Sunday, February 24, 2013

Cardiology for Dummies

"AUC," "RAND," "Reynold's Score," "modified Delphi methodology."

All "harmonized" with guidelines.

WTF?

-Wes

PS:  Link fixed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dr. Fisher: what are they talking about?

DrWes said...

Anony 4:05PM -

Perfect question. This article might just win the award for the most convoluted methodology ever produced (so far) in medicine. Like clinical guidelines that have varying levels of evidence, this is a background paper that establishes the next wave of covert rationing of tests that cardiologists will have to endure. I think I know where this sea of acronyms is going.

"AUC" means "Appropriatenes Use Criteria" and is the next great boondoggle methodology designed by policy wonks to justify the ordering of tests and procedures in cardiology. It's only relevance is to "stakeholders" (in other words, payers) who are looking for ways to deny payment for tests and procedures based on "evidence" that is just opinion. It will "harmonize" with payers by creating multiple layers upon layers of byzantine criteria to justify everything that is done in cardiology.

It is so complex, that doctors will ignore it. It is so convoluted, that payers will love it.

Look for apps that promote this algorithmic approach to medicine (licensed and copyrighted by the ACC) to be coming to a cell phone near you.

Anonymous said...

"...the utilization of cardiovascular procedures in an efficient and contemporary fashion..."

Wow. Way to take away clinical judgement. Now, there are cardiologists out there who are doing procedures that are not necessary-I've worked with several of these a$&holes over the years-but most docs are trying to do the right things on a patient-by-patient basis.

Why is it that as paperwork and administrative bull goes up, quality goes down?