“ACC.08, March 29 – April 1, in Chicago, will be the gathering place for cardiovascular professionals, no matter their specialty – a place for them to share and learn together, a place to be part of the integrated whole of cardiology,” said ACC President James T. Dove, M.D., F.A.C.C. “The unifying influence of ACC.08 comes at an important time for our profession as we are caught in the surge of a push for health care reform amid calls for cost effectiveness and quality reporting.”

For that reason, Dr. Dove continued, the goal at ACC.08, ACC’s 57th Annual Scientific Session, is to provide CV professionals with more tools to measure and ensure quality of care at the individual patient and practitioner level. In addition to the late-breaking clinical trials, extensive science and other program components that integrate outcomes research into clinical practice with sessions that interpret and apply the science, attendees will find another program component – quality assessment.

Marc Shelton, M.D., F.A.C.C., who is chair of ACC.08, expanded on the quality assessment addition to ACC.08 programming.

“We asked program co-chairs and presenters to address the specific quality issues related to their topics, to provide the guidance and structure for measuring success. In addition, we have a new Spotlight Session: Practice Innovation: Driving Revenue, Quality and Value — and a new Quality of Care and Outcomes Assessment Track. We hope to encourage discussion about quality and its measurement, to help attendees think about this in the context of their own work and perhaps define more or better measurements of quality in their specialties.”

IHI’s Berwick to Give Dack Lecture

Innovative health care reformer Donald M. Berwick, M.D., M.P.P., F.R.C.P., has been chosen to give the 2008 Simon Dack Lecture at ACC.08. Berwick, who is co-founder and president/CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), has led the way in introducing evidence-based health care improvement and creating system-wide quality improvement campaigns in hospitals and medical practices. In 2004, IHI launched the 100,000 Lives Campaign, which focused on improvement measures in six treatment areas in hospitals. The more recent 5 Million Lives Campaign expanded to 12 treatment areas. The Dack Lecture is supported by the Simon and Jacqueline Dack Endowment Fund. Simon Dack, M.D., M.A.C.C., was a president of ACC and editor-in-chief of the official journal. The Dack Lecture takes place on Sunday, March 30, 2008, during the ACC.08 Scientific Showcase, which starts at 11:30 a.m.

New Spotlight for CCA Members

By Eileen Handberg, Ph.D., M.S.N., and Edward Teaman, P.A.-C.

In addition to the excellent program options throughout the ACC.08 schedule, Cardiac Care Associate members will find some exciting new programming and a new weekend schedule approach to meet the needs of time-strapped CCA members. For the first time, there will be a Cardiac Care Team Spotlight on Sunday, March 30. This new Spotlight will feature both basic and advanced sessions for the nurse, physician assistant and clinical pharmacist attendees. On Saturday, the very popular pharmacology program will be held once again, and there is also the Nurse/Tech Program at the SCAI Annual Scientific Sessions in Partnership with ACC i2 Summit on Saturday. Click here for more details about the CCA events and programs.

Finding Congenital Cardiology Solutions in Chicago

Looking for intense review of controversies, state of art updates and live cases in adult congenital heart disease and pediatric cardiology? Look no further than ACC.08. The ACC Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Section has worked hard this past year to put together the first Congenital Cardiology Solutions (CCS.08) program. CCS.08 will combine the best of the traditional programming for cardiologists and surgeons specializing in congenital heart disease with live interventional cases demonstrating the latest in medical and scientific advances in interventional therapies. ACC.08 sessions for pediatric and adult congenital heart disease begin on Sunday, March 30, and continue through Monday, March 31. Then, CCS.08 debuts on Tuesday, April 1, with the first interventional live case — a patient with coarctation of the aorta, who will undergo stent implantation. Afternoon sessions will feature cutting-edge procedures, which are performed and advocated by only a small number of centers. Click here for more details about CCS.08.

New Interventional Meeting Offered This Year

Many of you know about and may have already registered for the SCAI Annual Scientific Sessions in Partnership with ACC i2 Summit (the “SCAI-ACCi2” meeting), which will run concomitantly with ACC.08, March 29 – April 1, in Chicago. This meeting will combine the best of the SCAI annual meeting and ACC’s Innovations in Intervention: i2 Summit.

SCAI and ACC embraced the value and power of a single educational venue for interventional cardiology in the spring of 2008. The combined approach draws from the strengths of both meetings while adding new programming that takes advantage of the combined expertise. The co-chairs of the meeting are Ted Feldman, M.D., F.S.C.A.I., F.A.C.C., and David R. Holmes Jr., M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. The Program Committee draws representatives from both organizations, and many of them belong to both, which will be the case with many attendees. Click here for more details.