OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) Technology may be a key piece to improving outcomes for these patients according to a case study from the LightLab Clinical Initiative and one Integrated Delivery Network (IDN).
In early 2019, Stuart Scherger, Senior Director Clinical Systems at a non-profit, local community healthcare system in the Southwest region of the United States, led a team of stakeholders to reevaluate their available intravascular imaging technologies.
In the review of existing imaging technologies, Mr. Scherger and his team had four primary objectives: drive new revenue streams, implement cost savings programs, and integrate new tech, all to help improve patient experiences and outcomes.
The problem was finding the right technology that could help them make significant progress on these challenges and that also had the staying power in the industry to be a worthwhile investment. Enter Abbott’s OCT technology.
It is a type of advanced medical imaging that uses light waves to take near-photographic quality cross-section pictures of living tissue during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The detailed images help interventional cardiologists decide if a stent is necessary, guide stent placement, and determine stent optimizations post-placement.
After researching and the literature, the team decided to introduce the OCT technology to their health system. However, while the IDN had the correct technology to use OCT, it was not being effectively utilized—that’s where the LightLab Clinical Initiative came in. Results after implementation included:
Abbott designed the LightLab Clinical Initiative to optimize cath lab workflow, safety, and efficiency through the standardized use of the full range of information derived from OCT.
Through the LightLab program, the IDN supplemented their OCT technology with a standardized workflow for 230 cases. This OCT-focused workflow helped inform pre-treatment diagnosis and assessment, facilitate treatment guidance and decision-making, and optimize post-treatment analysis.
Review the case study for more in-depth details and to see the impact that OCT technology and the LightLab program had on workflow in the cath lab and patient care.
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