GAE Physician Training Program

Join our expert-led 1-day training course designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in performing GAE. This course provides in-depth training, hands-on experience, and valuable resources to help you integrate GAE into your practice effectively.

Course Highlights:

• Pre-Course Reading Materials:
  • Receive case studies and clinical trials via email or text for review before attending the training.
• Didactic Dinner with Dr. Sid Rao and Amer Iqbal, Center Director:
  • Engage in a comprehensive presentation on our processes, techniques, and best practices.
  • Participate in an interactive Q&A session with leading experts.
• Observation of 4 Live GAE Cases:
  • Disclaimer: We schedule 5 cases and always make best effort to ensure patient will present however we cannot be held responsible if a patient reschedules or no shows
• Clinic and Patient Workflow Training:
  • Learn how to evaluate and work up patients efficiently to optimize outcomes.
• Billing and Insurance Guidance:
  • Understand the processes for prior authorizations, peer-to-peer, and maximizing reimbursements.
• Patient Engagement Tools:
  • Utilize patient questionnaires to enhance care and gather valuable feedback.
• Marketing strategies for GAE
  • Access to marketing partners:
    • Marketing materials, including brochures, pamphlets, video samples, and social media content, to effectively promote GAE services.
• Embo Registry Participation:
  • Learn to track patient outcomes and compare them to national averages.
  • Reporting and data management for insurance approvals.
  • Opportunities to participate in clinical trials, research, and publications.
• Post-Training Support:
  • Ongoing access to Dr. Rao and Amer Iqbal via text or email.
  • Join our monthly online Embo Grand Rounds with other practices, physicians, referral sources, and vendors to discuss outcomes, trends, best practices, techniques, and operations, and to present data.

This course provides the essential tools and knowledge needed to succeed in offering GAE treatments, along with continued support and resources for long-term success.

Our comprehensive training program equips physicians with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully integrate Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) into their practice. Below are the key learning objectives:

1. Procedure Mastery: Anatomy, Technique, and Protocols

• Understand Anatomy and Techniques: Gain in-depth knowledge of knee anatomy relevant to GAE and master the procedure techniques.
• Pre and Post-Operative Protocols: Learn the essential pre- and post-operative protocols to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
• Proper Documentation: Understand the importance of accurate documentation for every step of the procedure.

2. Office and Clinic Workflow Optimization

• Recognize Indications: Identify the key indications for GAE in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
• Train Office Staff: Develop protocols for training office staff on GAE procedures.
• Build Relationships with Lab and Imaging Centers: Learn how to establish effective collaborations with labs and imaging centers for seamless patient care.
• Document Office Visits: Master the documentation of office visit notes, including the X-ray classification of knee osteoarthritis and what insurance companies require.
• Follow-Up Care: Develop strategies for ongoing patient care, including post-operative phone calls and follow-up visits.

3. Billing and Reimbursement Strategies

• Ensure Proper Reimbursement: Learn how to negotiate reimbursement rates for the new GAE procedure in your practice.
• Understand CPT Codes: Gain familiarity with the relevant CPT codes for GAE.
• Peer-to-Peer Training: Learn best practices for communicating with peers and payers to support approvals and reimbursements.

4. Effective Marketing for GAE Services

• Identify Referral Sources: Understand who your key referral sources are and learn effective strategies to target them and grow your GAE practice.

5. Data Collection and Analysis

• Data Collection Techniques: Learn when and how to collect valuable data using standardized tools like WOMAC, VAS, and EQ-5D-5L to track patient outcomes.

6. Registry Participation

• Engage with EmboRegistry.ai: Learn how to contribute data to the EmboRegistry and use the platform to compare your outcomes with national benchmarks.

Our comprehensive training program provides healthcare professionals with the essential skills and knowledge to support Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) procedures effectively. The key learning objectives include:

1. Procedure Preparation and Setup

• Table Setup and Embolic Preparation: Learn how to properly set up the table and mix embolic materials, with an instructional video included for visual guidance.
• Patient Preparation: Master the steps to effectively prep the patient on the table for the GAE procedure.

2. Vendor and Supply Management

• Vendors, Supplies, and Pricing: Understand the different vendors and supplies needed for GAE, including cost management and ordering protocols.

3. Patient Care and Communication

• Consent and Instructions: Learn how to handle patient consent, pre-op, post-op, and discharge instructions to ensure clear communication and optimal patient care.
• Beneficiary Notice of Non-Coverage: Understand how to provide beneficiaries with a Notice of Non-Coverage for insurance purposes.

4. Billing and Authorization

• Billing Codes and Prior Authorization: Familiarize yourself with the billing codes and the process for obtaining prior authorization to ensure proper reimbursement.

5. Best Practices for GAE Support

• Implementing Best Practices: Discover best practices for supporting GAE procedures, from patient interaction to procedural efficiency.

Cost and Terms for GAE Training

Details about the cost and terms of the GAE training program will be provided in the course document. 

The EMBO Registry is a multi-canter observational study aimed at assessing the efficacy of artery embolization for the treatment of osteoarthritis and chronic pain. This study focuses on validating the clinical success of artery embolization from baseline to 12 months, providing essential data to support its use in patient care.

Key Highlights of the EMBO Registry:

• Purpose: The EMBO Registry evaluates the effectiveness of artery embolization in reducing pain, improving function, and decreasing reliance on medications for pain relief over a 12-month period.
• Minimal Patient Risk: Participation in the registry poses minimal risk to patients. Enrollment is based on clinical care and is not mandatory.
• Data Collection: The data gathered will help insurance companies and healthcare providers better understand the efficacy and outcomes of artery embolization, raising awareness of this innovative treatment for chronic pain.
• Need for Long-Term Research: Continued research is necessary to evaluate the long-term benefits of artery embolization, including sustained pain relief, functional improvement, and patient satisfaction over extended periods.

WCG IRB Approval for the EMBO Registry:

• Certificate of Action:
  • Board Action Date: 05/16/2024
  • Work Order Number: 1-1765506-1
  • Sponsor: Vascular Solutions of North Carolina
  • Protocol Approval Expires: 05/16/2025
  • Continuing Review Frequency: Annually
  • IRB Tracking Number: 20241915
  • Protocol Title: National Registry for Artery Embolization (EMBO Registry)

For more information about our EMBO Registry, visit this link.

Interested in Joining the EMBO Registry?

Contact Meaghan Thomas, Lead Clinical Research Coordinator and the National Clinical Research Coordinator for the EMBO Registry at Vascular Solutions of North Carolina.

• Credentials: OTA/L, CCRC, CCRP, ACRP
• Location: 1000 Crescent Green, Suite 102, Cary, NC 27518
• Contact Information:
  • Cell: 919-215-6710
  • Office: 919-897-5999
  • Fax: 919-897-5980
  • Email: meaghan@vascularsolutions.org