Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

Patient Population

The position serves the cardiovascular patient population referred to MedStar Health’s Baltimore Region across both inpatient and outpatient settings. Inpatient echocardiography volume flows from the four hospital echo labs at Union Memorial, Good Samaritan, Harbor, and Franklin Square. Outpatient studies originate from 8 to 9 ambulatory cardiology practice sites. Patient acuity spans preventive cardiology, advanced heart failure, structural heart disease, and post-procedural follow-up. Union Memorial maintains a case mix index of 2.30, reflecting a complex tertiary inpatient population.

Daily Workflow

The director’s week blends clinical reading, procedural imaging, and administrative oversight. Typical components include:

• Inpatient echocardiography reading at the Union Memorial echo lab
• Transesophageal echocardiography for structural heart procedures, if the director maintains procedural participation
• Quality reviews, study grading, and accreditation oversight
• Education and didactic teaching for the regional echo reading group
• Equipment standardization across hospital and ambulatory sites
• Administrative meetings with regional cardiology leadership and the Echo Lab Technical Director

Services and Procedures

The regional echocardiography service supports:

• Transthoracic echocardiography, including 3D imaging and strain analysis
• Transesophageal echocardiography, including procedural TEE
• Stress echocardiography
• Contrast echocardiography
• Bedside cardiac imaging for the CVICU and inpatient consult service
• Procedural imaging for the Union Memorial structural heart program (TAVR, MitraClip, Watchman, tricuspid valve cases)

Echo Lab Operational Profile

Quality and Accreditation

The director leads quality, safety, and standardization across the regional echocardiography program. Core responsibilities include:

• Quarterly accreditation reviews
• Study quality grading and reader-level performance benchmarking
• Standardization of imaging protocols and reporting across hospital and ambulatory sites
• Equipment review and capital planning for echo machines, TEE probes, and advanced imaging tools

Education and Teaching

• Monthly didactic meetings for the regional reading group
• Standing didactic series covering imaging interpretation, complex case review, and protocol updates
• Teaching opportunities through Union Memorial’s affiliation with Georgetown University School of Medicine
• Engagement with MedStar Health’s graduate medical education program, which trains 1,100 residents annually across nearly 100 specialty and subspecialty programs

Research and System Integration

The position is supported by MedStar Cardiovascular Research Network, the system’s research arm, which maintains an active portfolio of clinical research studies through the Cardiovascular Core Laboratory. The Core Lab includes dedicated experts in echocardiography, angiography, intravascular ultrasound, cardiac MRI, and cardiac CT. The director will also coordinate with MedStar’s expanding regional cardiac CT and MRI program.

Call Structure

Call burden is minimal. Structure is negotiable based on candidate preference. Procedural imaging coverage is tied to scheduled structural heart cases if the director maintains that element of clinical practice.

EMR and Technology

EMR: Oracle Cerner, transitioning to Epic in 2026

Imaging modalities supported across the regional echo lab: 3D echocardiography, strain imaging, TEE probes

Integration with the Union Memorial structural heart program and the expanding regional cardiac CT and MRI program