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| The Monthly Pulse |
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| Early success of dual-chamber leadless pacemaker suggests big changes could be on the horizon
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| The Story |
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| The first leadless, dual-chamber pacemaker has performed well in the areas of safety and performance in its investigational device exemption (IDE) study. With communication between the upper and lower chambers, the system achieved a 97% success rate for synchronous pacing. Consisting of two pacemakers, each portion of the system is anchored into the myocardium and eliminates the need for wire leads or separate pulse generators, thus minimizing the risk of complications. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| If approved by the FDA, the new device could be beneficial for a broad patient population. Roughly 80% of patients need dual-chamber pacing, though leadless pacemakers have historically been limited to single-chamber. The new technology could also help to control the risk of complications that affect 1 in 6 patients who receive a pacemaker, including breaks in the wire leads. Results from the dual-chamber pacemaker’s IDE study are promising, including a 98.3% implantation success rate and an AV synchrony of greater than 95% during different postures and walking speeds.
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| 3 myths about ECMO that are costing hospitals and patients
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| The Story |
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| Recent trends have shown that at least half of U.S. hospitals are experiencing negative margins. One way to confront financial strains is to leverage the treatments that can’t be offered in an outpatient setting, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Unfortunately, ECMO tends to carry a bad reputation, but it’s one that can be righted with a few quick facts.
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| What You Should Know |
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| ECMO is often perceived as a drain on financial resources, when in reality it’s a cost-effective measure that could deliver a significant ROI for hospitals. In fact, it has one of the highest reimbursement rates of any hospital services and can deliver a return with even just a few ECMO patients. ECMO is also seen as being too complex, and while it does involve specialized technology, most intensive care nurses and respiratory therapy providers can be trained on it in as little as a few months. Finally, the belief that ECMO has poor survival rates is a myth born from the fact that it was originally used on the sickest patients. Recent data shows survival rates actually vary between 71% to 73%, making it a viable option for saving patients’ lives.
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| Cultural Humility in Surgery: An Interview with Loretta Erhunmwunsee |
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| The Story |
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| In an interview with CTSNet at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Loretta Erhunmwunsee, thoracic surgeon and researcher, discussed strategies for establishing connections with patients for cross-cultural care. She shared that understanding patients’ goals, needs, and lifestyles is an important component of identifying appropriate care. Dr. Erhunmwunsee also emphasized the fact that while certain communities and cultures may affect communication about healthcare, it’s critical for providers to understand that care must go beyond the hospital experience. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| According to data referenced by Dr. Erhunmwunsee during her interview, outcomes are better when patients feel that they’ve been listened to. She therefore encourages providers to actively listen to their patients during their interactions, as well as integrating their social and environmental context into treatment plans. Factors such as environment and poor cultural understanding can be barriers to quality care, and surgery isn’t always enough to treat the whole patient. By closely considering the patient’s unique environment and other cultural factors, health professionals can make more informed decisions to promote quality cross-cultural care.
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| Leadership Reflections |
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Trust and Inspire
I recently had the privilege of attending the Tugboat Institute Summit 2023, where we celebrated 10 years and listened to 18 Tugboat talks. One of those speakers was Steven M. R. Covey, author of Trust & Inspire. I was particularly inspired by Steven’s talk as well as a great conversation with him over lunch.
Some key takeaways:
- The old leadership style of Command & Control no longer works, but many organizations are still operating with this. A new, more effective leadership style is Trust & Inspire.
- The most effective Trust & Inspire leaders view their leadership as stewardship. They recognize there is greatness in the people around them and trust them to deliver great results.
- Trust is made up of two factors:
- Trust that is given
- Trustworthiness that is earned
- A trust-inspired leader models trust, connects with people through caring and belonging, and connects to purpose.
- Inspiring others is a learned skill and not just for the charismatic. People don’t want to be managed, they want to be led. They want to be trusted. They want to be inspired. And when people are inspired, it motivates them to a level beyond engagement.
Join me in considering how we can move our leadership approach toward one of stewardship, trusting, caring, orienting toward purpose, and inspiring our teams.
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| 2023 AANP Fall Conference |
| Thurs., Sept. 7 - Sun., Sept. 10 |
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| CREF 2023 42nd Cardiothoracic Surgery Symposium |
| Wed., Sept. 13 - Sat., Sept. 16 |
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| OR Manager Conference |
| Mon., Sept. 18-Wed., Sept. 20 |
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| Leadership and Advocacy Summit |
| Thurs., Sept. 28 - Sat., Sept. 30 |
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| 34th Annual Cardiovascular Interventions |
| Tues., Nov 7 - Fri., Nov 10 |
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