Cardiologists and heart center administrators see a bright future for outpatient cardiology. But the optimal conditions for heart procedures to become more prevalent in ASCs are still evolving.
Here are five predictions based on conversations with outpatient heart surgeons:
1) There will be a decline in physician income as access increases and overwhelms current funding for healthcare services. There will also be rapid growth in the need for geriatric cardiology. The increasing number of people aging into Medicare and the decline in younger populations may cause generational stress over healthcare funding.
2) Lack of skilled nurses and technicians will be a persistent problem. Artificial intelligence can be used to make workflows more efficient and streamline computation tasks at practices and diagnostic imaging labs.
3) Cardiac catheterization lab technology growth has been steep in the past decade, supporting more complex cases and helping patients avoid risky surgical procedures.
4) More cardiovascular ASCs will likely open across the U.S. in coming years and show that cardiology cases are safe and cost effective, and likely the preferred environment for patients. Vendors will also work with ASCs to afford the technology that can expand appropriate procedures.
5) There may be an expansion of the inclusion criteria for allowable coronary interventional procedures in the ASC setting.