Abstract 13650: Trends in Women Cardiac Operators of Structural and Interventional Procedures in the United States

Abstract

Background: Women have historically been underrepresented in cardiology workforces. Throughout the United States, there is a major underrepresentation of women in cardiology as operators within structural proceduralists and interventional cardiology (IC). Methods: We extracted data from the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Database (MPUPD) from 2013 to 2020. The MPUPD is an administrative database of services rendered to Medicare patients enrolled in a fee-for-service program. We sought operators who performed >10 procedures using procedure codes for percutaneous transcatheter closure of congenital atrial septal defect (ASD) with implant and percutaneous coronary intervention, transcatheter mitral valve replacement via transcutaneous edge to edge repairs (TEER), and percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (PLAAO) using relevant CPT codes. The proportion of women operators was analyzed across the 8-year period. Results: Between 2013 and 2020, women on average represented 3.02% of the 1,260 cardiac operators identified. Despite the number of total structural operators performing 10 or more procedures increasing from 9 to 871 over the 8-year period, the proportion of women remained unchanged at less than 4.5% (P = 0.712) (Figure 1). By procedure, the total ASD, TEER, and PLAAO operators have increased, though the proportion of women operators remained constant over time (P = .913, .725 and .891). Over the studied period, there were no women operators identified with over 10 operations in 28 states (56%) for any structural procedures, 49 states (98%) for ASD procedures, 39 states (78%) for TEER, and 33 states (66%) of PLAAO. Conclusion: Women continue to represent an overwhelming minority of structural cardiac operators. Despite a rapid rise in the total number of operators, the proportion of female operators has not increased. Prospective studies are needed to investigate the underlying factors contributing to these sex-related differences.