MedAxiom has launched a new MedAxiom Academy course, "Essential Skills for Cardiovascular Program Management." Designed by cardiovascular experts, the course will build a foundation of practice management and leadership basics and is intended for those new to cardiovascular ambulatory management or cardiovascular managers who wish to expand their cardiovascular practice knowledge. Save $150 through Dec. 31, using code "DecEarlyBird" at registration. Special group pricing is available. Contact academy@medaxiom.com with any questions. Learn more.

Forces such as an aging population, evolving health care landscape, and other cultural and technological trends are reshaping the business of cardiology and altering how cardiovascular care is delivered. A recent article authored by the Cardiovascular Management Member Section Leadership Council and featured in Cardiology magazine discusses how these changes are challenging long-standing norms regarding how physicians engage with their work; patient expectations regarding their health, data and experiences; as well as the financial structures that support cardiovascular care. Read the full article.

Connect to a community of lifelong learners through the MedAxiom + Wharton Online Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program. Students can learn directly from world-renowned MedAxiom and Wharton Online faculty through asynchronous lectures and weekly virtual sessions. Alumni have applauded the health care operations module, which delivers a systematic approach to analyzing and improving work in health care settings, benefiting patients, teams of care providers, and staff. In addition to the operations module, the program also equips cardiovascular clinicians and administrators with the tools and techniques to address challenges in economics, change leadership and people management. Register by Jan. 13 and save $200 using code "WhartonACC." Learn more.

MedAxiom is inviting future sonographers to receive world-class education from an accredited sonography program that provides didactic and clinical experience to create a consistent pipeline to staffing the ultrasound departments in your organization. Here are some key deadlines related to the applications for the Aug. 2025 class:

• For new organizations applying: Sign and return the affiliate agreement(s) prior to Feb. 1, 2025. Contact academy@medaxiom.com to identify your program as new.
• For ALL applicants: Student name(s) and forms must be completed and returned to MedAxiom by April 15, 2025. Forms are available once the organization pays the $3,000 "save your spot' fee.
• Pre-requisite deadline: Students will need to show completion of their pre-reqs prior to May 1, 2025. Courses can be completed by any institution that allows transferable college credits.

For questions please contact academy@medaxiom.com. Learn more.

The ACC recognizes more than 2,000 hospitals and facilities participating in NCDR registries and ACC Accreditation Services in the ACC insert of the 2025 U.S. News and World Report “Best Hospitals” guidebook released Nov. 21. As the global professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the ACC is committed to supporting patients, caregivers and health care professionals by ensuring the highest-quality care is delivered to every patient, every time. ⁠Explore this year's issue.

Join your colleagues at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL, and get the knowledge you need to transform cardiovascular care for all! You'll have the opportunity to discuss the latest science with top experts, learn how clinical guidelines translate into your daily practice, and build lasting connections with your peers. Register by Nov. 20 to SAVE up to $300 with early bird discounts and get all-inclusive access to ACC.25!

Revolutionizing the Delivery of Care in CV Disease and T2DM: The Pilot Cardiometabolic Clinic Initiative (UNITE), is a global initiative aimed at improving outcomes of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Transform the future of patient care by sharing your late-breaking clinical trial (LBCT) research with the global cardiovascular community at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL.

MedAxiom has released its 2024 Cardiovascular Provider Compensation and Production Survey report. Highlights from the report reflect post-pandemic changes to the provider market through shifting practice ownership models, provider compensation and production trends, and the growing importance of team-based care. "As cardiovascular leaders are faced with challenging questions about how to best deliver care in the future, an accurate map of the current cardiovascular ecosystem is indispensable," said Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, MedAxiom's president and CEO. Learn more.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are indispensable members of the cardiovascular care team and programs across the country are increasingly seeking out innovative strategies to effectively utilize APPs' skillsets. MedAxiom's fifth annual Cardiovascular APP Compensation and Utilization Survey aims to show the evolution of this role and share best practices to help organizations optimize APPs. Cardiovascular administrators are encouraged take the survey on behalf of their domestic programs by Friday, Oct. 18.

A review of call data from The Doctors Company, an ACC partner, found that terminating patient relationships is one of the top reasons their members request assistance from their Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management. A recent blog lays out preventive strategies, termination criteria, exceptions and special circumstances, steps for withdrawing care, elements of written notice, and case examples. Read more.

The ACC is currently accepting submissions of abstracts, complex clinical cases and interventional challenging cases to be presented at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Submit your research for a chance to transform the future of cardiovascular care by sharing your research with over 12,000 attendees from more than 130 countries. The deadline for all submissions is 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Don't miss your chance to be part of ACC.25 — submit your abstract or case today!

ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX, will feature nearly 40 education sessions, an Expo housing exhibitors touting the latest data abstraction solutions, more than 100 ePosters showcasing quality improvement successes and more. Don't miss this year's Ralph G. Brindis Keynote speaker, ACC Chief Innovation Officer Ami B. Bhatt, MD, FACC, who will discuss the impact of evolving technologies on quality insights and care delivery. Other general sessions will cover best practices in mortality review, improving transparency through public reporting, quality improvement as a career and more. Explore the sessions-at-a-glance and register here.

From working in critical care nursing to hospital administration and beyond, ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, understands the foundations of an ever-changing, dynamic and impactful career in cardiovascular leadership. In the newest MedAxiom Blog, Biga discusses the concepts of dyad leadership, team-based care, and non-clinical competency education and why they are more important than ever.

MedAxiom, an ACC company, connects you to the cardiovascular business experts at MedAxiom + Wharton Online through the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program and Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows program Registrations are due Sept. 2, and Aug. 31, respectively. Each program offers access to an exclusive listserv discussion forum for past and current students. Learn more and register.

"Ensuring access to [cardiovascular] care requires a multifaceted approach that addresses socioeconomic, geographic, racial, ethnic, gender, and disability-related disparities," writes ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, in a new JACC Leadership Page. Biga provides examples of ways the ACC is striving to do just that through its workforce, leadership development and health equity efforts, global programs like the NCD Academy, Innovation Program work around artificial intelligence, comprehensive advocacy activities, a new vision for JACC focused on impact vs. impact factor, and more. Read more.

ACC Accreditation Services is offering an opportunity to save this summer: 15% off your first payment on a new accreditation purchase.

"As a renewed sense of urgency for efficient and effective delivery of cardiovascular care is felt throughout our health care environment, it is imperative that we envision and implement transformational care delivery..."

Registration is now open for ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. The Summit will provide invaluable opportunities to network with fellow quality-focused colleagues, to learn with exceptional education sessions and workshops, and more.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy affect about 8% to 10% of pregnant individuals. A new Postpartum Hypertension Clinic Development Toolkit – the result of an innovative collaboration that started between ACC's Pennsylvania Chapter and ACC's Reproductive Health and Cardio-Obstetrics Member Section thanks to a Chapter/Section grant – aims to increase awareness of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and bridge gaps in care. Learn more.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation and better support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by July 31 for the chance to win one of three registrations to ACC.25 in Chicago, IL – or a $500 Amazon gift card! Responses are anonymous. Take the survey here.

Enhanced dashboards for all NCDR registries are now available. The new dashboards provide robust visualizations and a faster, more dynamic data customer experience to support facilities, health systems and clinical care teams in their commitment to optimizing cardiovascular patient care and outcomes. Learn more about the dashboards' capabilities to provide actionable insights here. Plus, current NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services participants can access an "Introduction to NCDR's New Dashboards" course in the QII Learning Center.

The ACC has announced a new credential for NPs and PAs who have taken and passed the Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Exam – Certified in Cardiovascular Knowledge (CCK). The exam is designed for NPs/PAs practicing in the U.S., and consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering the entire field of cardiovascular disease. Achieving a passing score on the exam allows you to use the new CCK credential and provides credit toward becoming an Associate of the ACC or Fellow of the ACC. The next exam will take place Sept. 19-22. Learn more.

If you want to expand your leadership skills and learn about the business of cardiology, join the growing group of alumni from the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program, designed by expert educators at MedAxiom and Wharton Online. Past students praised the program for using real-world examples to teach about interviewing and hiring techniques, productivity and workflow strategies, the impact of health care economics and more. Register for the fall cohort by July 1 and use the code WhartonACC to save $200. Register today.

In a recent JACC Leadership Page, ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, highlights the importance of dyad leadership in health care systems. Clinical expertise meets administrative competence – through a strong relationship between physician and administrative leaders, an organization can strengthen the critical care it provides patients. That clinical excellence is only one of the 10 benefits Biga speaks to, furthering a conversation started in her presidential discussion, "Heart Talk with Cathie," at MedAxiom's CV Transforum Spring'24 in April. Read here to learn more.

If you want to expand your leadership skills and learn about the business of cardiology, join the growing group of alumni from the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program, designed by expert educators at MedAxiom and Wharton Online. Past students praised the program for using real-world examples to teach about interviewing and hiring techniques, productivity and workflow strategies, the impact of health care economics and more. Register for the fall cohort by July 1 and use the code WhartonACC to save $200. Register today.

Join leaders from ACC's LGBTQ+ Community on June 27 at 7 p.m. ET to discuss the importance of fostering an inclusive environment in cardiology. Panelists representing Fellows in Training, Early Career professionals and Cardiology Chiefs will share experiences and opportunities to increase inclusion excellence in the cardiovascular workforce, and more. Learn more.

Registration is open for MedAxiom's CV Transforum Fall'24, taking place Oct. 17-19 in Denver, CO. CV Transforum unites cardiovascular thought leaders nationwide and features interactive, industry-leading education focused on operations, finance, strategy, innovation and clinical care. Save $200 on in-person registration when you register by July 1. Register here.

A critical consideration in the conversation surrounding physician compensation is the burden of night and weekend call. In cardiology, previous MedAxiom surveys have found call to be valued as high as 50% of total compensation. Given this lofty valuation, aligning the burden and frequency of call with its value is critical, especially to ensure optimal compensation for physicians. To gain insights into the specifics, MedAxiom is conducting two surveys on cardiology and cardiac surgery data. Each survey should only take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Take the 2024 Call Pay Survey – Cardiology here. Take the 2024 Call Pay Survey – Cardiac Surgery here.

ACC's CardioSmart offers visual infographic summaries of heart-related health topics, designed for use as handouts or posters in care settings and local community centers. CardioSmart's infographics can now be ordered through a new print-on-demand platform. Order now and receive 10 free infographic posters.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation andbetter support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by Friday, May 31 for the chance to win a free registration to attend ACC.25 in Chicago, IL. Responses are anonymous.Take the survey here.

The ACC has undertaken several efforts to learn how restrictive covenants and noncompetes impact cardiovascular clinicians and advocate on behalf of members, according to a recent JACC Leadership Page. B. Hadley Wilson, MD, FACC; Joseph E. Marine, MD, MBA, FACC; and J. Jeffrey Marshall, MD, FACC, delve into the timeline of ACC involvement on this issue, including the development of a Board of Governor's (BOG) workgroup, a survey administered to BOG and MedAxiom physician leaders, and ACC Advocacy engagement both at the national and state level. "The story of ACC's involvement in the issue of noncompetes showcases the power of ACC members to identify important issues and effect change on behalf of cardiovascular patients and the profession," they write. Learn more.

ACC.24, taking place April 6-8 in Atlanta, GA, will shine a spotlight on the business side of medicine, clinician wellness, self-preservation and opportunities for professional growth through the Business of Cardiology Intensive Sessions. These conversations will continue during MedAxiom's CV Transforum Spring'24, held April 18-20 in Atlanta and virtually. Sessions for physicians will focus on guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure, electrophysiology practice optimization, and management of sports cardiology patients. Learn more.

The ACC and Veradigm Inc. have announced a new "TRANSFORM VAX" initiative aimed at improving cardiovascular health through increased influenza vaccination education. Powered by Veradigm de-identified real-world data, TRANSFORM VAX will deliver educational messaging to health care providers whose patient cohorts meet ACC-determined criteria for inclusion. It will then compare results against a control group of physicians not receiving TRANSFORM VAX messaging, enabling the ACC to establish benchmarks from which to measure future quality improvement success. Learn more.

Mathematica sent an email reminder on Jan. 25 to approximately 10,000 physician practices representing nearly 200,000 physicians regarding the ongoing Physician Payment Information Survey (PPIS) being conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA). The email came from PPISurvey@mathematica-mpr.com with the subject line: "Reminder: the AMA Needs Your Input to Support Fair and Accurate Physician Payment." Participation to date has been light and it is essential that cardiology practices chosen for the survey respond to ensure future accurate valuation. Learn more about the survey here and contact James Vavricek with questions.

"The CV workforce crisis is a multifaceted challenge that requires a combination of innovative College solutions, broader public health policy changes, federal and state advocacy to support training and to address social determinants of health, and partnership with a variety of other CV and medical professional societies," write ACC President B. Hadley Wilson, MD, FACC, ACC Immediate Past President Edward T.A. Fry, MD, MACC, and ACC CV Workforce Task Force Chair Thomas Maddox, MD, MSc, FACC, in a new JACC Leadership Page. The Leadership Page reviews the major factors associated with the workforce crisis and describes the way the ACC is working identify and implement solutions. Read the full paper. Looking for more on this issue? Watch the recent Heart-to-Heart Presidential Discussion on this topic here.

Last call to apply to the MedAxiom Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Training Program. MedAxiom has partnered with a top-notch university to deliver this online certificate program designed specifically to equip future sonographers with the tools and techniques for a successful ultrasound career. Students will receive world-class education from an accredited sonography program that provides didactic and clinical experience. The program also provides eligibility to sit for sonography boards to obtain their credentials. Applications are due by March 1. Learn more.

MedAxiom has partnered with Wharton Online to launch the second cohort of Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows Program, a world-class cardiovascular educational curriculum curated specifically for fellows and early career professionals. This self-paced online education covers the latest trends and best practices in clinical care and business performance and empowers fellows and early career cardiologists to navigate the business side of cardiology and propel their careers forward. Enrollment is open until Feb. 26. Learn more.

MedAxiom's fourth annual Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Compensation and Utilization Report includes data from 106 organizations and provides insights into best practices in APPs' leadership, production and compensation, and recommendations within the framework of the team-based care model. The report focuses on the APP workforce, liability and split-shared billing, with a special section on the expanded role of APPs in heart failure clinics. Learn more.

Registration is open for the next Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program, developed by MedAxiom and Wharton Online. In a new testimonial video, Samuel O. Jones IV, MD, MPH, FACC, describes the program as a solution to address the "growing crisis" in staffing and physician burnout. The curriculum delivers leadership, economics and management education backed by "rigorous scientific research," said Jones. "I think that helps us because we rely on science: that's what the ACC does... I can take this scientific research and reapply it to what I'm doing on a day-to-day basis and make meaningful changes out of it." ACC members can save $200 on registration by using the promo code WhartonACC by Jan. 15, 2024. Watch the full testimonial and register.

The ACC is hosting an Advanced Concepts in Echocardiography For the Sonographer: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy course on Saturday, Dec. 16 in Oakland, California. This FREE course is an exclusive opportunity to gain hands-on experience from expert sonographers and learn new HCM recognition skills.

U.S. News & World Report recently released the 2024 edition of the "Best Hospitals" guidebook, featuring more than 2,000 hospitals, health systems and facilities participating in NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services.

With increasing complexity of hospitalized patients and the overall longer survival of cardiac patients, the care of patients beyond the acute phase of illness is challenging.

Join top leaders and business experts for ACC's Cardiovascular Summit 2024, taking place Feb. 1-3, 2024, in Washington, DC.

MedAxiom, an ACC Company, has partnered with Wharton Online to develop a first-of its-kind business and management program designed specifically for cardiovascular fellows and early career professionals..

The next cohort of the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program, a first-of-its-kind offering from MedAxiom, an ACC Company, and Wharton Online, kicks off Sept. 6.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are indispensable members of the cardiovascular care team and programs across the country are increasingly seeking out innovative strategies to effectively utilize APPs’ skillsets.

Connect with your NCDR and ACC Accreditation colleagues at ACC Quality Summit, taking place Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Learn about best practices with this year’s innovative education sessions, network with quality improvement peers and gain insights with posters presenting NCDR research.

As of June 27, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is mandating that all DEA-registered practitioners complete a new one-time, eight-hour training requirement on the treatment or management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. Practitioners will need to report completion of the training when enrolling or renewing their online DEA registration.

Achieve cardiovascular service line excellence with the CV Care Delivery Optimization Program. The program, powered by MedAxiom, an ACC company, helps hospitals and health systems address organizational and process gaps and identify opportunities for improvement.

A 53-year-old man with atrial fibrillation underwent mitral and aortic mechanical valve replacements with St. Jude bileaflet tilting disk valves due to endocarditis in the setting of underlying rheumatic heart disease with moderate mitral stenosis.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC has launched an open comment survey for the Chest Pain – MI Registry In-Hospital Risk-Standardized Mortality Model.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC has launched an open comment survey for the In-Hospital or 30-Day Risk-Standardized Mortality Model in patients undergoing PCI risk model.

The ACC Accreditation Services Foundation Committee is now accepting applications for proposals up to $100,000 to fund quality initiatives from U.S.-based health care organizations.

In a recent ACC CardiaCast podcast episode, Richard Josephson, MD, FACC, and Priyanka Satish, MD, discuss recent clarifications in Medicare regulations which facilitate physician billing and reimbursement for assessment and completion of the individualized treatment plan prior to a patient starting cardiac rehabilitation.

On MedAxiom HeartTalk, host Melanie Lawson talks with Ann Honeycutt, executive director of Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists, Larry Sobal, CEO of Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin, Dinesh Pubbi, MD, a founding member of First Coast Heart and Vascular Center, Rick Snyder, MD, FACC, an interventional cardiologist at HeartPlace Dallas, and Joe Sasson, executive vice president of Ventures at MedAxiom.

The Cardiovascular Coding Essential Education Series offered through the MedAxiom Academy is now updated to reflect 2023 coding changes.

Join us live on Wednesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. ET as expert speakers and panelists delve into the Hospital at Home concept.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit 2023, taking place Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data have helped you improve patient care, processes or quality initiatives through innovative educational experiences, team-based collaboration, data collection processes, or research activities.

Obesity is linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, heart failure, and more. Currently, more than two out of five adults in the U.S. are obese. Obesity and weight loss can be overwhelming for patients.

Join MedAxiom April 20-22 in Orlando, FL, for CV Transforum Spring’23! Learn cardiovascular organizational performance solutions with sessions on operations, finances, strategy, innovation and clinical care, with a mix of general sessions on today’s top-of-mind issues and intimate breakout sessions on cardiovascular challenges.

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, Feb. 16-18, 2023, in Washington, DC, a transformative educational experience where you can network with your colleagues, access expert faculty...

It’s time to renew your membership for 2023! An active ACC membership gives you access to a collaborative network, cutting-edge education, updates on the latest policy developments relevant to operations of the cardiovascular enterprise and practice support to help you navigate the challenges of managing a cardiovascular practice in today’s health care environment.

Lipid management options for patients have expanded significantly in the last several years. This has been great for patient outcomes, but the delivery mechanisms of the newer pharmacologic therapies are complex.

Join ACC’s Chief Innovation Officer Ami B. Bhatt, MD, FACC; Regina Druz, MD, FACC, ChenMed’s national director of cardiology; and Maulik Majmudar, MD, chief medical officer and co-founder at Biofourmis, for a webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m. ET to learn about leveraging innovation to promote value-based care, with a special focus on heart failure.

Join ACC’s Women in Cardiology Section for a “Money Matters” webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. ET. Cyrus N. Pardiwala, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, will offer an overview on investments, including which buckets make the most sense for you depending on your life stage and tax bracket.

In its continued effort to educate and empower the cardiovascular care team, MedAxiom, an ACC Company, developed the Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Essential Education Series: Heart Failure (HF), available through the MedAxiom Academy.

The presence and value of advanced practice providers (APPs) has continued to increase as many organizations face staffing challenges in the current health care landscape.

MedAxiom, an ACC Company, has partnered with Wharton Online to develop the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program.

Contract Diagnostics – an ACC partner – is answering questions about physician compensation during a webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

The ACC recognizes more than 2,000 hospitals, health systems and facilities that participate in NCDR registries and ACC Accreditation Services in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” guidebook, released Sept. 14.

Looking to fill open positions at your practice or institution with top-tier cardiovascular professionals? Then register for ACC’s official Virtual Career Fair, taking place on Sept. 22 from 5-8 p.m. ET. As an exhibitor, you’ll have the opportunity connect with attendees for one-on-one chats, provide instant feedback on their qualifications, and learn about their job preferences first hand.

The ACC wants to hear from you! As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC is launching an open comment survey for the CathPCI Registry In-Hospital Risk Standardized Acute Kidney Injury Model.

The 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule changed billing rules for reporting split/shared visits. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, split/shared critical care visits must be reported by whichever clinician contributes more than half the total time in qualifying activities.

In the May issue of Cardiology magazine, Bailey Ann Estes, MSN, RN-BC, RNFA, CNOR, RCIS, on behalf of ACC’s CV Management Section, gives a perspective on the current nursing shortage and its impact on cardiovascular care.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data has helped you improve patient care, processes or qualitative initiatives!

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States and globally, despite the widespread availability of highly evidence-based therapies intended to prevent and treat it.

CV Transforum Spring'22, hosted by MedAxiom, an ACC Company, will reunite hundreds of cardiovascular thought leaders April 21-23 in Atlanta, GA, and virtually to connect, learn and transform.

Value-based payment (VBP) models are intended to promote delivery of high-quality care and favorable outcomes with reasonable expenses. VBP, as the larger quality strategy of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is intended to move towards physician payments based on quality rather than quantity of care.

At a time when the cardiovascular community is facing significant challenges in preparing for changes in health care delivery, Joel Sauer, MBA, Executive Vice President of MedAxiom Consulting, provides an update from the recent ACC Cardiovascular Summit on five key takeaway points that should guide us.

Join the ACC's Accreditation Product Managers for a webinar on Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. ET to review how the pandemic has impacted the delivery of healthcare and how ACC, in response, is pivoting to a more streamlined approach to maintain Accreditation requirements.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and its contractor, Acumen LLC, are currently field testing several episode-based cost measures, including a chronic condition-based episode for the ongoing management of heart failure (HF) patients, through Feb. 25.

Join ACC Accreditation Services for a webinar on March 2 at 4 p.m. ET on the benefits of Transcatheter Valve Certification.

Many provisions of the No Surprises Act (NSA), signed into law in late 2020, took effect Jan. 1. While the ACC and other medical societies have expressed concerns about some requirements and are optimistic there could be refinements, clinicians must also comply with those and other provisions as they exist today.

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, taking place Feb. 17-19, 2022, in Washington, DC, and discover how to align strong leadership with effective business strategies to improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes.

The ACC recognizes more than 2,000 hospitals, health systems and facilities that participate in NCDR registries and ACC Accreditation Services in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" guidebook, released Sept. 14.

MedAxiom's ninth annual Cardiovascular Provider Compensation and Production Survey Report – which unveils trends across cardiology, surgery, advanced practice providers and non-clinical compensation – reveals the true impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cardiovascular programs in 2020.

Cardiology has been a field of early adopters of technology for many years and digital devices are no exception (Wassif, 2019). Cardiologists interested in exploring digital devices and wearable technology for remotely following chronic cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD) and vascular disease is of no surprise.

Drastic shifts in care delivery models and organizational priorities and strategies have put staffing and workforce development in the forefront. MedAxiom is addressing these issues, which the cardiovascular community has continuously ranked as leading “top of mind” concerns, to ensure programs can continue transforming care.

Physicians are often in the job market at the start of a new year. Third-year fellows could be finalizing their employment offers and accepting their top choices; established physicians with 90 – 180-day resignation notification clauses could be working on a job change that accommodates a family move during the summer between school terms; or perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic could have you reconsidering your current employment situation and you want a change in scenery.

The ACC has changed the name of its ICD Registry to the EP Device Implant Registry, effective April 1. The EP Device Implant Registry will include data on ICD and CRT-D procedures previously captured in the ICD Registry, as well as provide flexibility to capture novel pacemaker procedures.

How to best manage rapid change, navigate health care economics and optimize the clinician experience were among the primary goals of the ACC's first-ever, all-virtual Cardiovascular Summit in February.

As cardiovascular programs continue to face operational changes, MedAxiom understands the important role of revenue cycle management in ensuring the financial health of organizations. A new interactive tool, developed by MedAxiom’s Revenue Cycle Solutions team, allows your program to estimate coding staff needs in real-time based on your specific program, job responsibilities and current coding FTEs.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC is launching an open comment period for the CathPCI Registry In-Hospital Risk-Standardized Mortality Model.

MedAxiom is working to create dynamic resources to help cardiac rehab/intensive cardiac rehab programs stay informed about evidence-based best practices, emerging coverage legislation, and changes in reimbursement, coding, billing and technology.

Evaluation and Management (E/M) guidelines for office and outpatient services are in effect for 2021. Join MedAxiom on Jan. 27 from 1 – 2:30 p.m. ET for a webinar designed to help you understand the new guidelines for coding and documentation.

A new MedAxiom publication examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the future of pediatric cardiology care delivery.

Today, it is estimated that more than 70% of the currently practicing cardiologists in the U.S. are employed by hospitals or health systems. This major shift away from independent private practice of cardiology to hospital-physician vertical integration began about 15 years ago and peaked 8-10 years ago.

Join MedAxiom, an ACC Company, and prepare for 2021!

Immerse yourself in an educational experience featuring the latest cardiovascular management and leadership strategies at Cardiovascular Summit Virtual!

Cardiovascular administrators, save your spot for a webinar on the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced program, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. ET!

Balancing the needs and desires of individual physicians with those of a group is a challenging endeavor. There are many opportunities for hard feelings or damage to the group's effectiveness.

Are you attending ACC's 2020 Virtual Legislative Conference from Oct. 4 – 6? Make sure you are prepared by participating in the CV Team and CV Administrators Legislative Conference Pre-Session, taking place on Sunday, Oct. 4 from 2 – 4 p.m. ET.

For the first time in its nearly 20-year history, MedAxiom is extending the CV Transforum conference beyond its membership.

Join the ACC for a webinar, Sept. 17 at noon ET, to review best practices for vascular program planning, implementation, development and growth.

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect daily program operations, maintaining accurate coding and clinical documentation is vital for managing operating margins, revenue collection and reimbursement.

ACC's COVID-19 Hub is your resource for "Quick Tips" videos that address emerging and persistent issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year after year, access is one of the top concerns from cardiovascular programs and practices across the country. Many organizations have tried for years to improve access incrementally by modifying scheduling templates and protocols and bringing advanced practice providers on board.

The ACC and Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) announced that ACC's PVI Registry will collaborate with the SVS Vascular Quality Initiative to support and steer a single vascular registry.

Join UVA Health's Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, and Todd C. Villines, MD, FACC, for a live webinar on June 25 from 1 – 2 p.m. ET, exploring the emerging diagnostic role of advanced cardiac imaging in clinical cardiology.

Alison L. Bailey, MD, FACC, has been named the next editor-in-chief of the American College of Cardiology's Extended Learning (ACCEL) editorial board.

The COVID-19 virus has rocked the health care industry, shifting the way care is delivered for years to come. The impact on practices and hospitals was immediate and action must be taken now to protect the future of cardiovascular service lines (CVSLs).

As health care delivery grew in scale and complexity, the system looked toward manufacturing processes as a template to improve efficiency while protecting quality. Six Sigma, process mapping and root cause analysis became standards in health care operations. Physicians are increasingly familiar with fish bone graphs and value stream maps. One area health care has been slower to adapt from manufacturing is standardization and decreased variation as a way to control quality. Clinical standardization was easier to embrace.

Join Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN, FACC, and Brandon Hubbs, MSN, RN, for a webinar on appropriate use criteria (AUC) mandates and incorporating them into the cardiovascular service line, taking place March 19 at noon ET. This webcast will review the rules and legislation that has been "kicked down the road" for several years, but will be implemented Jan. 1, 2021.

An area of variation noted in many cardiovascular programs is the processes in which we deliver care to our patients. This variation could include schedule management, call management, test result follow-up, patient rooming and many others.

As the cardiovascular industry continues to evolve and clinician's time is stretched thin, we are all looking for solutions to improve efficiency and outcomes. Reducing variations in care across an organization can go a long way towards achieving the Quadruple Aim of better outcomes at a lower cost and improved clinician and patient experiences, something we are all striving for.

In the newest episode of ACC's Practice Made Perfect podcast, Alison Bailey, MD, FACC; C. Michael Valentine, MD, MACC; and Cathie Biga, MSN, RN, FACC, discuss what medical liability is and tips for preparation and prevention to stay out of trouble. Listen here.

Improving access to care has steadily risen as a top priority of health care organizations. While physicians, other members of the health care team and health care organizations all strive to provide the best possible medical care, gaining access has become increasingly problematic. The term "access" and all the components associated with it have become one of the key topics in cardiovascular management, and problems with access plague many health care organizations.

Recent episodes of ACC's Practice Made Perfect podcast, covering conflict management in the CV Workplace and medical professionalism, are now available for streaming. Find out how to download, subscribe and listen to this and other ACC podcasts.

The newest episode of ACC's Practice Made Perfect podcast is now live. Evan D. Ownby, MD, FACC, hosts ACC CEO Tim Attebery, DSc, MBA, and Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc, FACC, to discuss population health, the impact on patient care and measurable outcomes. Listen now.

The current state of cardiology, dyad partnerships, digital transformation, data integration and advocacy were among the topics tackled by the more than 400 participants at MedAxiom's CV Transforum Fall 2019 in Dana Point, CA, last month.

The second episode in the two-part conversation, Negotiation Skills: Helping Leaders Get Ahead, is now live. Practice Made Perfect podcast host Alison L. Bailey, MD, FACC, and guests Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN, FACC, and Peter L. Duffy, MD, FACC, continue their conversation on contract negotiation at any career stage, from first job to retirement.

Let’s assess whether the employment of cardiologists has been good for hospitals and health systems.

Has the industry transformation to employed cardiologists been good or bad for patients?

Only 15 years ago, the landscape of cardiology practices was much different. Back then, aside from a few notable exceptions such as the Minneapolis Heart Institute and academic programs, almost all cardiologists were part of independent practices. Fast forward to 2019 and the landscape is dramatically different.

There are a lot of big ways to get involved with the College – being on a Section Leadership Council, participating on a taskforce or committee, or serving as faculty for a live course, to name a few. However, we know that not everyone has the time for some of these larger-scale commitments. That's why the ACC is excited to announce the launch of our Microvolunteering Platform.

Applications are now being accepted for the ACC Leadership Academy Cohort IV, which will launch at ACC.20/World Congress of Cardiology in Chicago, IL.

The ACC is excited to announce that it is now possible for a single individual to pay membership dues for one or more members without needing to know each member's username and password. All that's required is a single, free ACC.org login.

Join Troy Leo, MD, FACC, and Ginger Biesbrock, PA-C, AACC, for webinar, Nov. 14 at noon ET, on using APPs and physicians in a collaborative and financially viable model.

Join your colleagues for ACC's Cardiovascular Summit, taking place Feb. 6 – 8, 2020 in Washington, DC, for an educational experience featuring the latest cardiovascular management and leadership strategies.

Join world-renowned cardiologist and course director Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, at ACC's New York Cardiovascular Symposium, taking place Dec. 6 – 8.

The ACC's Cardiovascular Team Section Advocacy Committee, in collaboration with the ACC CV Administrators Work Group, is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Health Policy Poster Session – to be held during the 2019 ACC Legislative Conference in Washington DC, November 3-5, 2019.

Nominations for available positions on ACC Committees, including NCDR and Accreditation Services committees, are now being accepted until Friday, Oct. 4. Interested applicants or nominators are encouraged to review the open positions and may self-nominate or nominate a colleague using the Committee Nominations Portal.

ACC's 2019 Legislative Conference is quickly approaching! Register today to make your voice heard on Capitol Hill and advocate on behalf of CV professionals and patients.

The webinar, Cardiovascular Service Lines 101, is available for on-demand viewing on ACC.org.

ACC and MedAxiom CEO Tim Attebery, DSc, MBA, FACHE, and MedAxiom President Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, provide a "six-month check-up" on the ways ACC and MedAxiom continue to align their strategic visions and goals with a long-term plan of action.

ACC's Cardiovascular Team Section Advocacy Committee, in collaboration with the ACC CV Administrators Work Group, is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Health Policy Poster Session, taking place at the 2019 ACC Legislative Conference, Nov. 3 – 5 in Washington, DC.

MedAxiom's CV Transforum Fall'19 conference is the perfect opportunity to attend presentations from the nation's top thought leaders and transformational programs to help you learn how to stay ahead in today's rapidly changing health care environment.

Join Geoffrey Rose, MD, FACC, and Michael Montgomery, MS, for a webinar, Sept. 12 at noon ET, on cardiovascular service lines.

Cardiology is the ACC's flagship member magazine — your member magazine — providing cardiovascular professionals with a comprehensive source for clinical and professional news. Find links to all of the July issue's articles and share on social media!

Are you attending ACC's 2019 Legislative Conference? Then join the CV Team and CV Administrators Legislative Conference Pre-Session, taking place Sunday, Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Regency Ballroom C.

The work that cardiovascular service line administrators and practice managers do every day serves as a springboard for efforts to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. The ACC is recognizing the important role these valued professionals play throughout the month of July with a special discount for new members.

The pattern of cardiology employment has certainly been evolving over the last decade or so, with an increasing percentage of cardiologists being employed by health care organizations rather than private practice.

The ACC has made a select number of travel awards available to cover expenses for members to travel to ACC's 2019 Legislative Conference, Nov. 3 – 5, in Washington, DC.

"Leadership" can mean many things, but it includes skills that physicians and other members of the cardiovascular team need to successfully provide direction for their organizations.

With Cohort 2 of BPCI Advanced, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service is introducing a new Alternate Quality Measure Set that includes registry-based measures.

Join Cathie Biga, MSN, RN, FACC, and Warren S. Levy, MD, FACC, June 12 at noon ET, for a webinar reviewing the basic constructs of a successful and sustainable compensation models.

Two large, integrated delivery systems recently quoted $10 million to $30 million dollar losses on their advanced practice provider (APP) programs.

In our prior article, we provided a basic overview of Fair Market Value (FMV) assessments and how these have become a key aspect in compensation contracts for cardiologists.

Don't miss out on an interactive ACC.19 session, Evaluating Disruptive Technology in a Value-Based World, taking place Saturday, March 16 at 12:15 p.m. CT, room 352.

The ACC Foundation has acquired MedAxiom, a cardiovascular membership, services and consulting firm, adding the company's recognized leadership in cardiovascular operations, performance improvement and business acumen to ACC's world-class science, education, registry, quality improvement and advocacy work.

Join Dipti Itchhiporia, MD, FACC, and Thomas Draper, MBA, March 7 at noon ET, for a webinar discussing how physicians can leverage the role of administrators to execute on all facets of the quadruple aim: patient experience, population health, costs and provider well-being.

Join us at the ACC.19 All-Section Reception, March 17, from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Grand Ballroom A.

Join us at ACC.19 for the CV Management Section Meeting and Networking Reception, taking place Saturday, March 16, from 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. CT.

Join Cathie Biga MSN, RN, and Edward Fry, MD, FACC, Jan. 10 at noon ET, for a webinar overviewing final rules, as well as major changes from the Physician Fee Schedule and Hospital Outpatient Fee Schedule.

Take advantage of free, online certified educational activities to fulfill your 2018 CME requirements and earn MOC credit at the same time!

A 2018 report from the Office of the Inspector General noted that payments reviewed for recalled cardiac medical devices did not comply with Medicare requirements for reporting manufacturer credits.

In the latest issues of Cardiology, deep-dive into the emerging risk factors of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

There are currently unprecedented challenges associated with cardiologist compensation. Cardiologists and their organizations – whether private practice, hospital affiliated or academic institutions – uniformly face a rapidly evolving landscape.

The deadline to submit abstracts for ACC's Cardiovascular Summit has been extended to Monday, Nov. 26.

In this deep-dive video discussion, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC; Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC; Anne B. Curtis, MD, FACC; Peter Libby, MD, FACC; and Marc Ruel, MD, MPH, share their perspectives on the most significant science released during AHA.18.

Join the ACC in recognizing National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November to raise awareness about how important hospice and palliative care is to all ages.

Fair Market Value (FMV) assessments have become a key aspect (and sometimes stumbling block) for cardiologist compensation contracts. In 2008, 90 percent of U.S. cardiologists were in private practice. The current ratios are nearly reversed and cardiologists must now learn to navigate employment.

As we all strive to achieve the Quadruple Aim in delivering high-value patient care, it is imperative for health systems to integrate physicians into the leadership of services, programs and disease-state centers in an impactful way. This integration will help improve the health of the population, patient and family experience, and life of health care providers and staff as we work in parallel to reduce health care's per capita cost. The integration of physicians into the co-management of departments and programs has evolved from the traditional model of having physician medical directors – selected from both independent practice and employed groups – contracted to provide the hospital with clinical leadership in a vertically siloed departmental model for managing operations and governance.

The September 2018 issue of Cardiology, YOUR member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

ACC.19 registration is NOW OPEN exclusively for ACC members. Nonmember registration will open Wednesday, Sept. 26. Register early for the lowest rates and best selection of hotel rooms!

There is nothing that strikes fear in an administrator’s heart more than their dyad partner saying, "Let’s add a compensation model review for our next group meeting!" Whether you work in a hospital-employed setting, academia, or private practice, an equitable and sustainable compensation plan is paramount to a successful work environment.

The August 2018 issue of Cardiology, YOUR member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

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 high-weight and two medium-weight activities to receive MIPS credit. READ MORE...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the deadline for submitting signed participation agreements and selecting clinical episodes for the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced model has been extended to Aug. 8. Additionally, CMS announced that the agency will allow BPCI Advanced participants to retroactively withdraw all or some episode initiators and clinical episodes from the model in March 2019.

Drive nearly any major highway in America and you are bound to see multiple health care-related billboards. Many of these billboards will have a theme told through the lens of a patient and tout the organization's personalized, patient centric approach. A health care provider who delivers care in a tailored and personal manner is seen as such a strategic differentiator that it becomes worthy of a billboard. In a way, these ads are an unfortunate indictment on the way care is more commonly provided across our country, which tends to be fractured and disconnected, with efficiency focused on the providers and not on the patient.

The U.S. is first among all industrialized nations by to have one of the most high-tech and advanced care repertoire for cardiovascular disease in the world. A significant amount of money has been and continues to be invested in research and development for advances in cardiovascular care. As a result, the U.S. has experienced a considerable degree of success in reducing the mortality rates for coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure and arrhythmia disorders.

Marvin A. Konstam, MD, FACC, has been selected to receive the Heart Failure Society of America’s (HFSA) 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award, which acknowledges a lifetime body of work by an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of heart failure. Konstam will be presented the award at HFSA’s Annual Scientific Meeting this September.

The ACC will hold a third free webinar on Wednesday, June 20, at 12 p.m. ET, to discuss success stories and strategies learned during the initial Patient Navigator Program, leading to the second phase of the program, Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI.

As payment models shift, it is imperative that physician compensation models evolve.

Health care in the U.S. has dominated the social, political and financial arena in the past decade, and the overall health of the population lags far behind other countries that spend much less. In this expert analysis, Anita Arnold, DO, FACC; Cathleen Biga, MSN, RN; and Debra Mariani, discuss why providers need to understand how their data are reported and coded and where they can look to see gaps in documentation.

Considerable amount of discussion focusing on the problem of physician burnout has been taking place nationally. The high prevalence and intensity of reported burnout in health professionals are of major concern to leaders in the health care field.

Over the last decade, health care has seen a shift in the way providing care is addressed. Changes in regulations, patient access to information and technological advances have led to an increased focus on patient experience.

We currently face a rapidly evolving environment that poses unique challenges to the provision of cardiovascular care. Resilience in this time of rapid change is necessary and requires a full spectrum of clinical, business, quality, operational and leadership knowledge, along with the requisite skills to achieve organizational excellence. The ACC Cardiovascular Summit – Contemporary Strategies for Quality Improvement, Operational Excellence, Finance and Leadership was held in Las Vegas, Feb. 22 – 24, 2018.

The continued shift toward a value-focused health system is driving more clinicians toward participation in alternative payment models (APMs), but knowing how and when to participate in an APM can pose significant challenges. ACC's newly launched APM Framework is the College's answer for members navigating the APM landscape.

Join the ACC for a webinar, April 18 at 12 p.m. ET, to discuss the latest thoughts from national experts related to incorporating peripheral artery disease, vein centers, wound centers and vascular labs in a multidisciplinary team.

You have probably heard the phrase “volume to value” a few hundred (if not a thousand) times. It has become such a common part of health care language that it is a wonder if we even stop to think about what it means anymore.

In the latest ACC Cardiology Hour, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, is joined by Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC; Rachel J. Lampert, MD, FACC; Prediman K. Shah, MD, MACC; and Chadwick W. Stouffer, MD, in a roundtable discussion of the hottest trials from AHA 2017 in Anaheim, CA. Among the trials discussed are DACAB, CANVAS, EXSCEL, POISE-2 and more.

In conjunction with the ACC Committee Nominations cycle, the College’s Membership Committee is now accepting applications through Sept. 22. The Membership Committee was established as part of the 2015 College’s governance transformation and serves as standing committee of the College, reporting directly to the Board of Trustees.

The August 2017 issue of Cardiology, ACC’s flagship member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

The July 2017 issue of Cardiology, ACC’s flagship member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

The ACC is seeking qualified candidates to serve as vice chair of the Annual Scientific Session for a two-year term of office for ACC.19 and ACC.20, moving on to assume another two-year term as chair of ACC.21 and ACC.22.

The June 2017 issue of Cardiology, ACC’s flagship member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

Attending ACC.17? Join us for the All-Section Meeting & Reception at ACC.17! The event happening THIS Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis will give you a chance to learn more about what ACC's 19+ Member Sections are working to accomplish and to connect with members in your specialty or interest areas.

ACC's 66th Annual Scientific Session (ACC.17) in Washington, DC, is only two weeks away! Plan your meeting with the online Program Planner or download the ACC.17 App to your phone or tablet. Don't miss the session, "How to Redesign a Care Delivery Team in Preparation for MACRA and MIPS," on March 17 from 12:15 – 1:45 p.m.

ACC's 2017 Cardiovascular Summit brought together cardiovascular professionals, business practices and leadership from across the U.S. to discuss how best to achieve operational excellence, ensure cost efficiency and improve patient outcomes during a time of rapid and continual change in the health care system. Two recent Perspectives on ACC.org highlight the most important points from the meeting, including the ins and outs of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and how to use data for quality reporting.

Save the Date for the All-Section Meeting & Reception at ACC.17! Happening on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis, this event will give you a chance to learn more about what ACC’s 19+ Member Sections. Submit your RSVP to attend.

Join the experts in the field of cardiology, business practices and leadership as they provide you with an educational experience that leads to operational excellence, cost efficiency and leadership training at the Cardiovascular Summit & Leadership Forum, January 26 – 28, 2017. 

Join Cathie Biga, RN, MSN, and Dipti Ichhaporia, MD, FACC, for a webinar on Jan. 12, 2017, at noon ET on the “state of the state” for Quality Payment Programs (QPP), aka MACRA. 

CV Management and CV Team Section members are invited to attend the Cardiovascular Summit & Leadership Forum, held Jan. 26 – 28, 2017, in Orlando, FL. The Summit will bring together an array of experts in the field of cardiology...

The Spring issue of Cardiology magazine takes a look at the highlights of the 2016 CV Summit, where members of the cardiovascular management team had the opportunity to learn about upcoming changes to the payment landscape and more. “Clinicians are continuously working to provide high-quality, patient-centered, cost-efficient care to their patients...

Join the Cardiovascular Administrator Workgroup in a webinar on "MIPS and Physician Value Programs" on May 12 from 1 – 2 p.m. ET. The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), will affect clinician payments starting in 2019, but reporting requirements will begin as early as 2017.

Take advantage of all that ACC's 65th Annual Scientific Session has to offer Cardiovascular Administrators, including the Practice Management track. Learn more about "Piecing Together the MACRA Puzzle," new payment models, and the move from volume to value across cardiovascular care.

Find the answers you need to build effective leadership for your service line at the Cardiovascular Summit, February 18 – 20, 2016 in Las Vegas. You will receive the strategies and skills you need to achieve operational excellence and financial success while improving high-quality, patient centered, cost efficient care.

As cardiovascular practitioners are diagnosing and treating patients, developing research projects and educating budding professionals, cardiovascular service line administrators are hard at work behind the scenes, improving their facility and ensuring the best possible patient care across the organization. Rich Lundy, MBA, and Kay Stewart-Huey, both members of the CV Management Section’s Leadership Council, share what goes into to making a health care facility run.

Earlier this month the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule and the proposed 2016 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) rule. Since then, ACC Advocacy staff members have carefully reviewed both rules and have developed detailed summaries highlighting those provisions that will have the greatest impact on cardiology practices.

As we embark on value-based payment models, population health and disease management programs, team-based care will be an important shift in our delivery model. Team-based care requires a challenging transformation from the traditional doctor-with-helpers model to a new model in which all team members share responsibility to care for the team's patient population.

The ACC has made a select number of travel awards available to cover expenses for CV Administrator members to travel to the 2015 Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The award provides funding for airfare, lodging and other expenses to and from the Conference held October 18-20, 2015.

Did you know there are 20 Clinical Topic Collections on ACC.org, with editorial boards creating content every week? In each Clinical Topic Collection, you can find the latest news, guidelines, JACC articles, education, expert commentary, and more. For example, the latest updates in the Cardiac Surgery Clinical Topic Collection include expert analyses on the present and future of heart transplantation, describing the team approach to treating these patients, and transcatheter closure of an aortic pseudoaneurysm, which gives insight into how this rare complication was treated in a patient.

The cover story in a recent issue of Cardiology magazine provides an in-depth look at big data and its implications on the future of medicine. It also features an article about the CardioEncounters program, a new approach to patient-clinician interactions, and includes an exclusive interview with the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco Robert Califf, MD, MACC.

An article published recently in U.S. News and World Report asked the question, “Are Doctors Exposing Heart Patients to Unnecessary Cardiac Procedures?” The article strongly implies that many doctors who are preforming unnecessary procedures are doing so in order to “reap the benefits in Medicare payments.”

A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in the American Journal of Public Health evaluated the impact of health insurance on the survival of infants with congenital heart defects (CHDs). A major finding was that, compared to privately-insured babies, uninsured or underinsured newborns with CHDs experienced a two to three fold increase in mortality in the first 28 days of life.

A recent ACC webinar provided a closer look at the potential payment impacts associated with the proposed 2015 Physician Fee Schedule and Hospital Outpatient rules. Of note, the Fee Schedule calls for an across-the-board cut of 20.9 percent starting in April 2015 as a result of the legally mandated Sustainable Growth Rate. Hospitals will receive a 2.1 percent increase in payment for outpatient services.