The Cardiovascular Crisis?

By John O. Goodman, President

 As we move into 2009, heart and vascular patients and cardiovascular physicians are approaching a mutual crisis that is likely to affect the quality of care while driving up the cost of that care. Today, we have a rapidly aging population and a shrinking number of cardiovascular physicians. Unfortunately, the news media and most journals elect to avoid this subject and the crisis that all of us are facing.  

Between June 30, 2006 and June 30, 2008, we lost approximately 2,500 cardiologists from full-service practice. The lost cardiologists died, retired, or severely reduced their practice time. During the same period, we graduated only approximately 1,500 new cardiologists from fellowship. This change in cardiology resources resulted in a net loss of approximately 1,000 cardiology providers in the marketplace. In the next four years, we can expect to lose another 2,000 cardiologists since the average age of a cardiologist today is approaching 54 years.

In 2006, the United States population over the age of 45 was 111.9 million. Between 2006 and 2008, the population over the age of 45 years increased to 116.6 million, or approximately 4.2%. This same population will increase to 126.8 million over the next 5 years (U. S. Census, www.census.gov). In 2005, the latest data available from the CDC – Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), mortality statistics demonstrate that 35.3% (864,480) of all deaths are attributable to cardiovascular disease.

The decline in the number of cardiologists combined with the increase in the population that has cardiovascular disease is rapidly approaching a major healthcare crisis. Our challenge today is to look at new macro strategies that will enable existing cardiovascular physicians to step out of the traditional approach to delivering cardiovascular care and into a much more efficient approach to delivery of care. The crisis is undisputable. Our challenge is to apply both art and science in order to create a major paradigm shift at all levels of cardiovascular care in all levels of efficiency so patient demand can be met with high quality care as well as at a lower cost.