This past October, I was among approximately 450 cardiology clinicians from across the U.S. who attended the ACC's 2023 Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The conference provides cardiovascular clinicians with the opportunity to advocate for health policy issues by engaging directly with members of Congress and their staff.

As a novice advocate, I initially felt apprehensive about my role. However, before arriving in Washington, DC, I was plugged into a conference advisor program led by an experienced advisor where we could ask any questions about the advocacy process. From day one, a wealth of educational resources, including issue briefings, sessions featuring political experts and meetings with our advocacy team helped prepare us for the final day of conference on the Hill. My favorite part of the conference was the 'Practicing Your Pitch' workshop where veteran attendees engaged in role-playing scenarios, simulating the kinds of encounters we might face during our lobby day.

The conference's overarching themes focused on improving heart health and access for all, with an additional emphasis on health equity. During the Hill visits, I advocated for the Access to AEDs Act (H.R. 2370/S. 1024). Drawing on my experiences in the cardiac intensive care unit, I shared stories of patients who arrived post out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, emphasizing the significantly improved chances of survival and recovery with immediate high-quality CPR and AED utilization. I also discussed the case of Bronny James, son of Lebron James and a high school athlete, whose life was saved by an AED, underscoring the disparity in access for other public high school athletes in Los Angeles, CA. The lawmakers were receptive to our stories, recognizing the importance of our frontline narratives as they place a human face to the issues and changes we seek for our patients and for our profession.

As a first-time attendee, my goals for the conference were to hone my advocacy skills, connect with colleagues for collaborative research and local advocacy efforts, and become involved with HeartPAC. Over the three-day conference, I met attendees from my home state whose interests and advocacy efforts aligned with mine, fostering a commitment to bring lessons learned back to our respective communities. I gained insights into how HeartPAC sets its yearly priorities in collaboration with the Health Affairs Committee, ACC Advocacy staff, and the Board of Trustees, and learned about its role in supporting members of Congress and candidates who champion the cardiovascular community.

As Congress continues to deliberate, we eagerly await the outcomes of our efforts. Overall, I feel better equipped as a fellow and as an advocate for my patients and colleagues. I plan to stay connected to policy efforts in my local state chapter and anticipate the results of our dedicated advocacy efforts. For any future conference attendee, I highly recommend this meeting and I look forward to the next ACC Legislative Conference in 2024.

This article was authored by Sunny Jeong, MD, a general cardiology fellow at Kaiser Los Angeles Medical Center.