failure may be accompanied by various error messages on the display
panel, including the "Defib Comm" error message. For information on this
and other recalls, check out ACC's Cardiosource at: http://www.cardiosource.com/fdaalerts/index.asp.
Quality Improvement is Cornerstone of
Door-to-Balloon (D2B) Initiative
The ACC's new Door-to-Balloon (D2B) initiative aims to create
a nationwide network of hospitals and physician champions who will help
to address the challenge of meeting guidelines for D2B times. Each year
nearly 400,000 patients are admitted to U.S. hospitals with ST-elevation
myocardial infarction (STEMI), and many are treated with emergency percutaneous
coronary intervention (PCI). National ACC/AHA guidelines state that hospitals
treating STEMI patients with emergency PCI should reliably achieve a
door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes, and studies have demonstrated
strong associations between time to primary PCI and in-hospital mortality
risk. Accomplishing this level of performance is an organizational challenge
and represents an opportunity to improve the quality of patient care.
In the coming months, the ACC will reach out to chapters, members and
hospitals interested in participating in this critical program. Participants
will receive the key evidence-based strategies and supporting tools they
need to begin reducing their D2B times and will have the opportunity
to share their findings and experiences with others. Those interested
in participating or learning more about this exciting initiative should
contact Jason Byrd at jbyrd@acc.org or
Amy Stern at astern@acc.org.
IHE Workshop Focuses on Standards Harmonization
This year's "IHE Workshop 2006: Changing the Way Healthcare Connects" focused
on IHE's role in improving information technology within and across various
care settings and in realizing the vision of a connected health system.
The workshop, which took place last month in Illinois, featured keynote
speaker, John Halamka, M.D., M.S., CIO of Harvard Medical School and
chair of the Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) organized
by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
(ONCHIT). Dr. Halamka spoke to the critical importance of standards harmonization
for the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and an interoperable
care system. HITSP, of which the ACC is a founding member, is expected
to deliver recommended interoperability specifications to ONCHIT by late
September. For more information, visit: www.ihe.net and www.hitsp.org.
Evidence-based Medicine in the Palm of
your Hand
The College has extended and expanded its special offer for
ACC members on handheld devices loaded with evidence-based medicine content.
Now choose from among four different devices - the Palm T|X, Tungsten
E2, Palm LifeDrive or Treo 650 Unlocked GSM smartphone - and receive
the latest evidence-based information, including pending releases of
handheld pocket guidelines for PCI and PAD. Members can save as much
as $195 and each device includes:
- ACC/AHA Pocket Guidelines
- ACCF Clinical Trials Database (Cardiosource Member Login
Required)
- Cochrane Reviews in Heart
- Archimedes Medical Calculator
- Lifetime Technical Support
- Bonus Accessories valued over $60
Visit the following link for more information or to take advantage
of this special offer: http://acc.pdaorder.com/pdaorder/docs/specials.xml
Save the Date: Carotid Registry™ Workshop
Don't miss the ACC-NCDR® Carotid Registry™ Workshop: Strategies
that Pay Off! The workshop takes place Sept. 29 - 30, 2006, in Las Vegas,
immediately following the Vascular InterVentional Advances (VIVA) Symposium.
Workshop attendees will learn about the Carotid Registry™, how to
collect Carotid Stent and Carotid Endardectomy data via case studies,
interpret benchmark comparative reports, and improve patient care. For
updated registration information, go to: http://www.accncdr.org.
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