FASE deadline approaches

The Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) credential recognizes dedicated ASE members with extraordinary commitment to the field. The next deadline for FASE applications is December 1. If you have been an ASE member for two years, check out the criteria here as you may be eligible!

Already a FASE? Showcase your FASE achievement. Purchase a FASE product today to highlight your designation in your home or office. With two professional designs to choose from, ASE can ship you an embossed cherry frame with your reprinted certificate enclosed or an engraved, full-color walnut plaque. View these products here. Email FASE@asecho.org or call Angela Dart, Membership Specialist, at 919-297-7153 with questions or to place an order.

CMS Release PFS and OPPS final Rule, with a New Interventional Transesophageal Echocardiography code beginning in 2015

On Friday, October 31, the Centers of Medicaid and Medicare released the PFS and OPPS final rules. We are proud to announce that after a year and half of work, CMS has approved and provided a value for a new interventional transesophageal echocardiography code beginning in 2015! Read more here.

New Quality Requirements for Echo Under Medicare

Please note that, effective January 15, 2015, new quality requirements will be applicable to echo providers in a number of states, including Illinois (for Part B providers), Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin. Learn more here.

Save $150 when you purchase the “Best of ASE” DVD series

ASE’s newest addition to our “Best of ASE” series, Best of ASE, Volume 6: Echocardiographic Imaging of Native and Prosthetic Valves is now available. This “Best of ASE” valve lecture series includes a comprehensive overview of the latest in diagnostic evaluation and quantification of regurgitant and stenotic lesions as well as detailed discussions on the role of echocardiography in today’s surgical and catheter-based interventions. Each lecture provides multiple case studies which enable you to understand the clinical relevance and methods used for evaluation.

The topics for first five volumes of the “Best of ASE series” include:

  • Introduction to Diastology
  • Basics of Strain
  • A Practical Guide to 3D Echocardiography
  • Basic Physics of Ultrasound, Knobology, and Echocardiographic Artifacts
  • Contrast Echocardiography

Visit www.ASEMarketPlace.com to purchase these individually for $75 or purchase all six for the discounted bundle price of $300.

Don’t forget to upload your echo images and vote on your favorites

Did you know in celebration of ASE’s 40th anniversary, ASE is holding an echo image competition? The winners will be featured in a colorful, 12-month calendar given to all members who renew by December 15, 2014.  We are looking for awesome images that show how cool echo is… 3D, Doppler, 2D, Stress, Strain, Contrast, TEE, TTE, or anything else that features cardiovascular ultrasound. A couple of reminders: no patient identifiers (dates, institutions, names) and winners are determined by popular vote. All membership levels and categories are eligible to submit. Submission is still open, but voting has begun.  The last date to vote is October 31. 

Instructions for uploading images are as follows:

  1. Head to the ASE 2015 Calendar Contest Library on Connect@ASE.
  2. Login to Connect@ASE using your username (email address) and password.
  3. Using the top navigation, scroll to All Libraries.
  4. Click on ASE 2015 Calendar Contest.
  5. Click “new” under Folder Contents on the right hand side of the menu and upload your image. Image files need to be no larger than 30 MB.
  6. Once you’ve uploaded your image, it will prompt you to enter a subject and a brief description.  We encourage you to do so.

To vote for your favorite echo images:

  1. Browse the images uploaded in the ASE 2015 Calendar Contest Image Library.
  2. Give each image a rating from 1 to 5 stars using the star rating system in the right hand corner.
  3. Rate as many images as you’d like.

If you have any questions, please contact ASE at acooper@asecho.org. Start voting on your favorite images today.

Stay warm this winter by registering for State-of-the-Art Echocardiography

The preliminary program for the 28th Annual State-of-the-Art Echocardiography is now available! This superbly rated meeting will take place in Scottsdale, AZ on February 22-24, 2015 with preconferences available on February 21. Topics will include quantitative echocardiography, valvular and ischemic heart disease, stress/contrast echocardiography, advances in imaging in coronary disease, state-of-the-art and clinical applications of TEE, diastology, physiological disease management, and myopericardial diseases. Back by popular demand, a half-day Congenital Heart Symposium will take place on Saturday, February 21 from 1pm – 5pm. To learn more about the main conference and other learning opportunities including the Learning Lab and the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Session, please visit www.asecho.org/sota.

Sign up today for ASE’s live webinar happening this Wednesday

Join Juan Carlos Plana, MD, FASE, from the Baylor College of Medicine on Wednesday, October 29 at 5:00 pm ET as he reviews the Expert Consensus statement: “Expert Consensus for Multimodality Imaging Evaluation of Adult Patients during and after Cancer Therapy: A Report from the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging.” During this live webinar, provided by ASE, Dr. Plana will highlight the importance of echocardiography as the imaging modality of choice during and after cancer therapy treatments. Due to the significant number of patients who have been treated with cancer therapeutic agents with cardiotoxicity and who are at risk to develop heart failure, early detection of left ventricular dysfunction is imperative. Be sure to reserve a spot early so you do not miss out on this opportunity for unique echocardiography updates and CME.

To ensure your FREE registration for this event, please follow these 3 simple steps:

  1. Log on to your ASE Member Portal
  2. Select “ASE University and CME Credits” from the Member Portal menu
  3. Select “Live Webinars” and “Register” from the ASEUniversity Menu.

Non-members may attend this event, but a fee will be associated with this participation.

Congratulations to Bracco

Lumason has been approved by the FDA here in the U.S.  Read more here.

Help shape the future of ASE by nominating your peers

ASE is now accepting recommendations for Officers and Directors who will be officially elected at the 26th Annual Scientific Sessions, June 12-16, 2015 in Boston, MA. Your nominations are invited for the position of vice president, treasurer, secretary, and five board positions. The vice president will serve a one-year term and is in a ladder position to the presidency. Guidelines for submitting nominations can be found on ASE’s nominations page. The deadline is quickly approaching. Please submit nominations by Friday, October 24, 2014. If you have any questions or to submit your nominations, please contact Mary Alice Dilday at 919-297-7188 or madilday@asecho.org.

ASE Foundation’s Largest Research Grant Awarded to Innovative Fusion Imaging Project

Read release here.