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Cardiology

FoundCare, Inc. Earns National Holy Cross Is First Hospital

Recognition for Efforts Aimed at in South Florida to Offer

Reducing Heart Attacks and Strokes Pioneering FFR-CT Heart Scans

FoundCare, Inc. is adoption of the Target: Holy Cross Hospital in vascular Imaging. "The
among a group of 310 BP™ Improvement Pro - Fort Lauderdale is the first study is 99 percent accu-
first-time recipients of the gram, registrants have facility in South Florida to rate in excluding signifi-
American Heart Assoc - access to trained support have partnered with the cant coronary artery dis-
iation (AHA) and specialists within their medical technology com- ease. In patients who do
American Medical Associ - community who can help pany HeartFlow in Red - have potentially signifi-
ation’s Target: BP Recog - identify specific program wood City, CA to offer cant coronary artery dis-
nition Program awards. components to incorporate patients fractional flow ease, the piece of the puz-
The AHA and AMA into clinical practice. reserve computed tomog- zle that was missing was
recently announced the “While high blood pres- raphy (FFR-CT) of the not knowing whether
names of the physician sure is an easy condition to heart. there was functionally
practices and health sys- treat in that we have the Cardiac CT is a non- decreased blood flow to
tems nationwide being Dr. Oneka Marriott tools to do so, there are invasive test acquired Dr. Claudio Smuclovisky the heart muscle that
recognized for their com- many variables and barriers with very little radiation could lead to a heart
mitment to reducing the number of to success for many patients,” said AMA in less than ten seconds in this state-of- attack.
Americans who have heart attacks and President David O. Barbe, M.D. “The AHA the-art 256 slice CT scanner that gener- FFR-CT is an exciting new capability
strokes each year. and AMA developed and piloted the ates thousands of 3-D images of the that is able to, in most cases, demon-
Launched in 2017, the Target: BP Target: BP program to help bring patients heart. FFR-CT is an FDA- approved strate whether the blockage in the arter-
Recognition Program is an extension of and health care providers together to suc- technology allowing doctors to deter- ies is seriously affecting blood flow to the
Target: BP™—a national initiative cessfully get blood pressure under control, mine whether blockage areas in the coro- heart muscle.”
between the AHA and AMA aimed at and help patients keep it controlled. We nary arteries are depriving the heart of The results of FFR-CT also help direct
addressing the growing burden of high applaud the providers who are already blood flow that can lead to a heart attack the cardiologist to the area of blockage
blood pressure in the U.S. FoundCare is working hard to control their patients’ and/or sudden death. FFR-CT analysis is during invasive coronary angiography.
among the more than 1,100 physician blood pressure, and we will continue to performed by utilizing the patient’s car- There are more than 125 published sci-
practices and health systems nationwide urge more physician practices, health sys- diac CT scan when artery blockage is entific papers supporting FFR-CT.
that have joined Target: BP™, sharing a tems and patients to join this effort to pri- identified in a cardiac CT scan. Recent publications demonstrate that the
common goal to reduce the number of oritize blood pressure control and Additional testing on the patient is not combination of cardiac CT plus FFR-CT
adult patients with uncontrolled blood increase the national control of blood required. was better than other non-invasive tests
pressure and improve health outcomes pressure. Together, we can save many "Cardiac CT is a great study for seeing and avoided unnecessary invasive coro-
associated with heart disease. more lives and improve health outcomes the anatomy of the heart including the nary angiography in 61 percent of the
“High blood pressure is often a major nationwide.” coronary arteries," said Claudio patients. The Centers for Medicare and
factor among patients afflicted with car- “We’re excited to bring Target: BP to Smuclovisky, M.D., director of Holy Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently
diovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke, physicians as a tool to help reduce the Cross Hospital’s Radiology Cardio - approved payment for FFR-CT.
and frequently impacts their mortality,” devastating impact of high blood pres-
said Dr. Oneka Marriott, FoundCare’s sure in terms of heart disease and stroke,
Chief Medical Officer. “Participating in and we’re proud to recognize practices
the Target: BP program has provided that are joining us to increase focus on Jim Moran Heart & Vascular Center
access to a number of resources for blood pressure control,” said AHA
FoundCare’s clinicians and patients to President John Warner, M.D. at Holy Cross Hospital Now Offers
help lower blood pressure and prevent FoundCare, Inc., along with all other
disease.” practices being recognized, was honored WATCHMAN Procedure
To help physician practices and health late last year during the AHA’s annual
systems achieve their goals, Target: BP™ Scientific Sessions conference, and will
provides all participants with a dedicat- also be featured in upcoming Target: BP With a focus on innovation and
ed website featuring a free evidence- materials. This includes appearing in research to provide the best evidence-
based improvement program that print ads, on TargetBP.org, and the based medicine available, cardiologists at
includes tools and resources to help cli- Target: BP Wall of Recognition that will the Jim Moran Heart & Vascular Center
nicians improve blood pressure control be displayed at AMA and AHA events at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort
rates. To facilitate easy and seamless throughout the year. Lauderdale are now performing the
WATCHMAN procedure, which provides
an alternative to oral blood-thinners for
the treatment of atrial fibrillation.
The first WATCHMAN procedures
were performed at Holy Cross by Rishi
Anand, M.D, FACC, FHRS, and Daniel
Weitz, M.D, FHRS. “Both cases were suc-
cessful, and both of the patients were dis-
charged the following day,” said Dr.
Anand. “This procedure aligns with our
mission of providing the most leading-
edge technology to give patients the
options they deserve.”
The WATCHMAN procedure involves
a one-time implant which provides pro-
tection from stroke that is comparable to
warfarin (the most common blood thin-
ner) without the risk of bleeding. Drs. Daniel Weitz and Rishi Anand perform
“WATCHMAN is the only device of its the WATCHMAN procedure at Holy Cross
kind approved by the U.S. Food and Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.
Drug Administration for reducing the
risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem,”
said Dr. Weitz. “At the Jim Moran Heart & Vascular Center we are at the forefront of
cardiac care, advanced treatments and clinical trials.”

16 February 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News