The realm of possibility in cardiology is ever-expanding, as new technologies and regulatory approvals make conducting cardiovascular procedures outside of a hospital setting increasingly safe and feasible.
This trend is reflected by a recent wave of cardiology practices that have gone independent. Lynwood, Wash.-based CardioNow is the most recent practice to join the growing movement of independent cardiologists.
Mahesh Mulumudi, MD, and CEO of CardioNow, said that his motivation for starting an independent practice was to address issues with care delivery in the region.
“The biggest challenge and [one of the] biggest things that I’ve seen change in the healthcare landscape in the last 20 years is that care delivery is not smooth anymore,” he said. “It’s not what it used to be. In my opinion, patients could get in to see the providers promptly, get the tests that they need to be done promptly and then get the procedures. That’s a classic world that I used to live in, and that’s gone.”
CardioNow comprises five physicians, all of whom left employed positions, launched their outpatient cardiac catheterization lab and ASC in June, and began seeing patients in early July, all with the support of Houston-based CardioOne.
CardioOne is a management services organization that supports cardiologists’ transition to independent practice through technological, operational and capital assistance. The company operates without acquiring practices, empowering them to function independently.
Dr. Mulumudi happened upon CardioOne while conducting a Google search on the name “CardioNow,” coincidentally realizing their platform would be an ideal partner to help get his practice off the ground.
“What I was trying to do by myself — they solved all of that,” he said. “[The company put] all the pieces together into a work flow service that they can deploy. That was a godsend to me, and we immediately partnered with them and took that offer.”
He said that, in addition to operational support, the relationship between his physician colleagues and CardioOne is highly collaborative. “These physicians are there to deploy their ideas within the business structure,” he added.
Dr. Mulumudi said the first few weeks of practice have been a success, with full schedules and a bright outlook for the future. He added that while this sort of venture is relatively new in cardiology, he expects that the success of independent practices such as his will inspire more cardiologists to make the jump from employment.
“They’re going to be on the sidelines and watching your stories before they can jump in,” he said. “That’s my view of this. Because I talk to a lot of people that are interested, but they don’t have the gumption to do it. … And after starting this, I spoke with a few cardiologists who would call me and say, ‘Hey, how would you advise me if I want to do this?’ So that’s one of the things I keep hearing.”
