Hot Topics in EP

Dear Readers, I hope all of you are having a chance to wind down after the busy NASPE meeting, held May 14-17 in Washington, DC. It is always a pleasure to see so many familiar faces and meet new friends as well. I have included some attendees perspectives from the meeting. This month, we present an interesting feature on a hot topic in electrophysiology right now: reprocessing single-use devices. The Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) of 2002 was recently signed into law. MDUFMA establishes stronger regulatory controls over the reprocessing industry. In the article, we interview John Manthei, who discusses the new provisions, including the economic benefits of reprocessing and the potential risks. What are your thoughts on this topic? Does your lab reprocess devices? Please email our EP Lab Digest discussion group with your comments. Our Spotlight Interview this month comes from the University of Iowa Hospitals, which runs 2 very busy EP labs. Their EP lab has been doing procedures for the last 23 years. Perhaps one of the secrets of their success is their nursing staff, who they note is a very important component because of their focus on cross training. I hope you will check out this article and read about the innovations being done there. Next month, look for more articles inspired by this year's NASPE meeting. Thanks for reading!