[karl_gluck]

Wow, the exact opposite of what I might have guessed from the title.

Does this mean percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] is over-applied, or something else?

[chapium]

Risky procedures likely scheduled around when the cardiologist is available

[Enginerrrd]

Hard to say without more details, though it's certainly plausible.

There's other possibilities though. Like if the timing of other interventions is being delayed until the cardiologist is able to see the patient instead of deferring to a less specialized physician.

[k__]

So, it's better that a random physician does something now than waiting for a cardiologist doing the best thing too late?

[Enginerrrd]

No, not necessarily. There's no indication of that whatsoever. The point was just that there's insufficient information to conclude much of anything about why this was observed. It could also be that PCI is over applied leading to increased mortality.

[JHorse]

Could it just be that doctors who attend these meetings are more career (and less patient) focused than their compatriots?

[brobdingnagians]

If I'm not mistaken, I think attendance at conferences is sometimes required as hours to keep up to date in medical practice. Not sure though.