A new study reports that antiplatelet drug ticagrelor (Brilinta) works faster and is more effective in blocking platelet activity in low-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) than clopidogrel. The study was presented as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2015 Scientific Sessions in San Diego.

A new independent evaluation report from the Department of Health and Human Services showed that the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) payment model has generated substantial savings to Medicare in just two years. Additionally, the independent Office of the Actuary in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has certified that this patient care model is the first to meet the stringent criteria for expansion to a larger population of Medicare beneficiaries.

At Nebraska Medicine, technology innovations bring with them opportunities to enhance patient care. The ability to integrate patient images with synchronized and simultaneous audio and video has Nebraska Medicine’s telehealth coordinator Kyle Hall looking at new ways to implement telehealth and mobile devices, such as iPads and Google Glass, at clinics and hospitals.

For the first time, cardiac catheterization laboratory stakeholders now have quality metrics that confirm the value of Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE) accreditation. Three new studies validating the benefits of ACE accreditation were presented during the 2015 Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) Scientific Sessions in San Diego, California, May 6-9.

Cardiovascular Systems Inc. (CSI) featured two-year data from its ORBIT II study of the company’s Diamondback 360 coronary orbital atherectomy system (OAS) in a late-breaking presentation at the 2015 Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) conference. Diamondback 360 is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved atherectomy technology indicated for the treatment of severely calcified lesions.

Spok Inc. announced the availability of message notifications on the Apple Watch wrist wearable device to enable clinicians to enhance care coordination. The Spok Mobile secure texting app is currently used by numerous hospitals to give users quick access to the organization’s directory, allowing staff to communicate securely through encrypted text, image and video messages. In addition, the app can receive alerts from patient care, nurse call and other monitoring systems to speed response to critical situations.