REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – May 5, 2021 — Heartflow, Inc., a leader in revolutionizing precision heartcare, and MedAxiom, an American College of Cardiology (ACC) company whose mission is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health, announced today a collaboration to improve cardiovascular care for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The collaboration will focus on increasing awareness among providers and payors about the coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and Heartflow FFRCT Analysis diagnostic pathway, and equipping practitioners with the tools they need to best adapt their practices to utilize CTA more broadly.
“MedAxiom is at the forefront of transforming cardiovascular medicine and we recognize there is a true need to change the way patients with CAD are diagnosed while improving clinical, operational and financial outcomes for cardiovascular service providers,” said Gerald Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, President and Chief Executive Officer, MedAxiom. “By bringing together our clinical practice expertise with Heartflow’s innovative approach to provide precision diagnostics based on coronary CTAs, we have the opportunity to transform the way care is delivered.”
CAD is the leading cause of death1 in the United States and develops when the coronary arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to the heart and causing chest pain (angina), heart attack (myocardial infarction) and death. Cardiovascular care accounts for one in every six health care dollars spent in the United States2. One of the contributing factors to this is that the historical pathway for diagnosing CAD has been inefficient, resulting in repeat testing due to low rates of accuracy. Research shows 20-30% of patients with CAD go undiagnosed3, and 55% end up having unnecessary invasive procedures based on the uncertain findings of a stress test4.
The coronary CTA-Heartflow pathway enables a more accurate diagnosis of CAD, with a less than 1% chance of missing disease5. The collaboration between MedAxiom and Heartflow will include a multi-faceted approach focused on tackling the core barriers preventing cardiovascular service providers from adopting a coronary CTA – Heartflow pathway. The collaboration will include data, education and tools around best practices for providers and service lines, optimizing financial performance, clinical utilization, organizational efficiencies and payor value.
“As CAD diagnosis increasingly moves to a coronary CTA-led pathway, Heartflow’s mission is to harness the power of coronary CTA and provide a comprehensive, integrated solution to help physicians deliver precise, personalized diagnoses and optimize treatment for their patients,” said John H. Stevens, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Heartflow. “We are excited to collaborate with MedAxiom to achieve our shared goal of creating innovative solutions for the advancement of cardiovascular care for providers and patients.”
ENDS
About the Heartflow FFRCT Analysis
The Heartflow Analysis is a non-invasive, cardiac test for stable symptomatic patients with CAD, the leading cause of death worldwide. Starting with a standard coronary CTA, the Heartflow Analysis leverages deep learning and highly trained analysts to create a digital, personalized 3D model of the heart. The Heartflow Analysis then uses powerful computer algorithms to solve millions of complex equations to simulate blood flow and provides FFRCT values along the coronary arteries. This information helps physicians evaluate the impact a blockage may be having on blood flow and determine the optimal course of treatment for each patient. A positive FFRCT value (≤0.80) indicates that a coronary blockage is impeding blood flow to the heart muscle to a degree which may warrant invasive management.
Data demonstrating the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the Heartflow Analysis have been published in more than 425 peer-reviewed publications, including long-term data out to five years. The Heartflow Analysis offers the highest diagnostic performance available from a non-invasive test.6 To date, clinicians around the world have used the Heartflow Analysis for more than 75,000 patients to aid in the diagnosis of heart disease.
About Heartflow, Inc.
Heartflow, Inc. is a leader in revolutionizing precision heartcare, uniquely combining human ingenuity with advanced technology. Our non-invasive Heartflow FFRCT Analysis leverages artificial intelligence to create a personalized 3D model of the heart. By using this model, clinicians can better evaluate the impact a blockage has on blood flow and determine the best treatment for patients. Our technology is reflective of our Silicon Valley roots and incorporates decades of scientific evidence with the latest advances in artificial intelligence. The Heartflow FFRCT Analysis is commercially available in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. For more information, visit www.Heartflow.com.
About MedAxiom
MedAxiom, an ACC Company, is the cardiovascular community’s premier source for organizational performance solutions. MedAxiom is transforming cardiovascular care by combining the knowledge and power of 425+ cardiovascular organization members, thousands of administrators, clinicians and coders and 35+ industry partners. Through the delivery of proprietary tools, smart data and proven strategies, MedAxiom helps cardiovascular organizations achieve the Quadruple Aim of better outcomes, lower costs, improved patient experience and improved clinician experience. For additional information, visit www.MedAxiom.com.
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- https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
- https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/learn-prevent/cost-consequences.html
- Arbab-Zadeh, Heart Int 2012. Yokota, et al. Neth Heart J 2018. Nakanishi, et al. J Nucl Cardiol 2018.
- Patel, et al. N Engl J Med 2010. Patel, et al. AHJ 2014. Danad, et al. JAMA Cardiology 2017.
- Hecht, H., et al. Euro Heart J 2019.
- Driessen, R., et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(2),161-73.