Chris Cole

This all-day abstract poster session featured researchers presenting results of studies focused on such topics as atrial fibrillation following pulmonary transplantation, use of Digoxin in atrial fibrillation, supplementation of Omega 3 PUFA plus antioxidante vitamins to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation, and the impact of hypothyroidism on atrial fibrillation treatment strategy outcomes. The results are highlighted here.

This abstract oral session featured top cardiology researchers who were given a mere 15 minutes to review the highlights of their most recent work. The reasons for their studies and what they found are covered below.

Drs. Akar, Knight, and Mithilesh presented several case studies to help explain key procedures and techniques in the management of arrhythmias after ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Two studies presented during this abstract poster session focused on atrial fibrillation; the key points from both are covered here.

This poster presentation, part of the “Ion Channels and Cardiac Rhythm” abstract poster session, reviewed the results of study that Daniel Bartos and colleagues conducted in order to determine the mutation behind the development of familial atrial fibrillation (FAF2 and long QT syndromes (LQT1).

This heavily trafficked poster session featured posters focused on left atrial pressure waveform analysis, intracardiac echocardiography, pressure-guided cryoballon isolation of the pulmonary veins, radiofrequency ablation, atrial fibrillation due to mitral valve disease, a non-contact mapping system, and the mechanism of chronic atrial fibrillation. MDNG had the pleasure of meeting with some of the presenters, and summaries of their posters are provided below.

This brief presentation (roughly 25 minutes)—part of the “Groundbreaking Studies in the Practice of Cardiovascular Medicine: Circulation Editors’ Choices” session—featured Stefan H. Hohnloser, MD, who presented the results of a study that were published in the February 12, 2009 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

A handful of abstracts were presented during this session, focusing on the link between fibromyalgia fatigue and kynurenine pathway activity, glutamate in the anterior insula, the effects of fatigue on response to pain, and neurocortical representation of locus of control in patients with fibromyalgia.

During this hour-and-one-half concurrent abstract session, moderated by Jennifer M. Hootman, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atalanta, GA, a half-dozen abstracts were presented, focusing on health-related quality of life among adults with arthritis, the impact of arthritis and other chronic conditions on community participation, quality of non-pharmacologic care for patients with osteoarthritis, social network support, and restrictions in participating in life situations among patients with RA.

Among the numerous posters on display under the "Fibromyalgia and Soft Tissue Disorders" heading on day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions were posters focused on the development of a fibromyalgia (FM) responder index, anxiety and depression among patients with FM, tai chi as an effective treatment of FM, and sex differences in predictors of increased symptoms after exercise and sleep restriction in patients with such chronic pain disorders as fibromyalgia.

In this intimate session, discussion focused on the most recent thoughts regarding the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and related disorders.

Dozens of posters were presented under the "Fibromyalgia and Soft Tissue Disorders" umbrella during the morning of day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions. Among the highlights are the following.

Dahl and Rahman sought to help attendees analyze performance systems management and apply applications to their practice, establish core measurements and define collection processes, and compare improvement tools, such as root-cause analysis and “what-if” analyses.

Anne Huben-Kearney, vice president, risk management, ProMutual Group, Boston, MA, today presented “EMR with Clinical Risk Management = Patient Safety: A Model for Success.” We spoke with her to learn about her experiences working with a health information exchange and professional liability carrier and how and why risk management components can and should be implemented into an EMR.

Although private practices are usually using debt financing because they don’t have the funds, hospitals do have the funds. And if you don’t join them, they’ll go buy their own physician who is in your specialty.

This session focuses on the recently released ICD-10 regulation and its impact on your practice. This session addresses critical issues such as practice compliance dates; the intersection of ICD-10 and the latest version of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) electronic transactions standards; how physician practices can address the many challenges ICD-10 will bring in the areas of payer contracting, encounter documentation, staff training, research and benchmarking data, and software modifications; and how to work with vendors and payers to comply with this mandate.

Decision-making in medical practices is often stalled by competing interests, conflicting goals and misunderstandings. In this session, you will learn from real-life examples why impasses occur and the problems they create for physicians, staff and patients. You will discover how to gain agreement through using a voting matrix and how to test alternatives and devise voting options. In addition, you will learn the role of confidentiality in protecting future working relationships in the medical practice.

Dr. Michelle Koury began her session by explaining the goals of her session: to help attendees learn to organize leadership to pursue and achieve accreditation, apply strategies and tools to assist in accreditation success, and understand the organizational, financial, regulatory, and political advantages of accreditation.

The uninsured, higher co-pays and consumer-directed plans are changing the dynamics of the physician economic relationship. Patients seek less costly care while others approach decisions in consumer retail mode. Fortunately these trends are spurring adoption of Internet tools that deliver accessible, affordable and convenient care. Physicians easily interact online with patients on non-urgent symptoms. Point-of-service and self-service capabilities drive collections and develop payment plans. Testimonials illuminate the convergence of clinical and financial Web tools translated to savings and better outcomes.

As medical groups feel more pressure from the government, payers and other third parties to get health information online as part of emerging performance-based reimbursement programs, many providers are challenged with how best to automate their practices and adequately participate in these programs. This session will explore how some of the country's largest academic medical groups to solo practices to emerging care deliver organizations, like retail clinical, are now leveraging software-enabled services (SeS) in order to better document and report clinical and financial data as part of performance-based reimbursement initiatives.

While always uncertain, the future seems more so in economic hard times. How can you know how best to respond to changes in patient volume or reimbursement?

There remains a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the economic stimulus package incentives and the steps practices must take to receive these incentives. This session will provide an overview of HIT, EHR and TeleHealth incentives related to the stimulus package and prepare practices for what they must do to adopt and "meaningfully use" certified EHRs . An HIT and government affairs expert will help create a roadmap for the term "meaningful use" and inform practices on how to follow this map.

Unexpected technology applications are transforming daily practice—everything from how you search for clinical information to how you share and store your data.

Unexpected technology applications are transforming daily practice—everything from how you search for clinical information to how you share and store your data.

Unexpected technology applications are transforming daily practice—everything from how you search for clinical information to how you share and store your data.

Unexpected technology applications are transforming daily practice—everything from how you search for clinical information to how you share and store your data.

Unexpected technology applications are transforming daily practice—everything from how you search for clinical information to how you share and store your data.

Medtronic’s Reclaim Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy became the first deep brain stimulation device approved by the FDA to treat a psychiatric condition.

Researchers have modified a plant virus to create "smart bombs" that deliver chemotherapy agents only to specific cells, without harming surrounding tissue.

Data presented at the AACR conference showed that more than 1 million cancer survivors in the US are foregoing medical care that they feel is necessary because of costs.