VA telestroke program prevents unnecessary hospital transfers and improves rural outcomes

A new study of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Telestroke Program shows the program prevents unnecessary hospital transfers for stroke patients and increases outcomes for patients at rural VA clinics.

VIDEO: Cardiac CT now recommended as a front-line chest pain assessment tool

Leslee Shaw, PhD, and former presidents of both SCCT and ASNC discusses the role of CT and FFR-CT in the 2021 chest pain guidelines. Leslie Shaw.

Leslee Shaw, PhD, director of the Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and former president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), explains the role of cardiac computed tomography (CT) in the recent 2021 chest pain guidelines.

American Society of Nuclear Cardiology urges Congress to speed prior authorizations, repeal AUC mandate 

The ASNC is one of several medical imaging societies asking Congress to repeal the appropriate use criteria (AUC) criteria mandate. They say it poses issues for clinicians and is becoming outdated by changes in CMS payment systems. The AUC requirements call for documentation using CVMS authorized software in order to show advanced imaging such as nuclear and CT is justified, or else Medicare payments might be withheld.
The ASNC is one of several medical imaging societies asking Congress to repeal the appropriate use criteria (AUC) criteria mandate. They say it poses issues for clinicians and is becoming outdated by changes in CMS payment systems. The AUC requirements call for documentation using CVMS authorized software in order to show advanced imaging such as nuclear and CT is justified, or else Medicare payments might be withheld.

Over the past few weeks, members of ASNC’s Health Policy Committee have held meetings with their members of Congress.