Welcome to MD Training at Home

1) Chamber Qualifications

2) Evaluation of valvular regurgitation

3) Stress Echocardiography

4) Evaluation of valve stenosis

5) Performing multiplane transesophageal echocardiogram

6) Echocardiographic evaluation of LV diastolic function

7) Evaluation of prosthestic valves with echocardiography and Doppler ultrasound

8) Echocardiography assessment of right heart in adults

9) Appropriate use criteria for echocardiography

The main purpose of this activity is to provide physicians with access to educational tools based upon the ever-expanding set of guidelines established by the American Society of Echocardiography. The American Society of Echocardiography standards and guidelines change or expand several times per year regarding new techniques and protocols. These revisions reflect new clinical data, changes in test utilization patterns, and clarify echocardiography use where omissions or lack of clarity existed in the original criteria.

This program not only focuses on the didactic material contained within the American Society of Echocardiography Guidelines but also provides access to a significant volume of case based learning. Many physicians do not have access to pertinent clinical and case-based educational tools regarding the application and interpretation of echocardiograms. This course addresses formal requests by physicians practicing echocardiography as well as the changes put forth (referenced above) by the American Society of Echocardiography and will enable changes in Practice Competence and Patient Outcomes.

MDT's Faculty believe that in this ever changing medical environment where imaging is heavily scrutinized, access to educational resources by all physicians is becoming ever more important to assure patient safety, reimbursement, credentialing and clinical proficiency. Echocardiography has become one of the most important tools for detecting problems with the heart valves (such as aortic stenosis or mitral valve prolapse) as well as evaluation of congenital heart disease. In an atmosphere of shrinking reimbursement, echo has also gained popularity as a viable "cross-training" discipline for physicians seeking additional subspecialties.

In 2011 the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography updated the guidelines for Appropriate Use Criteria in Echocardiography. These guidelines underwent significant change and were developed with input from the American Society of Echocardiography, American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, American Heart Association, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Failure Society of America, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and the American College of Chest Physicians. The guidelines contain updated recommendations regarding the appropriateness of transthoracic, transesophageal, and stress echocardiography in an expanded number of clinical scenarios. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2011;24:229-67.)

Wojiech Mazur M.D., FACC

The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati OH

Director Advanced Cardiac Imaging

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

Pediatrics Regional Workgroup

Founding member of SCCT

Disclosures: Dr. Mazur is a course content provider and trainer for Cardiac CTA and Echocardiography at MD Training @home.

Status: This course is in it's final review for PRA Category 1 credit during the BETA phase of physician participation.

Target Audience: Echocardiography physicians and interested Clinicians

Release Date:  TBD

Expiration Date:  TBD

The course consists of six online components: The ASE Guidelines as referenced in the learning objectives and five seperate sections designed to enhance the participants critical thinking skills in relation to those guidelines. Guideline competency is measured and accomplished via a mixture of interactive clinical and case based questions and answer. These materials will be presented in an on-line format where the student will interact with the didactic, image and video based materials within MD Training @home's web based eLearning cloud, axion. The program requires no specialized connection or software and supports all major browsers on PC and Mac platforms.