Advocacy From My Perspective: ACC Members Share Their Experiences

In the first of a series of videos showcasing different member perspectives on the significance and utility of advocacy, ACC Health Affairs Committee Member Nkechi Ijioma, MBBS, FACC, shares her thoughts on why clinicians should participate in efforts to improve the access, delivery and practice of cardiology.

"As health care providers, we practice medicine because we care," she says. "We care about the health of our patients and the public. And because we care, we're willing to meet with members of Congress and the Senate to educate."

Early in February, ACC Advocacy launched the "Advocacy From My Perspective" video series to celebrate diverse perspectives on the role of advocacy in shaping cardiovascular care and highlight moments where advocacy made a meaningful impact on the experiences of clinicians and patients.

Robert Roswell, MD, FACC, a member of the ACC's Board of Trustees Health Equity Task Force, discusses the issues that inspired him to take action with ACC Advocacy, such as clinician burnout, prior authorization and Medicare payment.

"Instead of sitting and simmering with the frustration, it's really good to put [those feelings] into action," says Roswell. "Coming and advocating with ACC at the Hill could actually transform medicine, transform health outcomes and impact medicine for the positive."

In the latest video in the series, Jae Patton, RN, MSN, CRNP, AACC, explains how she got her start in advocacy. Her first experience was at ACC Legislative Conference, an event she was required to attend due to her state chapter involvement. She quickly found that advocacy aligned with her day-to-day clinical work.

"I take care of patients one-on-one," she says. "I advocate for them every day at the hospital or in my clinic." She considers advocacy "a natural extension" of her clinical practice, and she encourages other clinicians to take a chance and get involved.

View videos from the series and stay tuned for more perspectives.

ACC Joins Other Medical and Patient Organizations in Advocating For NIH Funding

The ACC, alongside hundreds of other medical and patient organizations, signed a joint letter led by Research!America urging Congress to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by at least $1.77 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2025, as proposed in the U.S. Senate's bipartisan Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill.

The College has long supported robust research funding for NIH, recognizing the significant role the agency plays in sustaining investment in medical research and maintaining the infrastructure that supports scientific discovery and lifesaving breakthroughs.

In addition, the letter requests that lawmakers maintain current policies on facilities and administrative cost reimbursement for the remainder of FY 2025. Signatories also warn of "immediate and harmful consequences" to scientific progress, expressing concern over the recently announced policy change to cap indirect costs covered by NIH funding, currently under injunction pending legal proceedings.

The ACC Advocacy team will continue to track this issue and engage with Congress throughout the appropriations process to support cardiovascular clinicians and their patients.

Read the full letter.

Clinical Topics: Prevention, Stress

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Burnout, Psychological, Prior Authorization, Health Equity, ACC Advocacy, Medicare, Costs and Cost Analysis, Health Policy