UnitedHealthcare has partnered with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to develop a Cardiac Imaging Appropriateness Pilot Study. This program, implemented in March 2008, captures and analyzes physician practice patterns related to SPECT MPI imaging to inform future education efforts. This partnership is important in advancing the appropriate and rational use of cardiac imaging resources.
Pilot program objectives:
Develop a process and data-collection instrument to evaluate the appropriateness of single photon emission computed tomography magnetic perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI)
Examine patterns of SPECT utilization at the point of service in select cardiovascular practices in a variety of outpatient settings (ie, urban, rural, community and academic)
Determine the rate of appropriate, uncertain and inappropriate SPECT MPI studies
Develop feedback mechanisms to improve both practice-level and individual physician-level adherence to the criteria
Provide confidential feedback to practices and individual physicians
Assess change in practice patterns over time
Determine the correlation between SPECT MPI appropriateness and image result
Establish SPECT MPI appropriateness thresholds to identify acceptable and unacceptable levels of performance
The appropriateness criteria are an ongoing ACC effort to critically and systematically create, review and categorize clinical situations in which physicians use diagnostic tests and procedures for patients with cardiovascular disease.
