While coronary stents can be lifesaving for someone having a heart attack, a large body of research over the past decade shows that stents for stable heart disease don’t benefit patients more than heart medications alone. Yet hospitals continue to perform these procedures, wasting billions of dollars and exposing thousands of patients to risk of harm.
How often are these procedures happening, and where? How much are we wasting on these low-value services? And what can we do to prevent unnecessary care?
Join us Tuesday, October 31 as we discuss the impact of unnecessary stents with leading health experts and policymakers.
Meet the panelists
David L. Brown, MD
David L. Brown, MD is a general cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Keck Medicine of USC. Dr. Brown received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine where he also trained in internal medicine and served as a chief medical resident. He trained in cardiology and hematology at University of California, San Francisco and interventional cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic. During his career he has practiced and taught interventional cardiology, critical care cardiology, consultative cardiology, and outpatient cardiology. He has published more than 300 abstracts, manuscripts and book chapters. His work has been cited more than 8500 times resulting in an h-index of 37. His primary research focus has been on outcomes research in cardiovascular disease with most of his research projects attempting to fill gaps in the knowledge base that come to light during direct patient care. He currently serves on the editorial board of JAMA Internal Medicine.
Thomas Power, MD, MBA, FACC, MRCPI
Thomas Power is the Senior Medical Director of Cardiology and Sleep Programs at Carelon Medical Benefits Management and is responsible for the clinical components of those programs. Before coming to Carelon MBM, Dr. Power had three years of experience in cardiac imaging utilization management. He attended medical school at the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and completed residency and fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Power is board certified in cardiovascular diseases and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). In addition, he holds a certificate from the Certification Council for Nuclear Cardiology, and he is a Professional of the Academy of Healthcare Management. He has been the recipient of several awards for excellence in clinical teaching and a research grant from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Betty Rambur, PhD, RN, FAAN
Betty Rambur, PhD, RN, FAAN is the Routhier Endowed Chair for Practice, Professor of Nursing, and Interim Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island. She serves on the state’s Cost Trends Steering Committee, the Technical Advisory Panel for Reimagining Nursing Initiative “Reducing Barriers to Value-based Care Payments in NP-led Primary Care,” and as a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC).
Vikas Saini, MD
Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute, is a clinical cardiologist trained by Dr. Bernard Lown at Harvard. He also serves as co-chair of the Right Care Alliance, a grassroots network of clinicians, patient activists, and community leaders organizing to put patients, not profits, at the heart of health care. Dr. Saini is an expert on the optimal medical management of cardiologic conditions, medical overuse, hospital performance and evaluation, and health equity. He has spoken and presented research at professional meetings around the world, and has been quoted in numerous print media, radio, and television.