Marti L. McCullough, MBA, BS, RDCS, FASE, writes in the August JASE Sonographer’s Communication that “Transesophaegeal echocardiography in angiography and surgical suites is continuing to increase and as a result, sonographers are spending more time in areas that emit a lot of radiation. Additionally, in many facilities, scanning patients recently injected with a radioisotope is part of the daily routine. These activities increase sonographer exposure to radiation.” To meet the concerns of our membership regarding this trend, ASE created a writing group of experts, chaired by Elizabeth F. McIlwain, MHS, RDCS, RCS, FASE. The resulting document appears in this month’s JASE. “Radiation Safety for the Cardiac Sonographer: Recommendations of the Radiation Safety Writing Group for the Council on Cardiovascular Sonography of the American Society of Echocardiography” includes basic radiation principles, sources of radiation for the sonographer, personal protection techniques, regulatory and administrative issues, and policy development/recommendations.

Also in this issue is an updated version of the 2001 guideline on contrast echocardiography. “Guidelines for the Cardiac Sonographer in the Performance of Contrast Echocardiography: A Focused Update from the American Society of Echocardiography,” covers current physics/instrumentation, how to implement contrast administration policy/establishing intravenous access, current contrast ejection and infusion safety, and relevant recommended initiatives including rebranding “contrast echo” to “enhanced echo.” Don’t miss JASE’s 11 clinical investigations including “Left Ventricular Functional Recovery and Remodeling in Low-Flow Low-Gradient Severe Aortic Stenosis after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation” by Vasileios Kamperidis et al.

Next week is the ASEF’s third humanitarian mission in India – and you’re invited! Join our onsite team, led by Dr. Partho Sengupta and David Adams, for three learning sessions broadcast live from Bangalore. While in India, the team will be evaluating patients with known rheumatic heart disease, and during the live broadcasts they’ll present highlights from the cases they saw each day. Expert physicians located in the United States, including Drs. Thomas Ryan, Jagat Narula, Roberto Lang, Patricia Pellikka, and James Thomas, will provide commentary and engage in discussion with participants. Visit the ASEF Values page for more information.

If you will be within a short drive or train ride from Washington, D.C. on September 12, perhaps attending TCT or the ACC’s legislative conference, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to join leaders from ASE and across the healthcare spectrum in our nation’s capital for Value-Based Healthcare: Summit 2014. ASE’s Advocacy Committee Chair, Dr. David Wiener, recently wrote a great blog post about the Summit and the reasons why it is so important for ASE members to participate and help shape the discussion about how cardiac imaging, and specifically echo, will provide superior value in the new world of ACO’s, bundled payments, etc. Free registration for ASE Members, interactive sessions, and networking will make it worthwhile, even if just for a drop-in. Get all the details and find out how to register for this ASE Foundation event at www.asecho.org/summit2014.

Read release here.

Read release here.

Don’t miss your chance to help shape the discussion!

JW Marriott Hotel
Washington, DC

Leaders from across the healthcare spectrum will be gathering in our nation’s capital to offer a variety of unique perspectives on the transition to value-based healthcare, with a focus on the role of cardiovascular ultrasound, specifically echocardiography, in this changing environment.  Speakers will include a US Congressman; a director of population health at one of the nation’s premier health systems; the Co-Editor-In-Chief of the first peer-reviewed journal focused exclusively on delivery science and care redesign; and many others.  The full agenda and speaker information can be accessed here, and will be continuously updated as more information becomes available.  Summit participants will include legislators and staffers, private and governmental payers, clinicians, patient advocates, researchers, and industry representatives.

Read release here.

ASE Foundation is excited to announce that we’re adding Spanish-language webinars to our repertoire of translated guideline materials. Dr. Federico Asch recorded  ASE’s first Spanish webinar available for no cost.  Dr. Asch presented “Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Transesophageal Echocardiographic Examination” by Hahn et al.  Watch here.