NEWS YOU CAN USE AUGUST 2018 Overarching National News/Publications ACC BOT Approves 2019 Slate of Officers and Trustees The ACC Board of Trustees (BOT) has approved the College's newest slate of officers and trustees, including its next president and vice president. The ACC Nominating Committee, led by Immediate Past President Mary Norine Walsh, MD, MACC, put forth the following candidates for BOT approval, using the College’s Leadership Competencies as guidance: Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC, to serve as president from 2019-2020; Athena Poppas, MD, FACC, to serve as vice president from 2019-2020; Claire S. Duvernoy, MD, FACC, and James L. Januzzi Jr., MD, FACC, to serve as trustees from 2019-2022. Once approved, these candidates will assume their roles in March 2019 as part of ACC.19 in New Orleans, LA. "I’m excited by the diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds that each of these individuals will bring to the BOT and the College as a whole,” said Walsh. Read more on ACC.org.
August Cardiology: Dog Days of August; AFib; Diabetes and CVD; More. The August issue of Cardiology is now live! This month’s issue looks at the impact and consequences of AFib, and the benefits of an AFib clinic and wearable monitors. Also, learn more about the use of new antidiabetic drugs in cardiovascular disease; gain insights on how cardiologists view risk; and find out how math and computers hold the potential to unlock the value of big data. Finally, check out the “Dog Days of August” photo gallery featuring cardiovascular professionals and their dogs from around the world. Have a pet that keeps you going? Share your photos on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to tag @ACCinTouch and use the #CardiologyMag hashtag. Get the full issue at ACC.org/Cardiology. JACC Leadership Page: It Takes a Team to Deliver Optimal CV Care In a recent Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Andrew P. Miller, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC Board of Governors, Eileen M. Handberg, PHD, ARNP-BC, FACC, chair of the ACC Cardiovascular Team Section, and George P. Rodgers, MD, FACC, from the ACC BOT Task Force on Cardiovascular Teams and Cardiovascular Practice of the Future, discuss how the College defines, measures and supports the optimal cardiovascular team as its professional home. They explain that the College has taken an active role in providing better clarity about the education, training and scopes of practice of advanced practice professionals. “The challenges of growing demand for services, timeliness of access to care, and the increasing complexity of care is best addressed by a well-trained and coordinated team of cardiovascular professionals,” Miller and colleagues write. “As the professional home for all of the disciplines in cardiovascular care, the ACC has a unique opportunity to help
cardiovascular professionals and health systems achieve the highest value of cardiovascular care for our patients in diverse clinical settings.” Read more. JACC Leadership Page: ACC as the Professional Home for All Cardiovascular Professionals In a recent Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), C. Michael Valentine, MD, FACC, president of the ACC, Thad Waites, MD, MACC, chair of the ACC’s Health Affairs Committee and Andrew P. Miller, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC Board of Governors, write about the College’s goal of increasing its relevance as the cardiovascular professional home, which is part of the upcoming Strategic Plan. Designated task forces commissioned by the ACC Board of Trustees have been working to determine what is needed to reach this goal. These groups will be addressing strategically important topics such as diversity and inclusion, member engagement, health system and service line strategies, and clinician well-being. The guidelines and recommendations put forward by these groups are helping to shape the ACC’s strategies going forward. “In understanding the needs of ACC members more clearly, we can and will more clearly define the ACC as the ‘professional home’ for all,” they write. “We must always remember that the ACC exists because of its members and their passion for transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health. We will continue the active construction on your professional home so that it provides all the necessities and tools for your continued success.” Read more.
In Case You Missed It: July Issue of Cardiology: Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease; More The July issue of Cardiology is now live! Last month’s issue looks at the impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease and tips on how to talk with patients. Also in this issue, get an update on palliative care in heart failure; read a roundup of news on diversity and inclusion in medicine; gain some insights on the innovation journey from concept to market; learn about new options for making the most of MOC and continuing education; and don’t “MIPS“ out on Improvement Activity credit opportunities. Follow Cardiology on Twitter using #CardiologyMag. Get the full issue at ACC.org/Cardiology
Membership Committee Nominations Now Open Through Sept. 19 Nominations for available positions on ACC, NCDR, and Accreditation Services Committees are now being accepted until Wednesday, Sept. 19. Interested applicants or nominators are encouraged to review the open positions and may self-nominate or nominate a colleague using the Committee Nominations Portal. Applicants will be notified of results by the end of 2018. For a list of frequently asked questions please visit the Committee Nominations FAQs. For additional information, email committees@acc.org.
Nominations for the 2019 Distinguished Awards Now Open Through Sept. 24 Join the College in recognizing and celebrating the work being done by a group of exceptional cardiovascular professionals who are working to drive the field forward: Submit your nominations for the Distinguished Awards! We encourage you to nominate peers, colleagues and mentors for one of 12 awards that recognize achievement in areas including research, education, women’s cardiovascular disease and more. Nomination materials should be submitted to the ACC by Sept. 24. For more information on the individuals awards and the nominations process, click here. ACC’s 2019 Research and Career Development Award Submissions Now Welcome Through Sept. 21 The ACC is proud to support the next generation of cardiovascular research legends. Submissions are now being accepted for the 2019 Research and Career Development Awards, which help to fund six FIT/Early Career researchers with $70K in funding to pursue a year of research. Applications are due by Sept. 21. Learn more and apply online.
Education Practice Made Perfect Podcast: Physician Compensation In the latest Practice Made Perfect podcast episode, Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN, discusses the evolving trends in physician compensation and offers guidance on setting up compensation models. Practice Made Perfect is a series of expert discussion podcasts on career and leadership development topics aiming to bolster the non-clinical skills and competencies of early career providers. Listen to this episode and previous episodes on topics such as coding and documentation, physician payment programs, finding a job, contracts and more at ACC.org/PracticeMadePerfect, or find them on iTunes or Google Play. JACC Now Offers European CME Credit Clinicians can now earn European Continuing Medical Education (ECME) credits by completing online activities for select Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) articles. The Journal is offering two ECME credits per month upon successful completion of related self-assessment questions for each article. In total, JACC Journals now offer 84 dual CME/MOC credits per year with activities available for all six JACC Journals, and 24 ECME credits per year. ECME credits will likely be offered for JACC specialty journals in the future. Visit ACC.org/JACCECME to see certified activities.
Science and Quality News Updated Guidance For Treating ACHD Patients Released The ACC and the American Heart Association have released an updated guideline for the management of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients. The 2018 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease, published Aug. 16 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, replaces the original guideline published in 2008, and incorporates new data and growing ACHD expertise. Specifically, the guideline presents a new classification system for ACHD patients that retains the traditional classification based on the structural complexity of the disease while taking into account the patient’s functional status and other factors, including the presence of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular problems. Read more on ACC.org. Check out the College’s ACHD Guideline resources including the Guidelines Made Simple Tool, Key Points to Remember, Eagle’s Eye View Podcast, and a CardioSmart CHD Infographic for patients. Find all of these resources and more on the ACHD Guideline hub on ACC.org as well as the JACC ACHD Guideline hub. Join ACC’s Next Twitter Journal Club to Discuss Hot Trials from ESC Congress 2018 Save the date for the next ACC Twitter Journal Club on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 3-4 p.m. ET. ACC Journal Club faculty members Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, FACC, and John Ryan, MD, FACC, will be joined by ACC CVD in Women committee member Annabelle Volgman, MD, FACC, ACC Prevention of CVD Section council member Andrew Freeman, MD, FACC, and ACC Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disorder sub-section member Dave Dixon, PharmD, FACC, to discuss some of the hottest topics from ESC Congress 2018 in Munich. Be sure to use #ACCJournalClub and follow @ACCCardioEd, @ditchhaporia, @jjryanmd, @avolgman, @heartcuredoc and @DaveDixonPharmD to join the conversation. Don’t MIPS Out With Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI ACC’s Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI quality campaign is approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a high-weight Improvement Activity under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Under MIPS, clinicians must complete up to four Improvement Activities for a minimum of 90 days. CMS has assigned high or medium “weights” to Improvement Activities, allowing clinicians the option of completing two high-weight, four medium-weight, or a combo of one highweight and two medium-weight activities to receive MIPS credit. Should you wish to use your hospital’s participation in Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI as one of your MIPS Improvement Activities, you will need to personally attest to participation no later than Oct. 1, 2018. For more information regarding the Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI and MIPS, visit CVQuality.ACC.org/MIPS. ACC.org Launches New Clinical Topic Collection on Hypertriglyceridemia Stay up-to-date and informed on all the latest science pertaining to hypertriglyceridemia and its associated risks with ACC's new Hypertriglyceridemia Clinical Topic Collection on ACC.org. Clinical Topic pages are designed to gather the latest guidelines, news, JACC articles, education, meetings and clinical images pertaining to a specific area – all in one place for your convenience. Opt in to receive daily or
weekly email digests as new content is posted by selecting this topic collection under Personalization Options within My Profile. STS/ACC TVT Registry Launches Risk Model Open Comment Survey As part of its ongoing effort to collect meaningful data and improve patient care, the STS/ACC Registry is launching an open comment period on a proposed risk model to report TAVR 30-day composite scores. The new model, developed by physician leaders of the STS/ACC TVT Registry in partnership with statisticians and investigators at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, measures the 30-day composite complication and mortality global ranking score. Before completing the survey, please review the sample report that outlines how the model will be reported in the institutional outcome reports. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete and will close on Wednesday, Aug. 29. Diabetes and Heart Disease Risk Infographic Now Available Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death among people with type 2 diabetes. Compared with those who don’t have diabetes, women with the condition have about 4 times greater risk for heart disease, while men with the condition have about twice the risk. To help patients better understand this condition and how it affects them, the ACC’s CardioSmart team has created an infographic that can be downloaded for free, as well as a new diabetes and heart disease condition center. For more information and resources on this topic, visit CardioSmart.org/DiabetesandHeartDisease. New Expert Consensus Document Includes Updated TAVR Operator, Institutional Requirements The ACC, along with the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, have released an updated Expert Consensus Systems of Care document regarding operator and institutional recommendations and requirements for TAVR. The updated document is intended to provide guidance and support for centers throughout the U.S. and offer a “rational balance between patient access to TAVR and quality outcomes.” It also includes additional quality metrics that complement requirements included in the first document. Read more on ACC.org.
Advocacy Register For ACC’s 2018 Legislative Conference ACC's 2018 Legislative Conference is fast approaching! Register today for this can’t-miss conference taking place Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. Attend engaging breakout sessions focused on impacting health care policy through legislative relationship building, creative approaches to state advocacy and influential social media outreach. Develop strategies in sessions tailored to reducing administrative burden and finding success in alternative payment models. Meet face-to-face with congressional leaders and share the incredible work the cardiovascular community is doing to provide quality care during congressional office visits coordinated by ACC Advocacy staff. Don’t miss deep-dive discussions exploring the latest topics impacting the cardiovascular care community, such as proposed changes to the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule, proposed changes to
the 2019 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and updates to the national coverage determination for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. New this year, Legislative Conference will also feature an inaugural health policy poster session, Sept. 30 at Noon at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. Cardiovascular team members across all disciplines are invited to submit policy-focused abstracts by Aug. 27 at 10 p.m. ET. Already registered? When making travel arrangements, be sure to account for your time on the Hill. ACC staff recommend that attendees avoid flights leaving Washington, DC, prior to 2 p.m. on Oct. 2, if possible. Learn more at ACC.org/LegislativeConference. Proposed Changes to E/M Documentation and Payment Pose Significant Impact The 2019 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) July 12, outlined significant changes to the way evaluation and management (E/M) services would be documented and paid. In response to concerns regarding the significant burden represented by E/M documentation, CMS proposed to simplify documentation requirements for these services. While these significant changes have the potential to streamline practice workflows, they also incorporate proposals that redistribute E/M payments across and within specialties to a considerable degree. Review the proposed simplified documentation requirements and a list of examples showing the impact on various levels of new and established E/M visits here. The ACC has an opportunity to influence whether/how these proposed changes are finalized through public comments and direct communication with policymakers. A final rule will be published by Nov. 2 detailing any changes to be implemented before the 2019 fee schedule takes effect Jan. 1. If you have completed independent analysis on these changes or have other insights on how these changes could decrease administrative burden in your practice, email ACC Advocacy staff at AdvocacyDiv@ACC.org. Read more on ACC.org. CMS Proposes New Direction For Medicare Shared Savings Program The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a proposed rule that would set a new direction for the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Specifically, the proposed rule would redesign the participation options available under the program to encourage Accountable Care Organizations to transition to two-sided models that include not only shared savings, but shared risk, beginning with agreement periods starting on July 1, 2019 and in subsequent years. ACC Advocacy leaders and staff are reviewing the proposed rule and will submit formal comments as part of the 60-day comment period ending Oct. 16. Read more on ACC.org. Download ACC’s Advocacy Action Mobile App Be sure to download the ACC Advocacy Action mobile app to get easy access to ACC's advocacy priorities and timely talking points to share during congressional visits. The app was designed to help members engage with lawmakers and influence health policy. Download it today on iTunes (iPhone, iPad) and Google Play (Android devices).
CardioSmart -- Resources For Patients ACC is Your Home For Shared Decision-Making Tools Shared decision-making can improve patient outcomes by providing patients with information and knowledge about their disease, as well as the risks and benefits of treatment or screening options. Allowing patients’ values and perspectives to play larger roles in the decision-making process is of increasing importance as new options for treating and managing cardiovascular disease increasingly come into play. The ACC continues to expand its range of Shared Decision-Making Tools to meet this growing need and help patients and clinicians work as a team when deciding on specific treatment options. Use these tools to understand the latest research and treatment options available for conditions such as: Atrial Fibrillation, Aortic Stenosis and Heart Failure. Learn more and download the Shared Decision-Making Tools for free at CardioSmart.org/DecisionAids
Digital ACC Resources ACC’s Official Social Media Policy and Hashtag Guide ACC has release its official social media policy on ACC.org – along with a handy guide to ACC’s official hashtags. Access both here. Get Easy Access to JACC Content on Your Phone or Tablet Via the JACC Journals App Use the JACC Journals App to access the latest research and clinical practice updates from the topranked family of JACC Journals. This single app puts all of your favorite content at your fingertips – and is accessible across all iOS and Android devices. The app lets you browse new issues, link to featured articles, and interact with figures, tables and multimedia content. The “My Reading List” feature allows you to save articles for offline reading; share via social media; email useful content; and much more! Download the app from the iTunes App Store or get it on Google Play today. Stay In Touch With the ACC via Social Media Stay in touch with the ACC and the latest clinical and advocacy news through ACCinTouch. ACCinTouch connects ACC members and those interested in cardiovascular news through popular social networking channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Join each of these networks to connect with ACC members and those interested in cardiology. In addition to the ACC's main Twitter profile @ACCinTouch, the College also has a channel dedicated to advocacy-related news (@Cardiology), education (@ACCCardioEd), and quality (@ACCCVQuality). CardioSmart, ACC's patient education and support program, also has patient-centered cardiovascular news available through Facebook, Twitter (@CardioSmart), and YouTube. For more information about ACC’s social media channels, visit ACC.org/ACCinTouch.
ACC Archived Webinars Did you know that you can find archived webinars from throughout the years from the ACC on ACC.org? As a member, you have access to this wealth of information at www.acc.org/WebinarsOndemand. Questions? Contact ACC’s Resource Center at Phone: 202-375-6000, ext. 5603 or 800-253-4636, ext. 5603 or resource@acc.org.