Small Hospitals Push to Do Heart Work

[flashl]

CHICAGO (AP) -- Is it safe to have your arteries unclogged at a hospital that lacks heart surgeons who can operate if something goes wrong?

Many states ban this except in emergencies like heart attacks. But more small hospitals are trying it in non-urgent cases, and the largest study ever done of this, released on Saturday, suggests it may not be as risky as has been feared.

If confirmed by other ongoing studies, it could change policies in many states. That would mean money for community hospitals struggling to stay profitable and options for patients who must travel to big cities for care.

...

Small hospitals, which can earn $15,000 or more on each angioplasty, have pressed for a new look at the guidelines. They say stents that came on the market in recent years have made angioplasty safer, by limiting how many times the balloon is inflated and the risk of puncturing an artery.

AP

[grasswire]

1. wasn't I just reading last week...

...that angioplasties have fallen out of favor recently?

[flashl]

2. Yep

DU Post: Angioplasty's golden era may be fading