Public release date: 9-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, April 9, 2013The decision to perform an invasive procedure to open clogged arteries in the heart instead of first trying medication and lifestyle changes may not reduce a patient's risk of death or of a major cardiac event. Unnecessary procedures to treat chronic, stable heart disease contribute to rising health care costs. A targeted approach to avoiding this kind of overutilization by instead relying on evidence-based decision-making is presented in Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Population Health Management website at http://www.liebertpub.com/bari.

Lisa Behnke, MD, MHA, BSN and coauthors from OptumHealth Care Solutions (Fort Myers, FL and Golden Valley, MN) and Jefferson School of Population Health (Philadelphia, PA) emphasize that whereas percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be a lifesaving procedure for patients with an acute coronary event, it may not be more beneficial in stable coronary artery disease than more conservative treatment approaches, yet it has become increasingly common over the past 30 years.

In the article "A Targeted Approach to Reducing Overutilization: Use of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Coronary Artery Disease," the authors present a model for shared decision-making in which physicians and patients together consider the various treatment options, what each involves, their risks, and a comparison of the outcomes associated with each according to the latest evidence published in the medical literature.

"This study is a prime example of how comparative effectiveness research offers the promise of improved quality and safety, as well as lower cost," says Editor-in-Chief David B. Nash, MD, MBA, Dean and Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor, Jefferson School of Population Health, Philadelphia, PA. "Better informed decisions means the right treatments will be given to the right patients. This means fewer complications and shorter hospitalizations."

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About the Journal

Population Health Management is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online that reflects the expanding scope of health care management and quality. The Journal delivers a comprehensive, integrated approach to the field of population health and provides information designed to improve the systems and policies that affect health care quality, access, and outcomes. Comprised of peer-reviewed original research papers, clinical research, and case studies, the content encompasses a broad range of chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, depression, and obesity) in addition to focusing on various aspects of prevention and wellness. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Population Health Management website at http://www.liebertpub.com/bari. Population Health Management is the Official Journal of the Care Continuum Alliance.

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Is medical therapy a better and safer choice than angioplasty

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