Fred M. Kusumoto, MD, FACC

This year I've had the honor of picking up the mantle from Kim A. Eagle, MD, MACC, to serve as the ACC's clinical content editor-in-chief, charged with overseeing and coordinating non-CME clinical content developed for ACC.org and other member channels.

The College currently develops a number of clinical content types, including Journal Scans, Expert Analyses, Clinical Trial Updates, News Summaries, videos, podcasts and more – all aimed at providing members with timely and important news and updates from leading cardiovascular journals like JACC, major scientific meetings and other relevant sources. The goal: to deliver relevant and individualized clinical information that can be used effectively at the point of care.

As we look ahead, I'm excited by the opportunities to build on this goal, collaborating closely with Member Sections, the Digital Transformation Committee, the Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee, Cardiology and CardioSmart editors-in-chief, JACC Journals and others, along the way. Among the key priorities:

Individualized Communication Nexus: Continuing to refine and improve our current content types and explore new options, meeting the needs of today's busy clinicians and making the most of new and emerging technologies, are key. As is optimizing the use of member communication channels like Cardiology, email newsletters, podcasts and social media to ensure the greatest reach and engagement.

Engagement of All: One of the great strengths of the ACC is the diversity, enthusiasm and commitment of our members. The ACC organizational structure is equally unique with national committees, work groups, Member Sections, and robust state and global chapter systems. We are intentionally seeking out contributors from all ACC groups to enhance our clinical content and encourage discussion and different perspectives.

Trusted, Relevant and Clinically Useful Content: (Many) years ago when I was a cardiology fellow, I would access science by going to the library and photocopying articles. I learned about patient care from my faculty and peers. Since then, as cardiac care has become more complex, information chaos has developed. We are bombarded by information from multiple sites often with differing opinions, sometimes supported by ill-defined evidence. To navigate this turmoil and build on what has already been accomplished, ACC.org will aspire to be the essential single site where all clinicians can easily access trusted information on the most recent science and trends in cardiovascular care whether from scientific symposia, medical journals or other sources.

Four hundred years ago Francis Bacon said, Knowledge is Power. For medicine, I would addend this aphorism with "Knowledge is power to help our patients live fuller and better lives." My goal as editor-in-chief is to ensure that ACC members – no matter where they live and work – have access to the knowledge necessary to deliver on our shared Vision of a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. I look forward to this journey together!

Enjoy this issue and don't miss the special feature celebrating 20 years of Member Sections – it's remarkable to see how these focused communities have grown over the last two decades, providing opportunities for networking, leadership, advocacy, education and clinical guidance.

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Social Media, Communication, Patient Care