Invasive cardiology is one of the few areas of specialist medicine that continues to show growth despite the managed care and health care reform era. Catheterization is both the gateway to all further invasive procedures and is a powerful diagnostic toolfor all methods of cardiac management. In 1994, even with the pressure to cut health care costs and curtail specialized medicine, catheterization grew by over 6%. Although there are many books available on various aspects of interventional cardiology, only Mosby has published practical, basic references for the non-physician and physician-trainee markets, which are steadily moving toward mandatory credentialling and licensure. The Kern is the electronic companion to Dr. Kerns existing print products The Cardiac Catheterization Handbook, 2/e (currently under development for 3/e) and The Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Handbook, 1/e. Strategically, this electronic product assists Mosby in achieving two important goals: being the publisher of choice for over 20,000 non-physician, cardiovascular professionals and increasing our overall presence in the very lucrative discipline of interventional cardiology. Now in its second edition, The Cardiac Catheterization Handbook is an award-winning, spiral manual, written specifically for members of the catheterization team.

Due to the complex nature of these invasive procedures, all members of the catheterization laboratory are required to learn a consistent methodology and to cross-train. The Handbook provides procedurally-based content, describing a variety of visual and technical skills necessary for this kind of team training. This procedure-driven, visual training, however, made Procedural Skills for the Cardiac Cath Team 1 a natural addition to Mosbys cardiology library. Using the Handbook as a jumping-off point, the Procedural SkillsCD applies a procedurally-based organization (similar to Wigtons Procedural Skills for Internal Medicine CD); new content, illustrations, and instructional video; a visually interesting interface; and an interactive self-testing arena.