Anahita Dua1, Rebecca Gologorsky2, Dasha Savage2, Neil Rens2, Neil Gandhi2, Benjamin Brooke3, Matthew Corriere4, Elizabeth Jackson5, Oliver Aalami6. 1. Division of Vascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. 2. Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, Calif. 3. Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Mich. 5. Division of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Ala. 6. Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, Calif. Electronic address: aalami@stanford.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Supervised exercise therapy (SET) is an inexpensive, low-risk, and effective option when compared with invasive therapies for the treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication. Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated the benefits of SET in improving maximum walking distance in intermittent claudication patients, and society guidelines recommend SET as first-line therapy. In 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added coverage of SET. We aimed to evaluate the availability and use of SET programs, determine the awareness of SET CMS coverage in the United States, and gauge the academic interest in SET in the vascular community. METHODS: An eight-question online survey regarding SET coverage, reimbursement, barriers to prescription, and SET use was sent to 900 vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and vascular medicine physicians across the United States. The most recent 2-year programs for the Vascular Annual Meeting, Midwestern Vascular Society, Eastern Vascular Society, and Western Vascular Society were reviewed to identify SET-related abstracts and gauge academic interest and awareness for SET within the vascular surgery community. RESULTS: We received 135 physician responses (15%) to the survey. All 50 states were represented. The majority of responders (54%) stated that there was no SET program at their facility, and 5% did not know if there was a SET program available. Of those who did have a SET program available, 81% were associated with cardiac rehabilitation and 19% had a PAD-specific program. A significant number of physicians (49%) had never referred a patient for SET. Twenty-six percent were not aware that CMS covered SET sessions. Of the physicians who were aware of CMS reimbursement, 36% had never referred a patient to a SET program. Of all surveyed, 98% indicated they would refer patients to a SET program if one was available. Top barriers to use of a SET program included (1) no SET center availability and (2) significant cost or travel expense to the patient. A review of major vascular surgery meeting programs for the last 2 years yielded no identification of a SET-related abstract. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of both availability and use of SET for patients with PAD with claudication, despite guideline recommendations and CMS reimbursement for SET sessions in the United States. When SET is offered, it is typically through cardiac rehabilitation programs which is not focused on PAD. Travel distance, lack of SET program availability, and low reimbursement rates are primary areas that could be addressed to improve use.
BACKGROUND: Supervised exercise therapy (SET) is an inexpensive, low-risk, and effective option when compared with invasive therapies for the treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication. Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated the benefits of SET in improving maximum walking distance in intermittent claudicationpatients, and society guidelines recommend SET as first-line therapy. In 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added coverage of SET. We aimed to evaluate the availability and use of SET programs, determine the awareness of SET CMS coverage in the United States, and gauge the academic interest in SET in the vascular community. METHODS: An eight-question online survey regarding SET coverage, reimbursement, barriers to prescription, and SET use was sent to 900 vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and vascular medicine physicians across the United States. The most recent 2-year programs for the Vascular Annual Meeting, Midwestern Vascular Society, Eastern Vascular Society, and Western Vascular Society were reviewed to identify SET-related abstracts and gauge academic interest and awareness for SET within the vascular surgery community. RESULTS: We received 135 physician responses (15%) to the survey. All 50 states were represented. The majority of responders (54%) stated that there was no SET program at their facility, and 5% did not know if there was a SET program available. Of those who did have a SET program available, 81% were associated with cardiac rehabilitation and 19% had a PAD-specific program. A significant number of physicians (49%) had never referred a patient for SET. Twenty-six percent were not aware that CMS covered SET sessions. Of the physicians who were aware of CMS reimbursement, 36% had never referred a patient to a SET program. Of all surveyed, 98% indicated they would refer patients to a SET program if one was available. Top barriers to use of a SET program included (1) no SET center availability and (2) significant cost or travel expense to the patient. A review of major vascular surgery meeting programs for the last 2 years yielded no identification of a SET-related abstract. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of both availability and use of SET for patients with PAD with claudication, despite guideline recommendations and CMS reimbursement for SET sessions in the United States. When SET is offered, it is typically through cardiac rehabilitation programs which is not focused on PAD. Travel distance, lack of SET program availability, and low reimbursement rates are primary areas that could be addressed to improve use.
Authors: Jacob C Monroe; Chen Lin; Susan M Perkins; Yan Han; Brett J Wong; Raghu L Motaganahalli; Bruno T Roseguini Journal: J Appl Physiol (1985) Date: 2020-10-01
Authors: Mary M McDermott; Bonnie Spring; Lu Tian; Diane Treat-Jacobson; Luigi Ferrucci; Donald Lloyd-Jones; Lihui Zhao; Tamar Polonsky; Melina R Kibbe; Lydia Bazzano; Jack M Guralnik; Daniel E Forman; Al Rego; Dongxue Zhang; Kathryn Domanchuk; Christiaan Leeuwenburgh; Robert Sufit; Brittany Smith; Todd Manini; Michael H Criqui; W Jack Rejeski Journal: JAMA Date: 2021-04-06 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Judith C Lin; Misty D Humphries; William P Shutze; Oliver O Aalami; Uwe M Fischer; Kim J Hodgson Journal: J Vasc Surg Date: 2020-07-02 Impact factor: 4.268
Authors: Arash Harzand; Alexander A Vakili; Alaaeddin Alrohaibani; Smah M Abdelhamid; Neil F Gordon; John Thiel; Jaime Benarroch-Gampel; Victoria J Teodorescu; Keri Minton; Nanette K Wenger; Ravi R Rajani; Amit J Shah Journal: Clin Cardiol Date: 2020-04-23 Impact factor: 2.882
Authors: Amy E Harwood; Sean Pymer; Lee Ingle; Patrick Doherty; Ian C Chetter; Belinda Parmenter; Christopher D Askew; Gary A Tew Journal: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med Date: 2020-11-05
Authors: Minakshi P Biswas; Warren H Capell; Mary M McDermott; Donald L Jacobs; Joshua A Beckman; Marc P Bonaca; William R Hiatt Journal: JACC Basic Transl Sci Date: 2021-02-22
Authors: Alexander Waddell; Sally Seed; David R Broom; Gordon McGregor; Stefan T Birkett; Amy E Harwood Journal: Vasc Med Date: 2021-12-20 Impact factor: 3.239
Authors: Amy E Harwood; Christopher Ja Pugh; Charles J Steward; Campbell Menzies; C Doug Thake; Tom Cullen Journal: Vasc Med Date: 2021-02-15 Impact factor: 3.239