Medaxiom Blog

Part 1 of the Private Equity Blog Series Introduction Private equity (PE)-backed deals are not a new phenomenon in healthcare (Figure 1). For years, PE has played a significant role in ophthalmology, orthopedics, emergency medicine and GI, to name a few specialties. Changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules have allowed cardiovascular procedures such as cardiac catheterizations to be performed within ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and other procedures like ablations could potentially be added to the ASC setting. Additionally, the CMS strategy has been to shift most historically hospital-based care and procedures to outpatient settings, reducing costs and benefitting the patient and provider experiences. Because of these changes, PE has shifted its focus from other specialties to cardiology groups in recent years.

Innovation. The word is everywhere these days, and it would be difficult to find a company that isn’t “committed” to innovation. It would be a shame if the term went the way of other buzz words like “synergy” and “optimize” — catchy and exciting, but devoid of any real meaning.

The 2023 Cardiovascular Provider Compensation and Production Survey Report, which published right before CV Transforum Fall’23, provided much needed reassurance that the field of cardiology has entered a more stable path after years of turmoil surrounding the pandemic and the “Great Resignation.” Creating the report is a massive team effort and the entire MedAxiom team was relieved to see that metrics across all of cardiology were relatively stable between 2021 and 2022 – a welcome state of being after so much change.

RoundTable Strategic Solutions powers MedAxiom Talent Solutions, which connects healthcare organizations with seasoned cardiovascular experts backed by the entire MedAxiom team.

"We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right." ― Martin Luther King Jr. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death in the U.S. alone and "claims over 650,000 lives annually and puts a huge strain on the health care system and the economy, both in terms of cost of care, and lost productivity."1 Of that number, people of color have disproportionately suffered increased morbidity and mortality from CVD, reminding us that social injustices and racial inequities continue to influence disease burden and our overall healthcare system.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives, influencing various fields including cardiovascular medicine. AI has demonstrated exceptional potential to revolutionize the field of diagnostic imaging. The remarkable design of computer systems equipped with the human-like capacity to perform repetitive tasks without fatigue has positioned AI as a transformative force in cardiovascular imaging. Through meticulous training of advanced algorithms, these digital marvels analyze medical images with unparalleled precision, providing healthcare professionals with the means to swiftly diagnose and effectively treat heart conditions. This blog post is intended to demystify the ascent of AI in diagnostic cardiovascular imaging, shedding light on its remarkable trajectory.

I’ve worked in the healthcare field for more than 20 years – most of them in cardiovascular and surgical practices. But I’ve never seen anything like what is happening in the current workforce. Sure – the pandemic changed the way that we think about our jobs. But when the job is caring for patients who need their providers, it’s important to have a solid plan in place for recruiting and retaining staff.

In today's rapidly evolving world, continuous learning and professional development are essential for success. As an avid learner, I had the pleasure of participating in two remarkable events this year: the online Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program, an exclusive partnership between Wharton Online and MedAxiom, and the highly acclaimed in-person Wharton Leadership Conference. In this blog, I will highlight the indelible impact of two programs on my professional growth. This educational pairing offers an exceptional opportunity for learning, networking and career advancement.

We recently went shopping for a new grill, not because we wanted to, but because we had to. The final blow came when our son lifted the grill lid to load some kebobs and couldn't hide the disgusted look on his face. We knew the grill was nearing the end of its life – grates and burners rusted past the point of salvage – but our inertia and inattention to its sorry state had yet to be acknowledged publicly.

In recent years, computerized tomography (CT) has emerged as a rapid and accurate non-invasive cardiac imaging modality. Access to this type of imaging has changed the landscape of how providers can get a closer look at the heart and has become a valuable diagnostic tool in their toolkit. Unfortunately, it has also led to confusion on which CT is the right test for the patient. When a provider looks at the different exams in the electronic health record (EHR), the options can muddy the water. For cardiac alone, one can see single photon emission computed tomography with computed tomography (SPECT/CT), positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CT), cardiac calcium scoring, cardiac perfusion CT, cardiac CT for structural heart, coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and CCTA with fractional flow reserve (FFR). In this blog, we will explore the different types of CT in the cardiac space.