The American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry's (ACC-NCDR) ICD Registry Requirements: Report

Interview With Christine Lang, RN, MSN, Associate Director, EP Registry American College of Cardiology

Please describe the purpose of the ACC-NCDR ICD Registry. How did this registry come about? Patients and physicians across the country will now have access to better information on implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), as the national ICD Registry becomes the official database for Medicare patients. A partnership between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and Heart Rhythm Society, the ICD Registry collects detailed information on ICD implantations to assess and improve the care of patients receiving ICDs for primary prevention therapy. Over 1,300 hospitals have been contacted and are in the process of enrolling as participants. Launched June 30, 2005, the national ICD Registry was developed through a collaboration between the American College of Cardiology Foundation and Heart Rhythm Society and is designed for participation by hospitals. The registry collects detailed information on ICD implantations and has as one of its missions helping hospitals meet CMS requirements. The purpose of the registry is to assess and improve the care of patients receiving ICDs. In addition to meeting CMS data collection requirements for ICD implantation, national ICD Registry participants receive quarterly benchmark reports that can be used to measure patient outcomes, volume and utilization. The ICD Registry is a part of The American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCDR^®), a comprehensive cardiac and data repository. What are the deadline requirements for participating hospitals? In addition, are there enrollment or participation fees? Effective April 1, 2006, the national ICD Registry replaces the previous CMS QNET registry, which sunsets on April 30, 2006. In addition, as of April 1, all hospitals participating in the ICD registry will be able to extend this coverage to patients diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) greater than > 3 months and less than < 9 months, NYHA Class II or III heart failure, and measured LVEF < 35%. These patients did not have a covered Medicare indication until now and were previously ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. What if hospitals miss the April deadline? Is there late enrollment or penalty? The CMS mandate calls for all facilities to begin collecting data utilizing the ICD Registry with discharge dates later than March 31, 2006. It is in the best interest of hospitals to complete the enrollment process for the ICD Registry as soon as possible, so hospitals may have access to the tools necessary to collect data as stated in the mandate. All participants will need to complete data collection on ICD implants beginning with discharges of April 1, 2006, even if the enrollment is not completed by March 31, 2006. Why is it important to report data on these primary prevention ICD patients? The 2005 decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand Medicare coverage of ICDs increased the number of eligible Medicare beneficiaries to nearly 500,000 and also required hospitals to submit data to an ICD registry as a criterion of coverage. What kind of data needs to be reported by providers on the ICD registry? The ICD Registry will hope to answer critical questions regarding the use of ICD implantation, such as: How do the characteristics of patients and implanting physicians compare between those involved in randomized trials and those receiving and placing the device following approval? What are the characteristics/competencies of the individual implanting the ICD? What are the characteristics of the patient? What are the indications for the ICD? What are the in-hospital procedure-related complications? What are the relative outcomes within the Registry population? Is it possible for hospitals to submit retroactive data? Yes, hospitals may submit data as far back as January 1, 2006 into the ICD Registry. Where can someone go for more information about the ICD Registry? More information about the ICD Registry can be found at: www.accncdr.org.

About the Heart Rhythm Society: The Heart Rhythm Society is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education and optimal health care policies and standards. Founded in 1979 to address the scarcity of information about the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, the Heart Rhythm Society is the preeminent professional group representing more than 4,200 specialists in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology in 78 countries. For more information on the Society, please visit: www.hrsonline.org.

About The American College of Cardiology: The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The College is a 33,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care.