External CounterPulsation (ECP) Centers

MedCath Diagnostics, LLC, a national provider of cardiac diagnostic services, has assisted physicians with placing this proven cardiac treatment therapy within their office and/or diagnostic centers. We will help with the upfront investment needed to purchase equipment and our development staff will establish a turnkey facility that leaves you free to care for your patients.

Description of Therapy

Patients lie on a bed wearing a series of compressive air cuffs (resembling Blood Pressure cuffs) that are wrapped around the patient’s legs. The vascular networks in the large muscles of patients’ legs are compressed in sequence, progressing from the calves upward. Each wave of pressure is electronically synchronized with the patient’s heartbeat via a microprocessor-interpreted ECG signal, so that the increased blood flow is delivered to the heart at the precise moment of diastole. The result is much higher coronary flow and perfusion as well as increased venous return. Recent studies suggest that ECP promulgates the development of new collaterals to ischemic regions of the myocardium through angiogenesis.

Treatment Course

The recommended regimen is once daily, one-hour treatment, five (5) days a week for seven (7) weeks. Twice daily treatments are an option for some patients, to reduce treatment course duration.

Medicare covers ECP and the reimbursement rates have steadily risen over the past several years. Reimbursement rates for 2003 increased eleven (11) percent from 2000 rates. ECP centers across the country report reimbursement successes with nearly all third party reimbursement payors.