Increasing physician burnout, insurers denying reimbursements and delays in cardiovascular care are three aspects of cardiology that are making physicians and leaders nervous.
These three cardiologists and surgeons recently connected with Becker’s to share what is making them nervous and concerned about the industry.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Is there anything in the cardiology industry that you are concerned or nervous about?
Michael Firstenberg, MD. Medical Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Department of Surgery Chair of Maui (Hawaii) Memorial Medical Center: The biggest challenge that I see and hear from my cardiology colleagues is that it is getting harder and harder to management patients with heart disease — not just the needs of the patients, who appear to be getting sicker and sicker, but keeping up with all of the current medication options, guidelines, protocols and therapies. This is all even more challenging as becoming a patient is like having a full-time job and access to timely appointments is only made worse by the costs of medications, risks for poly-pharmacy and unknown drug interactions and the overall difficulties in compliance. Many of my cardiology colleagues are exhausted and burned out from getting pulled in multiple directions by the constant needs of the patients, healthcare systems and insurance companies.
Sarang Mangalmurti, MD. Interventional Cardiologist and Endovascular Specialist of BMMSA Heart and Vascular Center of the Main Line (Bryn Mawr, Pa.): Reimbursement for peripheral vascular interventions is being denied more readily by insurance companies for spurious reasons. This places our most vulnerable PAD patients, those with CLTI, at risk for suboptimal vascular care and an increased risk for amputations.
Rajesh Sharma, MD. Interventional Cardiologist of Advanced Heart And Vein Center (Thornton, Colo.): I am concerned about significant delays in cardiovascular care across the country. Most cardiologists are now employed by big systems and bureaucracy is getting in the way. We have seen this in our community as patients are waiting up to two months to see a cardiologist with symptoms of chest pain. Private practice has eroded and I feel that now there may be a migration back to private practice to provide more timely service and cost-effective quality cardiac care.
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