CardioExchange Archive

December 9th, 2011

To the Moon and Back in the ICU: It’s Not a Solo Trip

Shanti Bansal, MD

I stepped into Bill’s room in the intensive-care unit (ICU) and caught sight of him lying in bed. I asked him how he was today. In a nervous voice, he told me that he was fine. Monitors flashing lights and pumps chiming in chorus filled the room. With machines ablaze, it was like witnessing a […]

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January 3rd, 2011

Medicare: The MasterCard That Keeps On Giving

Shanti Bansal, MD

In the cardiac catheterization lab one Tuesday morning, I encountered a situation that made me reflect on a bit of 18th-century British history. At that time, the British government was overburdened with prisoners. A plan was hatched for sea captains to transport many of them to Australia. Due to poor conditions, up to one third died […]

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October 28th, 2010

Drs. Clueless and Apathetic: The State of Imaging Referrals

Shanti Bansal, MD

Editors’ Note: This text has been modified from its original form. Key elements of the case represent a composite of people and events. On a bright Saturday morning, I was the fellow on duty in the chest pain center. That meant I was responsible for evaluating and stress-testing patients who had been admitted from the ER […]

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October 13th, 2010

No Conflict, No Interest

Shanti Bansal, MD

On a brisk, cold evening I boarded an overnight plane from my hometown to Cincinnati.  Once I landed, a gentleman dressed in a black suit with a grin over his face was waiting for me at the airport to drive me to my hotel.  The driver led me through green untouched pastures and over a […]

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