How to start and build your CTO practice and maintain referrals in a competitive environment

Abstract

Starting and building a CTO practice can be one of the most challenging things that an interventional cardiologist may encounter in his or her professional career. Even in the best of situations, the new CTO operator will likely encounter a host of critics including from non-invasive cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, other interventional cardiologists, and even from his or her partners. CTO PCI can be long, costly, and present complications that are uncommon even in a busy cath lab. Administrators, cath lab staff, and nursing staff can either be supportive or they can make it even more challenging. The best way to minimize and or avoid such issues is to approach CTO PCI programmatically and deliberately with the goal of providing the most effective and safest care possible.