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UTILIZATION OF PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HEALTH CARE FROM 1983 TO 1996

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1999

Aldo Mariotto
Affiliation:
Veneto Region Section of the Italian Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care
Lucia Zeni
Affiliation:
Veneto Region Section of the Italian Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care
Vittorio Selle
Affiliation:
Veneto Region Section of the Italian Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care
Carlo Favaretti
Affiliation:
Veneto Region Section of the Italian Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the distribution of interventional cardiac catheterization laboratories, their case load, the time trends, and the regional variation of percutaneous transluminal cutaneous angioplasty (PTCA) utilization in Italy.

Methods: Analysis of data was provided by the annual reports of the Italian Group of Studies and Interventional Cardiology over the period from 1983 to 1996.

Results: The number of PTCA facilities and their use steadily increased, mainly in the North. In 1996 the utilization rate was 34 per 100,000 population, but only 60% of labs performed 200 or more procedures.

Conclusions: Dramatic time trends and regional variations often took place without an epidemiology and technology assessment-based planning process.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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