Contact: Margo Wald, margo@skyscape.com, 508-460-6500, ext. 134

Marlborough, Mass—Skyscape®, the worldwide leading service for trusted medical information by specialty for mobile devices, announces a new mobile software tool that helps clinicians assess the appropriateness of ordering specific imaging diagnostics (SPECT MPI) for patients who have or are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) jointly developed the appropriateness criteria by blending evidence-based information and clinical experience, to enable a more efficient and equitable allocation of healthcare resources.  Skyscape’s convenient mobile implementation on PDAs and Smart phones makes it quick and easy for clinicians to receive a clear indication as to whether a particular patient would benefit from diagnostic tests and procedures, using simple inputs based on clinical presentation and patient characteristics.

Robert C. Hendel, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.S.N.C., a member of the Appropriateness Criteria Working Group said, "We hope that this will provide the practicing cardiologist with the kind of assistance needed to assess test utilization. The collaboration between the ACC and Skyscape is a partnership that will ultimately serve the best interests of our patients. We are pleased with efforts like this, as these are certain to facilitate the clinical implementation of the Appropriateness Criteria."

The ACC SPECT MPI Appropriateness tool complements Skyscape’s Cardiology Constellation, which offers a broad spectrum of information for cardiologists; covering drug information, clinical resources, ACC guidelines, continuing medical education (CME) activities, scoring calculators, MedLine channel as well as MedAlert™ delivering up-to-the-minute information on clinical trials, journal summaries and drug labeling changes and recalls.

Jack Lewin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Cardiology, said, “As the professional home of our nation’s cardiologists, the ACC is in a unique position to provide our members with reliable information and assessment of their clinical performance. Skyscape has created an outstanding product that benefits all clinicians that treat cardiac patients – specialists and primary care physicians alike.  This new product makes our SPECT imaging appropriateness criteria accessible and easy-to-use every time a physician has a question about utilization.”

The ACC SPECT MPI Appropriateness Tool joins the existing array of ACCF Guidelines and ACCF Clinical Trials database offered in desktop and mobile format by Skyscape, divided in convenient packages for Arrhythmias, General Cardiology, Interventional/Surgical & Vascular groups.   These implementations have been popular among physicians as they are fully integrated into the overall Skyscape portfolio using Skyscape’s patented SmartLink™ and Knowtify™ technologies.

“We are excited to launch this innovative tool in partnership with ACC, reinforcing our continued commitment to support physicians,” said Sandeep Shah, president and CEO of Skyscape.  “The Skyscape platform has been designed to take static information and make it actionable in a fast-paced environment.  The deployment of this tool for cardiac care validates the strength of our technology, by harnessing the trusted content from ACC/ASNC.   We are pleased with the tool’s user-friendly interface that guides physicians, sparing them from the complexity of algorithms and evidence-based reports. This is ultimately beneficial in creating healthcare efficiencies, without constraining the crucial role of physicians or compromising patient care.”

The SPECT MPI Appropriateness Tool is available for free download at the Skyscape website www.skyscape.com/spectmpi.

 

About Skyscape
Skyscape® is the worldwide leading service for trusted medical information by specialty for mobile devices. Skyscape's service enables healthcare practitioners to tailor their experience from the most trusted medical information available and delivers it in an intuitive manner that supports the natural thought flow for diagnosis and treatment. Skyscape has a registered user base of over 750,000 medical practitioners. Its more than 500 trusted references cover 30+ medical specialties. All are integrated via Skyscape's easy-to-use SmartLinkTM technology and are available on Palm OS®, Windows® Mobile and Windows® powered desktop, BlackBerry®, iPhone, Nokia and Tablet PCs. Skyscape is a privately held company headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts. For more information on Skyscape and its service go to www.skyscape.com or call 508-460-6500.

About the American College of Cardiology:
The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The College is a 34,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care.

< Back to Listings