The short-term financial implications for Beth Israel are initially, of course, that more patients will have Medicare coverage for the use stenting during carotid-cleaning surgery. There are other positive implications, too for the hospital over the long-term. In terms of staffing, as skill is less of a premium in stenting than previously thought, more physicians, and younger, training physicians can perform the procedure. This will free up the schedules of more skilled surgeons for other, more technically demanding operations. The procedure will also be able to be performed more frequently, as more physicians can accomplish it, thus enabling Beth Israel to expand the use of the surgery....
As it is safer and less invasive, the surgery long run it may require less insurance for the hospital. One day, perhaps residents can perform this procedure, as well as the most skilled physicians, and the use of stenting during carotid-cleaning surgery could be incorporated into the training regime of new doctors. Regardless, new interest in the surgery and the hospital's more frequent ability to perform the surgery will open up funding from organizations that deal with nutrition, heart health, and other organizations that advocate the use of surgery as well as other means to reduce stroke risks for patients with clogged carotid arteries - the arteries in the neck that carry blood to the brain.
