Electrophysiology Lab
Journal Articles: Original research article published in Heart Rhythm 02, outlining a study from the University of Utah that measured the components of direct and indirect costs for routine AF ablation procedures, the variability of those costs, and the main factors driving ablation cost variability.
Improving Electrophysiology Lab Efficiency: Collaboration With Anesthesiology is Well Worth the Time
Journal Articles: Many of the efforts to improve laboratory efficiency require close collaboration with our colleagues in anesthesia. Osorio et al1 outlined a standardized anesthetic protocol that was designed with the intention of improving effectiveness of lesion formation during AF ablation while also improving efficiency and ensuring patient safety.
Education – Clinical: Workflow for deep analgesic sedation in the EPU laboratory. Includes medications, monitoring, and ACT control.
Care Pathways/CDS: Care pathway for management of confirmed AFib in patients. Includes information about underlying causes, treatment options, reducing stroke risk, and more.
Presentations and Graphics: Comprehensive presentation slides designed to facilitate the onboarding of EP lab staff, elucidating the mechanical and electrical dynamics of the cardiac cycle. The content encompasses definitions, diagrams, and examples/interpretations of ECGs.
Journal Articles: Aim of study is to report the feasibility and safety of AF ablation in an ambulatory setting (Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute). Metrics include procedural complications, postoperative utilization of hospital services, and emergency room utilization.
Journal Articles: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation has evolved enormously thanks to rapid improvement of modern mapping technologies, progress in catheter development and current possibilities for reduction of radiation exposure. Pulmonary vein isolation is thereby the cornerstone in this interventional treatment. Increased precision of catheter localization by modern three-dimensional mapping systems, faster and better processing of local electrograms and their immediate color-based visualization make it possible to treat even challenging arrhythmias very effectively. The commonly used three-dimensional mapping systems CARTO 3 (Biosense Webster, Irvine, Ca.) and Ensite Precision (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, Min) differ in construction and principles of the underlying mapping technology. In this review article, we aim to emphasize the most important aspects of possibilities that make both systems so valuable for interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation. We present a modern workflow, that unites three-dimensional LA mapping with collecting relevant local information, image integration for refining the map and beneficial use of contact force based ablation approach.
Best Practices: Best practices for developing an efficient and quality-focused AF ablation program as part of a larger AF center of excellence, highlighting the experience of a single center and demonstrating how the same principles were adopted to implement a similar program at another institution.
Data/Registries: This sample report shows performance over time of patient in room compared to physician in room and patient in room access compared to when the patient arrives in the lab.
Data/Registries: This spreadsheet can be used to track procedure times in the EP lab. Once compiled into a database, reporting can be provided to stakeholders each month with physician times.