Variation in additional testing and patient outcomes after stress echocardiography or myocardial perfusion imaging, according to accreditation status of testing site

• Published in: Journal of nuclear cardiology Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 2952 - 2961
• Main Authors: Shah, Jay N., Murray, Kimberly M., Lucas, F.L., Fairfield, Kathleen M., Cohen, Mylan C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Elsevier Inc 01.12.2021; Springer International Publishing; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accreditation; Accreditation status; Adult; Aged; Angina pectoris; Cardiology; Echocardiography, Stress; Female; Health Facilities - standards; Health service research; Heart Function Tests; Humans; Imaging; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging; Nuclear Medicine; Original Article; Radiology; Stress echocardiography; Ultrasonic imaging; Stress echocardiography; Myocardial perfusion imaging; CPT; MPI; CAD; IAC; ICD; Accreditation status; ACR; PCI; Health service research; CABG; AMI
• ISSN: 1071-3581; 1532-6551
• DOI: 10.1007/s12350-020-02230-0

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether patients receiving a stress echocardiogram or myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) test have differences in subsequent testing and outcomes according to accreditation status of the original testing facility. An all-payer claims dataset from Maine Health Data Organization from 2012 to 2014 was utilized to define two cohorts defined by an initial stress echocardiogram or MPI test. The accreditation status (Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), American College of Radiology (ACR) or none) of the facility performing the index test was known. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression were used to examine differences in subsequent diagnostic testing and cardiac outcomes. We observed 4603 index stress echocardiograms and 8449 MPI tests. Multivariate models showed higher odds of subsequent MPI testing and hospitalization for angina if the index test was performed at a non-accredited facility in both the stress echocardiogram cohort and the MPI cohort. We also observed higher odds of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.13-2.50), if the initial MPI test was done in a non-accredited facility. Cardiac testing completed in non-accredited facilities were associated with higher odds of subsequent MPI testing, hospitalization for angina, and PCI.