Cardiologist for a Day Program

 One day can make a difference

What does it mean to be a cardiologist today? What does it take to treat one of the most complicated problems facing modern medicine—cardiovascular disease? With the American College of Cardiology’s Cardiologist for a Day program, now you can learn the answer first hand.

Every day there are new advances in cardiovascular medicine, from new studies on the treatment of heart failure or coronary artery disease to new drugs and hightech devices that are drastically changing the patient care landscape. There are also new challenges—important policy decisions that have a direct and significant impact on the ability of cardiologists to provide quality care while still operating an effective and efficient practice.

There is no doubt—cardiovascular medicine in the 21st century is both exciting and challenging.

With the ACC Cardiologist for a Day program, you can experience what it’s like to treat patients with heart disease. You can witness the advances in treatment that have significantly reduced both morbidity and mortality from heart disease. And, in the process, you can receive a tremendous amount in return:

  • Get an up-close-and-personal picture of what it means to help a sick patient.
  • Learn about some of the challenges that are facing physicians today.
  • Learn how you might be able to help physicians improve the quality of care in your community.
  • Establish new professional contacts within the cardiology community who can serve as a resource on health care policy issues.

Seeing is definitely believing. The Cardiologist for a Day program is a unique opportunity for policy makers to observe modern medicine at work.

The Cardiologist for a Day program is intended to give policy makers a rare chance to experience the health care system from the physician’s perspective. During the program, participants are given the opportunity to:

  • Witness a procedure such as the implantation of a device to treat a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorder or the placement of a stent to open up a clogged artery.
  • Learn about new advances in the treatment of heart disease and what they mean for patients in your community.
  • Spend time with physicians to get a behind-thescenes look at how a medical practice operates—from what it takes to get reimbursed for treating a patient to the infrastructure needed to address regulatory requirements.

Policy makers who have participated in such programs are uniform in their praise of them.

The Cardiologist for a Day program can be tailored to meet the needs and schedules of the participating policy makers. The goal is always to allow participants to experience the full-spectrum of medical practice in a short period of time.

A typical Cardiologist for a Day program might work like this:

7:30 a.m.
  Meet at Cardiology office for introductions and continental breakfast.
8:00 a.m.
  Begin rounds at hospital or physician office Goal—Exposure to the primary sites where cardiovascular specialists practice and the diversity and complexity of modern treatments.
10:00 a.m.
  Meet back at physician practice Participants who went to the hospital will experience the office environment, while those who stayed at the office will be taken to the hospital.
10:30 a.m.
   Second phase of rounds at hospital or practice.
12:30 p.m.
  Return to physician practice 1.
2:45 p.m.
   Lunch/Wrap-up/Discussion

As you can see, the Cardiologist for a Day program offers an opportunity for policy makers to intimately experience and learn about the practice of cardiovascular medicine in a collegial and informative setting. Participants are encouraged to ask questions about all aspects of medical practice.

It is the College’s hope that this program will facilitate an exchange of ideas, with the ultimate goal of discussing or exploring concepts that will benefit patients, physicians, legislators, regulators, and payers.

More than anything, though, the Cardiologist for a Day program is intended to be educational and fun!

For more information about State Advocacy, please contact stateadvocacy@acc.org, or call 301-897-2612.
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