Nearly half of all counties in the U.S. lack a practicing cardiologist, according to a July 8 NBC News report.
The majority of the counties lacking care are in rural areas, where residents tend to have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Of the 3,143 counties in the U.S., 46.3% do not have a cardiologist and 86.2% of those are rural counties, according to the study.
An additional 10% of U.S. counties have just one cardiologist for the entire county. As cardiology care continues to provide a new opportunity for ASCs, outpatient centers could be used to reduce the number of counties lacking practitioners.
“We believe that cardiology represents the single largest driver of new cases and new revenues on the horizon — nothing else comes close to being able to move the needle as quickly as cardiovascular,” Alfonso del Granado, administrator and CEO of Covenant High Plains Surgery Center in Lubbock, Texas, told Becker’s.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.