Dear Virginia ACC Member, House Bill 1695 and Senate Bill 817 have been introduced to mandate public elementary or secondary schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans (CERP) or athletic emergency action plans (EAP), to respond to incidents involving an individual who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Additionally, the bills will require all schools to have and maintain an AED on-site. We need your help to urge state legislators to support critical bills! Send a letter now to your State Delegate/Senator to support HB1695/SB 817 and stress the importance of timely cardiac response to Virginia's students, families, and communities.President's Messagefebruary 2025Dear VCACC Members:
The recap of VCACC for 2024 is in! Check out the State of the State report below. Our programming in education, quality, and advocacy supports the overall ACC’s aim to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all. See something that interests you? Let me know and we will get you linked in with our initiatives in 2025. Simply reply to this email.
Sincerely,
Victor Soukoulis, MD, PhD, FACC President, Virginia Chapter ACC | VIRGINIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGYOur purpose is to contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, to ensure optimal quality of care for individuals with such diseases, and to foster the highest professional ethical standards.
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TOP ACCOMPLISHMENT
Grand Rounds: Sharing the Education program kicked off in 2024 with state academic institutions inviting all VCACC members to select grand rounds throughout the year. This allowed cardiology providers throughout the state a window into cutting edge clinical developments and CV leadership thoughts. This program breaks down the typical barriers of academics and private practice by offering the same educational opportunity for all and establishing the ACC as the home for such endeavors.
1. Increase Relevance as the CV Professional Home (in particular, highlight any activity/ies that advance diversity and inclusivity, health equity, and/or member wellness)
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Hosted ‘Bystander Training’ a one-hour interactive seminar designed and developed in response to the sexual assault and harassment in medicine crisis in the United Kingdom. Seminar was offered to the chapter members because of the interaction with the British Cardiovascular Society.
OPPORTUNITY
Continue to engage with the BCS to find and develop opportunities to learn how to build inclusive and healthy communities in medicine.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Hosted Women in Cardiology virtual seminar focused on career issues for mid-career WIC.
OPPORTUNITY
Next year can come together again in person (the in-person portion is a biennial event)
2. Generate and Deliver Actionable Knowledge
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Host joint CME/CNE Meeting with MidAtlantic Chapters focusing on CV care through the life span to be inclusive of pediatrics and subspecialties.
OPPORTUNITY
Expand the reach of the program by offering additional leadership and planning committee openings and asking up-and-coming faculty to speak thus expanding their resumes.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Hosted CNE Meeting focusing solely on CVTeam view of ACC.24 late breaking clinical trials.
OPPORTUNITY
Expand the reach of the program by gathering CVTeam at ACC.25 in person to attend sessions and use the in-person experience as a jumping point for creating the virtual format.
3. Advance Quality, Equity, and Value of CV Care
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Institutional-level supporter of Virginia Cardiac Services Quality Initiative (VCSQI), an organization whose mission is to promote and best practices that embody equity and inclusion within every aspect of the Heart Team approach to care. Lending financial support and also working to make members aware of how their involvement betters patient care.
OPPORTUNITY
Find more ways to showcase the work the organization does through VCACC members.
4. Ensure Organizational Growth and Sustainability
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Advocacy Committee was reformed and new members engaged with the Virginia Medical Society. Chapter forwarded several issues with letters of support and alerts including sudden cardiac death, non-competes, and long and short-term Medicare reform.
OPPORTUNITY
Additional involvement with MSV at their House of Delegates and with their new staff would be beneficial.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Interactions with the British Cardiovascular Society at their annual conference and the Emerging Leadership Programme continue to be highly rated. A cohort of trainees and early career faculty were sponsored to go to the UK to establish long-term trans-Atlantic relationships and share cutting-edge knowledge in the cardiac imaging field.
OPPORTUNITY
Build on the interactions at other conferences where participants may be attending or can be sponsored to attend.VCACC is proud be the official international exchange partner with the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS). |
The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has announced the start of a 90-day Public Comment Period seeking input on the new, independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine proposed by the ACC, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America, Heart Rhythm Society and The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions. The comment period is a critical part of the ABMS application review and an important opportunity for the cardiovascular community, hospitals and health systems, patients and other stakeholders to show their support for the new Board and engage in the decision-making process.
All comments must be submitted electronically by July 24. In addition to providing basic identifying information, including your name and email, the comment form consists of three main questions: 1) Do you agree with the creation of a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine; 2) Does the new Board meet ABMS requirements for initial certification; and 3) Does the new Board meet ABMS requirements for continuous certification? Along with indicating your agreement, the form includes opportunities to provide any comments related to your responses, as well as a chance to upload a letter or document. Additional comments on the ways a specialized, independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine would benefit you, your hospital, practice and/or your patients are strongly encouraged.
To submit your comments, as well as access detailed FAQs, on-demand webinars and a listing of the initial Board of Directors, visit CVBoard.org. In addition, we encourage you to help spread the word about the comment period using the social media graphic and sample messaging below. Should you need any additional communication support, please contact Shalen Fairbanks (sfairban@acc.org).