Contact: Stephanie Abraham, sabraham@acc.org, 202-375-6296

Washington, DC – American College of Cardiology (ACC) President, William Zoghbi, MD, FACC, made the following statement regarding overuse investigation in Florida:

“A recent New York Times article reported that a hospital system in Florida is being investigated for possible overuse of cardiac procedures and percutaneous coronary interventions. Although the facts currently available to the public are limited, the mere possibility of inappropriate procedures with little regard for patient well-being evokes feelings of incredulity, shock, and dismay. The kind of clinical practice depicted in the article flies in the face of all of our ACC core values and mission. Unfortunately, unprofessional behavior can arise anywhere in society, through myriad circumstances. In medicine, however, even a single occurrence that puts a patient at risk is one too many: beyond the effect on the individual patient, unprofessional behavior betrays patient trust and, when portrayed at the national level, sends shock waves into good patient-physician relationships.”
 
“The College has always emphasized professionalism and quality of care. As new discoveries are applied to practice and our knowledge increases, the ACC updates an extensive array of educational and quality improvement tools to help guide appropriate care, including educational programs, comprehensive guidelines and quality standards, Appropriate Use Criteria, the National Cardiovascular Data Registry, and more. These tools provide a source of information for the health care team on the latest science and evidence-based medicine as well as a means to evaluate and measure quality parameters of the care rendered. Ultimately, the best care is accomplished in the context of an enduring relationship between a patient and the physician/health care team.”

 
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About the American College of Cardiology
The mission of the American College of Cardiology is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. The College is a 40,000-member nonprofit medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers, and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. More information about the association is available online athttp://www.cardiosource.org/ACC.

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