ABSTRACT

Measurement systems themselves improve reliability in healthcare. In cardiology, St. Jude Medical manufactures a device that is called optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology. OCT is a measurement system that improves the decision making of a cardiologist in choosing if a stent will have the intended outcome. If OCT as a measurement system is not reporting to the cardiologist information that is correct, the cardiologist may make a less-than-ideal decision such as

intervening and placing a stent when the vessel does not benefit from a stent. In reliability, the measurement system itself is a critical component as it is in this cardiology procedure.