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Treatment for atrial flutter has advanced on many fronts in recent years, and catheter ablation can now be considered a first-line therapy. Until recently, however, most patients were still being managed primarily with long-term drug therapy and missing out on the benefits of catheter ablation, which include a better success rate, increased quality of life, lower recurrence of flutter, and a lower need for rehospitalization upon follow-up.

Boston Scientific Corp. (Natick, MA), a leader in cardiac ablation catheters, teamed up with Adair-Greene Healthcare Communications (Atlanta) to gain a greater understanding of the cardiologistelectrophysiologist relationship as it relates to referring patients for ablation procedures. With this knowledge, the firms created an outreach program designed to connect cardiologists and electrophysiologists and to raise awareness of catheter ablation therapy for flutter and its greater-than-90% success rate.

The company's three-pronged strategy consists of nonpromotional educational tools delivered by key opinion leaders that challenge treatment paradigms, and promotional programs designed to increase awareness of ablation therapy benefits and direct cardiologists to electrophysiologists. Educating flutter patients on the potential benefits of ablation procedures constitutes the third arm of the company's "Arrhythmia in Practice Today" program. The program is supported by a variety of materials, including a case study, relevant clinical reprints, physician tools, and patient education materials.

A pilot program of the campaign was launched in the fall of 2005. The campaign is currently being developed for a national rollout.

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