Health care is undergoing massive transformation, primarily driven by changes in payment models, emerging technologies and consumer demand. Chronic cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis and heart failure consume the bulk of acute health care spending. Rapid increases in workforce related inflationary costs, mismatched to relatively flat revenues, contribute greatly to the current health care crisis. These changes are driving an urgent need for innovation.

The exponential rise in technologies such as machine learning and computer vision, flexible and wearable electronics, advanced big data analytics, 3D printing and digital health tools are poised to disrupt and transform traditional approaches to screening, diagnosis and monitoring of patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, there are significant concerns about the lack of evidence to support the clinical and cost effectiveness of such technologies, as well as the unintended consequences on provider satisfaction and administrative burden these technologies may pose.

Today’s Intensive Session — Innovate or Perish: Emerging Technologies and the Future of Cardiovascular Practice — will give cardiovascular professionals a “rapid-fire introduction to the growing area of technology-enabled transformation of health care delivery from recognized leaders in the field,” says Maulik Majmudar, MD, co-chair of the Intensive.

"I strongly believe we’re facing an enormously important and exciting inflection point in our lives as cardiovascular practitioners. The time for innovation is not tomorrow but today." — Regina S. Druz, MD, FACC

Designed as a half day “mini-course” focused on new and growing areas of cardiovascular practice, the Intensive will feature two sessions with presentations in various formats, including “ACC Talks,” pro-con debates and expert panels that will be highly engaging and interactive. Some highlights of the Innovation Intensive include Artificial Intelligence & Cardiovascular Medicine: Mutualism or Parasitism; a pro-con debate on Perspectives in Digital Health: All Hype or Here to Stay?; a panel discussion on Leading Innovators in Academic Medicine; and an exciting talk on High Touch or High Tech? The Evolving Doctor-Patient Relationship. These dynamic and interactive sessions will “provide a great opportunity to learn how to size up and implement these [technologies] in practice,” notes Regina S. Druz, MD, FACC, co-chair of the Intensive and chair of ACC’s newest Member Section on Health Care Innovation.

The Intensive will also feature three case study sessions on new technologies in clinical practice: From Zero to One: Can a Clinician Become an Entrepreneur?; Millennial Spin on Baby Boomers Care; and Innovating from the Trenches. “All the sessions are exciting and will be very informative. As a clinician, I am most drawn to our Innovation in the Trenches case studies and I’m looking forward to a lively exchange with the audience,” says Druz.

In addition, the Innovation Intensive will include pre- and post-Intensive field trips to the Future Hub in the Expo Hall, the experiential learning component of the Intensive. The field trips give attendees a chance to explore new technologies hands-on while getting feedback from the faculty and Future Hub participants. Some exciting features in the Future Hub include ACC Talks, panels reflecting on the technology demonstrations, and the ACC.18 Innovation Challenge, a “shark tank” competition that’s not to be missed! “Think of it as a ‘How To’ session — some practical examples of digital health technologies in real-world use,” says Majmudar.

Why should ACC.18 attendees participate in the Innovation Intensive? Druz answers this question with her favorite quote from Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon: “‘The most important question in business is not why but why not.’ I strongly believe we’re facing an enormously important and exciting inflection point in our lives as cardiovascular practitioners. The time for innovation is not tomorrow but today. So, why not?”

The Innovation Intensive aligns with ACC’s Innovation Roadmap, which was developed to provide a framework for the future of cardiovascular care delivery. ACC’s Innovation Strategy is designed to enable the ACC to lead, facilitate and partner in the digital transformation of health care to achieve its vision of creating a “world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes,” according to Mary Norine Walsh, MD, FACC, president of the ACC, and John S. Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, FACC, chief innovation officer of the ACC.

Among ACC’s innovation projects and activities to transform cardiovascular care are the 2017 Roadmap for Innovation, the new member section on innovation, and educational sessions during ACC.18 such as the Innovation Intensive and Future Hub.

Keywords: ACC Publications, ACC Scientific Session Newspaper, ACC Annual Scientific Session

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