November 27, 2023 By

GivingTuesday 2023

 

The ASE Foundation is Accepting
GivingTuesday Donations November 26-December 2

Fundraising Goal: $35,000

The ASE Foundation is proud to participate in the global generosity movement known as GivingTuesday. Your donation ensures that we continue to foster the next generation of cardiovascular ultrasound professionals, award research grants to investigators, bring cardiac care to areas in need, among other charitable projects in 2024.

The Foundation celebrates the generosity of our donors every day. After all, YOU are what makes us successful! Your donations provide support for initiatives, such as student scholarships, scientific research, and guideline dissemination, that are not supported by ASE membership dues.

Click here to donate today. No matter where your heart lies, the Foundation can support your passion and you can take pride in knowing that 100% of your donation goes back out into the field. Donations towards our $35,000 fundraising goal will be accepted through December 2. Together we can continue to make a world of difference!

Filed Under: News
November 22, 2023 By

Apply for an ASE/ASEF Leadership Position

Now is your chance to become a leader in ASE and the ASE Foundation! If you are an active member and meet the criteria outlined for the position, ask a friend or colleague who is also an ASE member to submit a nomination on your behalf. All available positions are open to any ASE member, regardless of their specialty, and we are looking for a diverse pool of nominees.

November 30, 2023, is the deadline for candidates to submit all materials required for available positions on the ASE Foundation Board of Directors and Council Steering Committees.

December 7, 2023, is the deadline for candidates to submit all materials required for available positions on the ASE Board of Directors and ASE Executive Committee. Changes were recently made to the criteria for Treasurer, Secretary, and Council Representative. See if you qualify.

Learn More & Apply!

Filed Under: News
November 22, 2023 By

Download the New Echo for Cardiac Amyloidosis Poster

ASE offers a variety of echocardiography and amyloidosis resources, and we are happy to announce a new, free poster available now on our website! Download the Echo for Cardiac Amyloidosis poster that was produced by ASE in collaboration with Pfizer. This piece was created from an article “Practical Points for Echocardiography in Cardiac Amyloidosis” that was published in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. This new poster focuses on the common echocardiographic imaging findings of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), and highlights red flags that should raise suspicion for the diagnosis. It offers practical tips for image acquisition and interpretation and outlines recommendations for standard reporting of an echocardiogram in a patient with CA.
Filed Under: News
November 22, 2023 By

GivingTuesday 2023 is Around the Corner!

GivingTuesday is next week on November 28, but the ASE Foundation will be accepting contributions toward its $35,000 fundraising goal from Sunday, November 26 – Saturday, December 2. When considering your donation, keep in mind that you can earmark your funds to a Foundation initiative that aligns with your priorities. If bringing adult and pediatric cardiac care to areas in need, teaching clinicians, and providing direct patient services to at-risk communities around the world is important to you, consider donating to the Foundation’s Global Health Outreach initiative.
In September 2023, the Foundation welcomed the return of its in-person global health events. In collaboration with the Vietnam National Heart Institute at Bach Mai Hospital, a team of ASEF volunteers traveled to Sapa in Northern Vietnam to host a two-day medical outreach and research event. They also participated in a two-day Vietnam-America Echocardiography Symposium at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, which consisted of lectures and case presentations for over 150 clinicians from across Northern and Central Vietnam. You can read more about this event online here and in the upcoming December 2023 issue of Echo magazine.
Donations to the Foundation’s Global Health Outreach initiative also fund the dissemination of both English and translated guidelines and educational materials to help facilitate adoption of these quality measures by specialists worldwide. When planning your GivingTuesday donation next week, consider donating to Global Health Outreach.
Contact the Foundation at Foundation@ASEcho.org with any questions or to make an early pledge
Filed Under: News
November 22, 2023 By

ASE 2023 Black Friday Sale

Save on Select ASE Educational Products this Black Friday!
November 22, 10:00 AM ET – November 25, 9:00 AM ET

Shop the Black Friday catalog in ASE’s Learning Hub! Each item is automatically discounted in ASE’s Learning Hub, so no coupon code is required. The Black Friday deals are in addition to the discounts ASE members already receive as a benefit of membership. Be sure to log in to the ASE Member Portal for the lowest prices.

Guideline Reference Spiral
Save 10%

The Guideline Reference Spiral consists of graphic illustrations of ASE’s most popular Guidelines.

Member Price: $135.00             Non-member Price: $195.00
Member Discount: $121.50      Non-member Discount: $175.50

 

Bundle of Valve Pocket Guidelines (6 Valvular Pocket Guides)Bundle of Pocket Guidelines (All 10 Pocket Guides)
Save 20%

A set of 10 3″ x 4″ pocket-sized flip books made up of charts and illustrations from ASE Guidelines.

Member Price: $95.00                Non-member Price: $105.00
Member Discount: $76.00         Non-member Discount: $84.00

 

Echocardiography Formula Review Guide BUNDLE: Volumes 1, 2 & 3Echocardiography Formula Review Guide Bundle: Volumes 1, 2, & 3
Save 5%

These 6″ x 8″ spiral-bound handheld guides include a total of 49 pages of formulas, diagrams, and charts covering various topics.

Member Price: $85.00                Non-member Price: $135.00
Member Discount: $80.75         Non-member Discount: $128.25

 

Comprehensive Echocardiography Textbook 3rd EditionASE’s Comprehensive Echocardiography 3rd Edition
Save 5%

This textbook covers the full spectrum of sonography of the heart–from basic foundations and principles to all clinical aspects–in one authoritative, definitive clinical resource.

Member Price: $229.99                Non-member Price: $249.99
Member Discount: $218.49         Non-member Discount: $237.49

 

ASE’s Comprehensive Strain Imaging TextbookASE’s Comprehensive Strain Imaging Textbook
Save 5%

Written by international ASE experts, this textbook will be your go-to guide for everything related to strain technique and application.

Member Price: $179.99                Non-member Price: $214.99
Member Discount: $170.99        Non-member Discount: $204.24

 

Guideline Flip Chart: Valve Poster Bundle (Set of 4)Bundle of Valve Posters
Save 10%

A bundle of four 24″ x 30″ posters covering valvular topics including: aortic valve stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, and tricuspid and pulmonic regurgitation.

Member Price: $80.00                Non-member Price: $120.00
Member Discount: $72.00         Non-member Discount: $108.00

Filed Under: General
November 21, 2023 By

November 2023 CASE

The latest issue of CASE is now available with intriguing reports, including “The Sword and the Crown: Echocardiography for the Detection of a Rare Combination of Congenital Heart Disease” by Akingbade et al. Author Jeremy A. Slivnick, MD, FACC, FASE, remarked, “We present a case of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return with Scimitar Syndrome and persistent left superior vena cava which was incidentally detected by transthoracic echocardiography in a young female patient. Our case highlights the importance of careful sonographic evaluation for shunt lesions—including anomalous pulmonary venous return—whenever unexplained right heart enlargement is present. Additionally, passage of saline contrast bubbles into the coronary sinus prior to the right ventricle on left arm injection is confirmatory of persistent left superior vena cava.”

In a second Congenital Heart Disease report, authors utilize expert fetal echocardiography skills to evaluate an atrial mass that could have easily been misinterpreted. This issue contains two cases in Multimodality Imaging, including reports on the strengths and weaknesses of multimodality imaging in an investigation of rare pericardial tumors, and the migration of an atrial septal defect closure device to the pulmonary artery of a pregnant patient. Cardiac Tumors and Pseudotumors offers two serial imaging studies demonstrating the usefulness of radio-, targeted molecular-, and immune-therapies in the complete resolution of large masses. In a letter to the editor, authors provide additional 3D echo insights to consider when examining the LAA. Dr. Sorrell’s editorial discusses the normality of false chords and suggests reporting must evolve in accordance with improved imaging capabilities, which can now detect previously hidden anatomic variations.

Looking for a journal to submit your case report to? We want to hear from you! Email us with questions or submit your report today. Be sure to check out the latest Sonographer Sound-Off and Unlock the CASE features on the CASE Homepage to view more extraordinary work from your colleagues.

Filed Under: General
November 13, 2023 By

New AMA Survey to Document Changes in Physician Practice Expense

Your input will ensure future accurate valuation!

The American Medical Association (AMA) is undertaking a new national survey, supported by 173 healthcare organizations, to collect representative data on physician practice expenses. The aim of the Physician Practice Information (PPI) Survey is to better understand the costs faced by today’s physician practices to support physician payment advocacy. The study will serve as an opportunity to communicate accurate financial information to policymakers, including members of Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The AMA has contracted with Mathematica, an independent research company with extensive experience in survey methods as well as health care delivery and finance reform, to conduct the study.

Watch for invitations to complete this survey in your email inbox (remember to check spam/junk folders):

  • Invitations and reminders about the survey will come from PPISurvey@mathematica-mpr.com with the subject line: “American Medical Association requests your input on physician practice expense and patient care hours.“
  • Invitations and reminders about physician hours worked will come from PhysicianHoursSurvey@mathematica-mpr.com with the subject line: “Please help to update accurate physician payments.“

The Medicare physician payment schedule, maintained by CMS and used by many other payers, relies on 2006 cost information to develop practice expense relative values, the Medicare Economic Index and resulting physician payments. As the U.S. economy and health care system have undergone substantial changes since that time, including inflation and the wide-spread adoption of electronic health records and other information technology systems, practice expense payments no longer accurately reflect the relative resources that are typically required to provide physician services.

The survey will rely on financial experts in the practice to complete an online financial information survey. The number of direct patient care hours is a critical component of the Medicare payment methodology. Therefore, thousands of individual physicians will receive a short patient care hours survey from either their practice directly or from Mathematica. The input from physician practices and individual physicians that are randomly selected to participate in this study is critical for its success. Participation will ensure that practice expenses and patient care hours are accurately reflected.

Please contact sherry.smith@ama-assn.org with any questions related to the PPI Survey or Irene Butler ibutler@asecho.org if you would like additional background information.

Mathematica formally launched the PPI Survey on July 31, 2023.

Filed Under: Advocacy News, General
November 2, 2023 By

ASE Releases Updated COVID-19 Statement Guideline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Angie Porter
919-297-7152
APorter@ASEcho.org

American Society of Echocardiography Releases Updated COVID-19 Statement Guideline
The guideline addresses lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and offers new recommendations and guidance to echocardiography laboratories for preparedness in future pandemics

(DURHAM, NC, November 2, 2023)—The COVID-19 pandemic altered the medical landscape and spurred dramatic changes in the practice of echocardiography. While we have moved on from a public health emergency, the emergence of multiple variants makes it an ongoing health issue and an opportune time to reflect on the impact of pandemics.

Considering these developments, the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) released an updated guideline document to address the current state of COVID-19’s impact on echocardiography and to apply lessons learned to echocardiography laboratory operations in future pandemics.

The new guideline, titled American Society of Echocardiography COVID-19 Statement Update: Lessons Learned and Preparation for Future Pandemics, is an update to the Society’s initial statement released in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

The statement offers recommendations on specific indications and decisions about the performance of echocardiography services, infection/transmission mitigation strategies, role of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound/critical care echocardiography, and training in echocardiography, all of which are important areas impacted by current and future pandemics.

“The information included in this guideline will help echocardiography laboratories better plan and prepare by incorporating the lessons we learned the first time around,” says James N. Kirkpatrick, MD, FASE, chair of the guideline writing group. “If in the next pandemic we are once again in contingency or crisis situations, this scientific statement will help direct triage efforts, ensure resources are efficiently employed, and establish plans and protocols helping to prevent staff distress and burnout.”

Additionally, the guideline recognizes the role of professional societies in guiding the development of local policies in conversations between echocardiography laboratory directors and administrators, infection control experts, and staff.

“ASE was one of the first professional societies to offer guidance to echocardiography laboratories around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says ASE Past President (2019-2020) Madhav Swaminathan, MD, FASE, co-chair of the guideline writing group. “The pandemic has evolved since publishing that initial statement, and we have learned that sharing experiences and providing information proactively helps better protect echocardiography service providers and patients.”

This document is a multi-society and multi-national statement comprised of a diverse writing group that includes experts from ASE, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. It is published in the November 2023 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography.

ASE published several earlier COVID-19 statements covering a variety of specific areas, including pediatrics and sonography. View all ASE Guidelines by visiting ASEcho.org/Guidelines.

About American Society of Echocardiography
The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) is the Society for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Professionals™. ASE is the largest global organization for cardiovascular ultrasound imaging serving physicians, sonographers, nurses, veterinarians, and scientists and as such is the leader and advocate, setting practice standards and guidelines for the field. The Society is committed to advancing cardiovascular ultrasound to improve lives. For more information, visit the ASE website ASEcho.org or social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

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Filed Under: News
September 29, 2023 By

ASE Advocacy Update 9/29/23

The fall season brings with it the potential for government shutdown on October 1. We are seeing this play out this week as Congress has yet to pass any of the 12 FY2024 appropriations bills or a short-term spending bill (i.e., Continuing Resolution (CR)) to keep the government funded while Congress continues to work on a broader spending package. The Senate is expected to vote by Saturday on a CR that would fund the government until November 17. There are two CR proposals in the House—one to fund the government for 30 days and the other until January 11—but a vote has not been scheduled and may not be by the October 1 deadline. Below are some highlights of the impact on key health policy areas in the event Congress does not pass a CR by midnight Saturday, September 30, and there is a government shutdown.

Congress

  • Congressional offices will remain open.

Medicare and Medicaid

  • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to process claims.
  • Physicians would not have to hold claims until the CR passes, but there could be a delay in payment if the shutdown is prolonged and funding to Medicare Administrative Contractors is delayed.
  • If the shutdown is prolonged, it is possible that the release of the Medicare physician fee schedule final rule, outpatient prospective payment system final rule, and other major regulations could be delayed.
  • Medicare benefits will not be affected.
  • Medicaid has full funding for the next three months.
  • Approximately half of CMS employees would be deemed essential and continue to work, although many would be unpaid until the shutdown ends.
  • CMS staffing levels may not be sufficient to respond to physicians’ questions about Medicare policies or scores under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
  • Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) staff may continue to develop new alternative payment models, but any new model that CMMI plans to formally announce would likely be delayed.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  • HHS will use its authority under the Antideficiency Act (ADA) to maintain existing HHS activities, including research and vaccine and therapeutic development.
  • CMS will maintain the staff necessary to make payments to eligible states for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
  • CMS will continue Federal Exchange activities, such as eligibility verification, using Federal Exchange user fee carryover.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will continue substance abuse and mental health programs, including those that provide critical behavioral health resources in the event of a natural   or human-caused disaster such as Disaster Behavioral Health response teams, the 24/7 365 day-a-year Disaster Distress Helpline that provides crisis counseling to people experiencing emotional distress after a disaster, and the 988/Suicide Lifeline to connect people in crisis with life-saving resources.
  • The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will maintain the minimal readiness for all hazards, including COVID-19, pandemic flu, and hurricane responses.
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will continue research and clinical activities.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will continue to support drug and medical device reviews, as well as emergency use authorizations and countermeasures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA will also continue core functions to handle and respond to emergencies, such as monitoring for and quickly responding to outbreaks related to foodborne illness and the flu, supporting food and medical product recalls when products endanger consumers and patients, pursuing criminal and certain civil investigations when the public health is at risk, and screening the food and medical products that are imported to the U.S.
  • HHS will continue to protect human life and property, such as monitoring for disease outbreaks conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  • CMS regulations and guidance related to the No Surprises Act, including the Independent Dispute Resolution process, could be delayed.
  • The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will continue to oversee many direct health services and other activities funded through carryover balances, such as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program – Parts A and B and Ending the HIV Epidemic.
  • The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will continue activities funded through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCORTF).
  • Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is under a three-year appropriation; all of ARPA-H activities would continue during a lapse of appropriation.
  • The Indian Health Service (IHS) is under advance appropriations for FY 2024; the majority of IHS-funded programs will remain funded and operational in the event of a lapse of appropriation.

Miscellaneous

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue at least through October.
  • The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) could begin an immediate reduction in benefits a few days after the shutdown starts, although some states may be able to use extra funding to maintain funding for a week or two.
  • Student loan payments: The beginning of a government shutdown could coincide with the restart of federal student loan payments in the U.S. on Oct. 1, but borrowers will still have to make payments to their loan service providers.
Filed Under: Advocacy News, News
July 13, 2023 By

ASE Releases Updated Fetal Echo Guideline

 

 

 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Angie Porter
919-297-7152
aporter@ASEcho.org

American Society of Echocardiography Releases Updated Fetal Echocardiography Guideline
The guideline focuses on the use of echocardiography and multidisciplinary collaboration in fetal cardiac care and evaluation

(DURHAM, NC, July 13, 2023)—Fetal echocardiography is a highly sensitive and specific noninvasive tool used to detect, classify and evaluate fetal cardiovascular diseases. The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) released a guideline document titled Guidelines and Recommendations for Performance of the Fetal Echocardiogram: An Update from the American Society of Echocardiography, replacing the original guidelines and standards published by the Society in 2004.

The standards for imaging, reporting and communication of test results in fetal echocardiography continue to advance rapidly, and a considerable amount of new information has become available in the last 20 years. The purpose of this new guideline document is to provide updated recommendations for the performance and interpretation of fetal echocardiography.

The guideline focuses on the detection, classification, risk assessment, and perinatal care planning of pregnancies where the fetus has cardiovascular disease. Much of the information presented is the result of multidisciplinary collaboration and pooling of multicenter data and expertise of subspecialists and other important stakeholders in the care of fetal patients with cardiovascular disease.

The guideline’s writing group was commissioned by ASE’s Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Council and lead by Co-Chairs Anita J. Moon-Grady, MD, FASE, and Mary T. Donofrio, MD, FASE. The group presents detailed guidelines for what constitutes a complete fetal echocardiographic examination that can be used as a guide for both learners and experienced practitioners. The Fetal Heart Society, the Society of Pediatric Echocardiography and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine also endorse the document, which is published in the July 2023 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography.

“Ongoing research and collaboration have supported efforts toward a better understanding of fetal physiology and disease processes and progression. This has led to significant improvements in fetal diagnosis and in clinical practice and outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Moon-Grady. “The information included in the updated guideline will help practitioners and clinicians maintain the best practice for fetal echocardiography and fetal and perinatal cardiovascular care across disciplines.”

This document and all guidelines published by ASE are available at ASEcho.org/Guidelines.

About American Society of Echocardiography
The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) is the Society for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Professionals™. ASE is the largest global organization for cardiovascular ultrasound imaging serving physicians, sonographers, nurses, veterinarians, and scientists and as such is the leader and advocate, setting practice standards and guidelines for the field. The Society is committed to advancing cardiovascular ultrasound to improve lives. For more information, visit the ASE website ASEcho.org or social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

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Filed Under: News
American Society of Echocardiography
The Society for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Professionals
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