With the passage of federal health reform, states are preparing for the most sweeping changes in health care in 30 years. Now the hard work begins.

At the recent ACC Board of Trustees meeting in Maine there was a lot of discussion about ways the College can help members navigate this new environment, including developing quality tools that fit into the workflow of the office and provide real-time feedback to members. Supporting the practice of cardiology with efforts to link life-long learning to quality, growing longitudinal outpatient registries, honing appropriate use tools and stimulating careers are other ways the ACC can meet the needs of members regardless of practice setting.

There are also key questions that the ACC can and should play a role in answering, including: What is an accountable care organization? Can a cardiology practice be a medical home? What does a reformed payment system look like?

The College also needs to continue to develop programs and tools to help practices assess their practice options. For those practices that are moving to integrated systems, we need to focus on recruiting hospital-based practice administrators into the ACC and show them the value the ACC brings in terms of quality, education and advocacy. For those continuing with private practice we need to provide ways to maintain practice viability, whether that’s through tools to help meet federal incentive program requirements or working with health plans on innovative programs and/or resources that meet their needs, while reducing the administrative burdens on providers and practices for things like medical imaging.

As we roll up our sleeves and get to work, we need explore these and other possibilities to the fullest extent possible. It won’t be easy, but given the dedication of ACC’s leaders, staff and members we can continue to transform the practice of cardiology and fulfill our mission of ensuring evidence-based, high-quality care for patients with heart disease. 

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