government
Maryland approves review of cardiac stent procedures
Posted April 23, 2012
The placement of stents in heart patients by doctors in Maryland would be subject to an independent review ensuring that procedures follow established guidelines under a legislative proposal approved by state lawmakers.
The Maryland General Assembly adopted legislation on April 1 calling for the peer reviews. The bill awaits the signature of Gov. Martin O’Malley.
The state chapter of the American College of Cardiology sought the measure to deal with what it saw as inconsistent utilization of such reviews. Clinical guidelines have been developed by the ACC.
“An independent peer review process is critical to continuously assess patient safety and to ensure quality care for this essential, lifesaving service,” said Marc Mugmon, MD, president of the Maryland state chapter. “The cardiovascular community, especially members of the American College of Cardiology, look forward to working with the Maryland Health Care Commission to develop regulations for peer review.”
The bill requires the development of minimum standards during the next year. The process will complement internal programs, and identify and address potential deviations from accepted guidelines for the use of stents, Dr. Mugmon said.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/23/gvbf0423.htm.
