Cardiology Magazine

Editors' Corner | Steps in the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (Watch Out! The Staircase is Tricky!)

Cover Story | Pulmonary Embolism: A Clinical Approach

Feature | Ten Americas: Growing Disparities Creating Demographic Chasms

Feature | Bridging the Gender Gap in Heart Health: Women's Specialized Clinics

Feature | Championing Change: Herman Taylor on Improving Heart Health For All

New in Clinical Guidance | Newest AUC Provide Clinical Guidance on Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

New in Clinical Guidance | ACC Issues Guidance on Arrhythmia Monitoring After Stroke

From the Member Sections | Tackling the Polypharmacy Pandemic in CV Care

Focus on Heart Failure | Thinking Outside the Ice Box: Preservation Techniques, New Technologies in Transplantation

For the FITs | The Emergence of Substance Use Disorders and Their Implications in Cardiovascular Disease

Courageous Conversations | The Invisible Armor: A Personal Reflection on The Power of Resilience as a Black Woman in Cardiology

Quality Improvement For Institutions | NCDR Research: Data Driving Better Practice, Patient Outcomes

Prioritizing Health | Journey of the Health and Well-Being Coaching Profession

Heart of Health Policy | ACC Advocacy Welcomes New Members of Congress

Heart of Health Policy | Action Steps Following CCTA Coding Change From 2025 OPPS Final Rule; Coding Corner: How to Use New ASCVD Risk Assessment and Management Codes

JACC in a Flash | Aircraft Noise Poses Threats to Heart Health; More

The Pulse of ACC | Welcome to Camp Cardiac; ACC.25 Pre-Conference Opportunity: Renal Denervation

Number Check | Powering Quality Improvement

ACC Mission in Action | Making a Global Difference

Heart of Health Policy | ACC Advocacy Welcomes New Members of Congress

ACC Advocacy Welcomes New Members of Congress

ACC Advocacy Welcomes New Members of Congress

The 119th Congress kicked off in January with 75 new members of Congress, including 12 senators and 63 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Five of these new members are physicians.

ACC Advocacy staff visited more than 20 congressional offices on "Swearing-In Day," where House and Senate offices hosted open house receptions to welcome the beginning of a new Congress. Your ACC prioritized meeting with House and Senate leadership, physician members of Congress, those sitting on key committees and lawmakers new to Capitol Hill to discuss ACC's key legislative issues for the new session.

ACC's Top Tips For Building Relationships With New Lawmakers

Host Your Lawmakers at Your Practice

ACC's Legislator Practice Visit Program is another avenue to establish a long-term relationship with policymakers. These visits offer opportunities to showcase the importance of the cardiovascular care team and foster trust and respect through a personalized experience. The program involves inviting either federal or state lawmakers to visit a cardiology practice to spend time observing the health care delivery process and experiencing interactions with patients firsthand. Interested in hosting a practice visit? Email advocacyleg@acc.org to learn more.

Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute

Linda A. Ireland, DO, FACC, hosting Alaska State Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson at the Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute.

Practice visit in Maryland

Joseph Edward Marine, MD, MBA, FACC, and Sammy Zakaria, MD, FACC, hosting Rep. Kweisi Mfume for a practice visit in Maryland.

An important aspect of successful advocacy is establishing a professional rapport with legislators. ACC Advocacy's tips on how to build meaningful relationships with lawmakers include the following:

Meet Your Representatives
Meeting elected officials who represent your community at the state and federal level is the first step in relationship building. ACC's Legislative Conference provides an annual opportunity to meet with federal lawmakers and many ACC Chapters plan state capitol days to meet with representatives at the state level. Additionally, lawmakers will often attend or host various community events. Check out an elected official's public calendar or social media to identify upcoming events. An in-district meeting with a member of Congress is just as effective as meeting on Capitol Hill.

Share Your Story
Storytelling is the most effective way to advocate for your patients and profession. Using real-world evidence and anecdotes to demonstrate the impact legislation has on the ability to deliver high-quality care, humanizes the issue and its importance. Clinicians have the subject matter expertise that lawmakers need to make informed decisions when determining the future of health policy. Sharing stories from your experience can play a vital role in advancing the legislation you support.

Continue the Conversation Online
Many state and federal policymakers interact with their constituents by sharing legislative updates, hosting interactive town halls and/or responding to member inquiries through various social media platforms. ACC Advocacy encourages ACC Advocates to respectfully engage with their lawmakers through these platforms. Provide insight, ask for support and most importantly thank them for their commitment to the cardiology profession and cardiovascular patients.

Get Your Network Involved
The more ACC Advocates who get involved and participate, the better! Reach out to fellow members when you have a meeting scheduled and encourage members in your chapter or section to participate in ACC Legislative Conference. Advocacy is a team sport, and we achieve the greatest impact by working together.

The dedication of ACC Advocates lie you is what makes advocacy victories possible! In the final weeks of 2024, Congress preserved an extension of telehealth flexibilities in a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 31. Now that the new Congress is in session, ACC Advocacy is committed to keeping this momentum in 2025. As longer-term funding negotiations continue, the ACC is pushing for a permanent telehealth flexibilities extension along with both short- and long-term Medicare reform.

Resources

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Leadership, ACC Advocacy, Health Policy, Government, Delivery of Health Care, Patient Care Team