Log in to MyACC
Quick Reads | The Pulse of ACC
Expert Consensus Decision Pathway For CVD Risk in T2D; Advancing Care For CLI With Spectral MD; More.
ACC Urges Action Around Latest COVID-19 Relief Negotiations
As members of Congress continue negotiations over the fourth COVID-19 relief package, the ACC is advocating for a variety of important policies to support cardiovascular clinicians, their patients, and the entire health care system.
"As states across the country struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus and set records for new cases, we need our elected officials to work together to urgently address challenges posed by this unprecedented public health emergency. Health care workers are working tirelessly and courageously to help and heal patients within their communities," said ACC President Athena Poppas, MD, FACC.
"We need Congress to act now and continue to support these efforts by assuring clinician and patient access to lifesaving PPE; prioritizing consistent, unbiased and reliable testing with rapid results; ensuring the financial sustainability of clinicians and medical practices; and implementing policies and programs that tangibly address the health care disparities further highlighted by the virus."
ACC BOT Recommends 2021 Slate of Officers and Trustees
The ACC Board of Trustees (BOT) has approved the College's newest slate of officers and trustees, including the next president and vice president. The ACC Nominating Committee, led by Immediate Past President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, MACC, put forth the following candidates for BOT approval:
"This is a dynamic group of individuals who will bring important leadership competencies, experiences and diverse perspectives to the College," said Kovacs.
"In this time of uncertainty and change, these new officers and trustees will play critical roles in helping the College achieve its strategic priorities and realize our vision of a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes."
These officers will be officially approved in March 2021 during ACC.21. The ACC's Nominating Committee is made up of Kovacs, Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN, FACC; Claire S. Duvernoy, MD, FACC; Robert C. Hendel, MD, FACC; Michael J. Mack, MD, MACC; Joseph Edward Marine, MD, MACC; Daniel José Piñeiro, MD, FACC; and Athena Poppas, MD, FACC (non-voting member).
ACC Launches Search for Next CEO
The ACC has launched a search for its next chief executive officer (CEO). Led by a Search Committee made up of nine ACC member leaders, the College hopes to announce a new CEO early next year.
"We are looking for an individual who can effectively lead the College through this time of unprecedented change and uncertainty, while also staying focused on our Mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health around the world," said Richard Kovacs, MD, MACC, chair of the Search Committee and immediate past president.
The CEO will report directly to the ACC's Board of Trustees and will be charged with working closely with both the BOT and the senior management team to implement the College's five-year strategic plan, including the achievement of annual and long-term goals and financial metrics.
Other responsibilities include continuing the College's focus on innovation; helping to foster a strong and diverse staff and member volunteer network; representing the interests of ACC members and the patients they serve before key policymaking bodies; forging and cultivating strong relationships with other cardiovascular societies and stakeholders around the world; and more.
"The ACC needs a proven leader who shares our commitment to quality, innovation, education and collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and strategic management," said ACC President Athena Poppas, MD, FACC.
"As we pivot to meet the evolving needs of cardiovascular professionals in the U.S. and around the world, the right candidate will embody our cultural values of teamwork, professionalism and excellence, and understand the importance of patients in all that we do."
Collaboration With Spectral MD: Advancing Care For CLI
The ACC is collaborating with Spectral MD to investigate the clinical potential of Spectral MD's DeepView technology in the assessment of critical limb ischemia (CLI).
Spectral MD is a wound healing prediction company that has developed proprietary optical technology and AI algorithms to accurately assess perfusion within the microvasculature of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). ACC has formed an advisory work group of experienced clinicians to provide scientific oversight and assessment of Spectral MD's imaging technology for identification of end-stage PAD.
"CLI is a severe condition and can be devastating for patients, but diagnostic evaluation is often inaccurate or invasive," said Sahil A. Parikh, MD, FACC, chair of the ACC member advisory work group.
"This new, innovative technology has the potential to provide a more accurate assessment of tissue level perfusion in a less invasive way, leading to earlier diagnosis and hopefully improved outcomes and quality of life for CLI patients."
"This is an incredible opportunity to partner with such a highly-regarded and forward-thinking organization such as the ACC," said Wensheng Fan, CEO and co-founder of Spectral MD. "Ultimately, we hope that this partnership results in the development of an imaging device that can improve the standard of care for patients suffering from [PAD]."
New Expert Consensus Decision Pathway Addresses CV Risk Reduction in T2D
The newest ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway provides practical guidance for clinicians on the use of novel therapies for cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Led by Writing Committee Co-Chairs Sandeep R. Das, MD, MPH, FACC, and Brendan M. Everett, MD, MPH, FACC, the new document updates the 2018 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on Novel Therapies for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and provides treatment algorithms for SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs for use with established risk-factor modification guidelines to prevent major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with T2D.
According to Das, Everett and colleagues, SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs have led cardiovascular clinicians to become more active in prescribing medications previously seen primarily as glucose-lowering treatments.
"This evolving role has created a need for novel clinical care delivery models that are collaborative, interprofessional and multidisciplinary in their approach to managing this high-risk patient group with multiple comorbidities," they write.
The document stresses the main goals of treatment of T2D "should be improving survival and quality of life." Additionally, it notes the importance of a team-based approach to "achieve optimal outcomes."
As new evidence emerges, the document's proposed algorithms may change, but the "overarching goal of improving CV outcomes in patients with [T2D] and clinical [atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease] will remain consistent," the authors write.
Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team, COVID-19 Hub, Prevention, Vascular Medicine, Atherosclerotic Disease (CAD/PAD)
Keywords: ACC Publications, Cardiology Magazine, COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Fee-for-Service Plans, Pilot Projects, Cost Savings, Secondary Prevention, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Health Expenditures, Personal Satisfaction, Delivery of Health Care, Patient Advocacy, Pandemics, Goals, Telemedicine, Risk Factors, Uncertainty, Peripheral Arterial Disease, Negotiating, Cardiovascular Diseases, Healthcare Disparities, Consensus, Trustees, Benchmarking, Leadership, Public Health
< Back to Listings
