Can magnetocardiography decrease ED overcrowding, increase hospital bed capacity, and save hospitals money?

The objectives of this study are to demonstrate the time and cost savings of magnetocardiography (MCG) compared to other noninvasive cardiac imaging (NCI) tests, specifically in regard to time, number of skilled healthcare personnel (HCP), and cost of skilled HCP, medications and supplies, including contrast agents and radiotracers required to perform each test.

This is a multicenter study comparing the time, skilled HCP, and costs needed to perform MCG and other NCI from four urban and community hospitals.

Time needed to perform each test, the number of skilled HCP required, and costs for labor, supplies/drugs and contrast agents/radiotracers.

Median time in minutes for obtaining ETT 60, SE 75, DSE 75, MPI-SPECT 225, MPI-PET 180, cMRI 90, and cCTA 75, MCG 15. Median number of skilled HCP required for performing the NCI were ETT 1.5, SE 2.5, DSE 2.5, MPI-SPECT 3.0, MPI-PET 3.0, cMRI 2.5, cCTA 2, and MCG 1. Median skilled HCP and their costs was ETT $71.23, SE $150.43, DSE $153.91, MPI-SPECT $625.18, MPI-PET $403.62, cMRI $95.41, cCTA $138.03, and MCG $8.75.

There is a time, skilled HCP and cost savings by using MCG versus other NCI for the evaluation of chest pain. Further studies are needed to validate MCG as an alternative to other NCI so these benefits can be realized.