Dr. Joseph Marine, MD

Health systems have gotten very good at collecting patient data, but extracting the right insights from that ocean of information has proven to be a challenge. In the latest Cardiac Wire Show, Tempus AI’s Chris Scotto DiVetta explores how AI-based analysis of ECG and EHR data can help identify more at-risk patients and bridge gaps in cardiovascular care pathways. Tune in to learn more!

Cardiology Policy

ABMS Rejects Independent CV Board, Doesn’t Explain Why

In a move that could mark a serious setback for independent cardiology certification, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) denied the joint ACC/AHA/HRS/SCAI/HFSA request to launch a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine.

• Cardiologists currently receive board certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), but many feel the process wastes their time and money with few benefits.
• However, as cardiology becomes increasingly more complex and specialized, the argument is growing beyond convenience and now focuses on advancements that have made cardiology independent from internal medicine. 

Pushing for independence since 2023, the new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine would have been completely independent of the ABIM and focused solely on the certification processes for U.S. cardiologists and other CV specialists.

• Instead of granting ABCVM’s wish, ABMS openly rejected it, with no commentary or reasoning as to why.

One potential answer why? CV certification is a cash cow for ABIM when you look at the first time licensing fees and all of the annual maintenance charges that follow:

• As it stands, cardiologists are forced to fork over $1,400 for the Internal Medicine Certification Exam and then between $2,300 -$3,000 for CV subspecialization.
• To maintain board certification, cardiologists then pay $220 per year for the first certificate and $120 per year for each additional certificate they’ve earned.
• And finally, ABIM collects $700 in exam fees for the traditional 10-Year MOC Exam

From a financial angle, it makes sense that ABIM will hold onto the cardiology board certification mantle as long as it can, but as the specialty becomes increasingly diverse and subspecialized, that’ll be harder to justify.

• When ABIM started offering cardiology boards in 1941, electrophysiology, TAVR, and many other complex procedures didn’t exist.

The Takeaway

ABMS’ decision is certainly frustrating for those who support an independent cardiology board, and while the major societies are united on the issue, it’s clear they’ll need more than a strongly worded letter to get their way.

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PIA Medical Processes It All

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HeartFlow FFRCT Avoids Invasive Cath

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The Wire

• Duke Performs First Living MVR: A team at Duke Health performed the world’s first living mitral valve replacement after an adolescent girl received a heart transplant and donated the valves from her original heart. The donated valves were then used to save the lives of two other girls, offering a big improvement over traditional pediatric valve replacement which uses preserved non-living tissue or mechanical valves that don’t grow with the child. The best part? With the new living valve technique, the recipients won’t need future valve surgeries or blood thinners.

• Genentech’s FDA Approval: Genentech received FDA approval for its TNKase (tenecteplase) ischemic stroke medication, which dissolves clots through a single five-second intravenous bolus. TNKase improves upon Genentech’s other stroke drug, Activase (alteplase), since it doesn’t require a 60 minute infusion and quickly begins dissolving fibrin in blood-clots. Genentech’s new drug is also capable of reducing the risk of death due to STEMI and will soon be available in a 25 mg vial configuration.

• Hoth’s Fat Burner: New results from Hoth Therapeutics’ animal studies suggest that Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) could offer a new way to lose weight that doesn’t require appetite suppression. Hoth’s recent study found that mice treated with GDNF had significantly lower body weight and reduced fat deposits despite consuming a high-fat diet. GDNF led to these results through increasing the mice’s basal metabolic rate and suppressing key genes involved in fat storage. Mice on GDNF also showed improved insulin sensitivity and better glucose regulation.

• Another Shockwave IVL Cath: Shockwave Medical announced the U.S. launch of its Shockwave Javelin Peripheral IVL Catheter designed to modify calcium and cross calcified occlusive disease in extremely narrowed lesions where a wire will cross but devices might not in patients with peripheral artery disease. The Javelin intravascular lithotripsy platform has a similar safety and efficacy profile of legacy Shockwave IVL catheters while adding another specialized tool for cardiologists whose patients may have more complicated vessel structure.

• Ajax, KKR, and BSCI’s HF Collab: With the help of Boston Scientific and KKR, Ajax Health formed a new organization called FlowMod with the goal of creating a new system for treating heart failure. FlowMod will use BSCI’s intellectual property to develop the system while funding will come from the $4B KKR Health Care Strategic Growth Fund II to accelerate the creation, clinical validation, and regulatory approval for the new heart failure treatment.

• Eko’s EF Detection AI: Smart stethoscope maker Eko Health announced strong results from its FDA-cleared AI model for detecting reduced ejection fraction. The study in JACC Advances captured patient data from 3k adults using Eko’s ECG-enabled digital stethoscope and found that its built-in AI model achieved an AUROC of 0.85, with sensitivity and specificity of 77.5% and 78.3%. The model’s performance was consistent across various demographic and clinical subgroups, underscoring its potential to assist with earlier HF identification in settings where advanced diagnostic tools aren’t readily available.

• BSCI Buys SoniVie: Boston Scientific Corporation agreed to acquire SoniVie, the developer of the TIVUS Intravascular Ultrasound System, for $360M upfront with another $180M in milestone incentives. SoniVie’s TIVUS system is currently only for investigational use but works by denervating (blocking) nerves surrounding blood vessels to treat a variety of hypertensive disorders, including renal artery denervation. BSCI was a strategic investor in SoniVie, with approximately 10% ownership heading into the full acquisition.

• CAC Scores Improve Adherence: Patients who see their own coronary artery calcium scores could be more likely to comply with cholesterol-lowering therapy than those who don’t. In the CAUGHT-CAD study of 365 patients in JAMA, Australian researchers used CAC scores to guide lipid-lowering prevention strategies for half of participants, finding that after three years those with CAC-guided prevention had a larger decline in total cholesterol (-56 vs. -3 mg/dL) and lower growth of noncalcified plaque volume (15 vs. 25 mm3) than those who got usual care.

• Cleerly’s Cardiac Alliance with Bunkerhill: Cleerly and Bunkerhill Health have partnered to integrate their technologies for coronary artery disease and risk assessment. Bunkerhill’s Careblocks EHR scanning solution will be integrated with Cleerly’s software for analyzing plaque burden from coronary CT angiography scans to give users more flexibility for assessing CAD. One use case could be detection of coronary artery calcium on routine chest CT scans using Careblocks, with patients referred to Cleerly scans for workup.

• Cath Lab Occupational Hazards: A new study finds that working in cardiac catheterization labs is still an occupational hazard to healthcare professionals, despite years of risk awareness. Researchers from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions compared results from cath lab personnel surveys from 2014 to 2023, finding that over 60% of respondents experienced orthopedic injuries from wearing lead aprons and 6% reported cancer diagnoses – far exceeding normal rates. Among women, 28% were discouraged from working in cath labs due to pregnancy.

• FDA Re-Hires Some Staffers: The FDA has begun re-hiring staffers let go in the Trump Administration’s mass layoffs of government workers in early February. The re-hired workers included staff involved in medical device review, with a New York Times article stating “nearly all” of the 180 employees who had originally been let go would be hired back. The layoffs raised concerns about whether they would slow down medical product reviews, and the device industry pointed out that many of the staffers’ salaries were paid for by industry user fees.

The All in One Cardiac Imaging Solution

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The Resource Wire

• The New Way to CMR: Cardiac MRI is infamous for its complexity and backlogs, but it doesn’t need to be that way. See how Vista.ai’s Vista Cardiac solution automates and simplifies image acquisition so all technologists can perform a CMR scan with quality, consistency, and efficiency.

• Explore Vitrea Advanced Visualization: Discover Canon Medical Healthcare IT’s suite of advanced imaging workflows designed to increase efficiency in cardiovascular imaging, and facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. These cutting-edge tools support the delivery of faster, more accurate care while integrating seamlessly into clinical workflow

• Innovating AFib Care: The first manifestation of AFib is often stroke, but many hospitals aren’t set up to coordinate these patients’ post-stroke care. See how UCSD is leveraging Viz.ai’s Viz Connect solution to simplify neuro and EP collaboration in this HRX 2024 interview.

• Cardiology AI: From Research to Clinical Practice: Explore how AI algorithms are reshaping cardiology with insights from Tempus’ recent webinar, featuring Dr. David Ouyang of UCLA and Cedars-Sinai, alongside Tempus’ Dr. John Pfeifer and Dr. Brandon Fornwalt. This expert panel dives into how AI can bridge diagnostic gaps, enhance patient outcomes, and streamline workflows for conditions like AFib and pulmonary hypertension. Read the full recap to glimpse the future of AI-driven cardiology.

• The Efficiency of the Kinetic Rhythms ECG Algorithm: See how you can interpret up to twenty-nine distinct rhythms by embedding the Kinetic Rhythms ECG Algorithm on your device or software suite. Ensure precise ECG interpretations regardless of whether they’re taken at the bedside or in an ambulatory setting.

• Experience the future of learning: Medtronic Academy 2.0 is here! Unlock your ultimate destination for structural heart medical education with the newly redesigned Medtronic Academy 2.0. Gain access to expert-led courses, webinars, and a wealth of resources to stay ahead in cardiovascular care. Visit now!

• Optum’s Cloud ROI E-book: Learn how to measure costs, define your ROI, and what to look for in a potential vendor when moving your enterprise medical imaging to the cloud. Check out Optum’s e-book now!

• Automate Your Echo Reporting: It’s a good feeling when your echo report is already 83% complete before you even sit down to work on it. See how Centricity Cardio Enterprise’s echo automation features make this “good feeling” an everyday occurrence in this quick GE HealthCare demo video.

• Addressing Coronary Artery Disease: Learn how the AGENT™ Drug-Coated Balloon provides a new treatment option for in-stent restenosis in the U.S. Rx Only. (Sponsored by Boston Scientific)

The Industry Wire

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