Practice Management

We are seeing renewed interest in performing Cardiac CTA in the IP and ED setting.    There is some information that this is new push from cardiologists and hospital administration to decrease ED LOS.  We performed this service in OP setting a decade ago before it fell into disfavor.  Still do calcium scores.   The training curve is  something like 8-10 hours didactic and then 50 proctored cases.   

1) Is your practice offering CCTA 24/7 or being asked to begin offering?

2) If yes, what is your experience so far with radiologist staffing in the ED

3) Any insights to share on what you've learned?

thank you, and sorry if I missed earlier discussions on this.

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Beth Williams MHA, FACMPE, FRBMA
Executive Director
Vantage Radiology and Diagnostic Services
Federal Way WA
(253) 661-1700 ext. 1105
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Hi Beth,

I missed this thread earlier. The "CCTA First Pathway" growth over the past year has been in the PFS setting with outpatients. While HeartFlow is in 600+ hospitals, and some use it in the ED, most OPPS customers are scanning OPs. Most of our Radiology groups do not have enough cardiac bench strength to enable CCTA interpretation 24x7. All the growth and carrots from the payers are steering everything to the PFS setting, so it is a great time to be a Rad Group with high-end CTs. Your Medicare rates for 2024 are $379.69 for CCTA and $1,077.74 for FFRct. The adoption of CCTA First in the West was delayed bc of Noridian, the Stable Chest Pain Guidelines changed Jan 2022, and Noridian was 12 months behind all other MACs

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Jordan Halter
Strategic & National Team
Heartflow
Mountain View CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-25-2023 12:47
From: Beth Williams
Subject: CCTA

We are seeing renewed interest in performing Cardiac CTA in the IP and ED setting.    There is some information that this is new push from cardiologists and hospital administration to decrease ED LOS.  We performed this service in OP setting a decade ago before it fell into disfavor.  Still do calcium scores.   The training curve is  something like 8-10 hours didactic and then 50 proctored cases.   

1) Is your practice offering CCTA 24/7 or being asked to begin offering?

2) If yes, what is your experience so far with radiologist staffing in the ED

3) Any insights to share on what you've learned?

thank you, and sorry if I missed earlier discussions on this.

------------------------------
Beth Williams MHA, FACMPE, FRBMA
Executive Director
Vantage Radiology and Diagnostic Services
Federal Way WA
(253) 661-1700 ext. 1105
------------------------------