Bringing together clinicians, administrators and quality leaders from across the cardiovascular care team, ACC Quality Summit 2026 offers a collaborative forum to share insights, gain practical knowledge and drive meaningful improvements in patient care.

Kicking off Sept. 16 in Orlando, the Summit provides inspiration, connection and actionable strategies to help transform care and improve outcomes. This year’s program emphasizes real-world examples, hands-on learning and expert-led case studies designed to turn lessons learned into system-wide change.

“The best ideas don’t belong to any one organization, they emerge when we learn from one another,” says ACC Quality Summit Chair Ellie A. Huff, MSN, RN, FACC. “Every health system is navigating similar challenges, and all of us face headwinds when leading meaningful transformation. The ACC Quality Summit provides a unique opportunity to learn from colleagues across the country who are willing to openly share what has worked, what hasn’t, and why.”

The meeting opens with the Ralph G. Brindis Keynote Lecture, delivered by John Rumsfeld, MD, PhD, MACC. His talk will explore how generative AI is already reshaping health care, examining its potential, limitations and the critical role clinicians play in ensuring responsible use. The session will also highlight how rapidly evolving AI technologies may influence the future of care delivery.

Additional sessions will tackle some of today's most pressing cardiovascular quality challenges, including improving outcomes in rural communities, implementing innovative health technologies and strengthening care coordination as a strategy for advancing quality. Attendees can also personalize their experience through dedicated registry, accreditation and leadership learning tracks.

New this year, Fuel Up sessions will be spaced out throughout the conference, providing focused 30-minute learning opportunities immediately following breakout sessions. These drop-in events are centered around key registry and accreditation concepts with solutions-oriented discussions.

On the final day of the conference, the ACC is offering a special add-on experience – the Quality Learning Hubs – designed to help attendees move from concepts to application with deep dives on the following topics: reducing registry burden, solving difficult abstraction challenges, discharge process impacts on length of stay and hospital throughput, and measuring time commitments that matter.

Beyond the educational programming, attendees can peruse a record-breaking number of abstracts, connect with exhibitors offering support for data abstraction and quality improvement efforts, and visit the ACC booth to learn more about ACC programs, initiatives and the value of ACC membership.

The Summit also highlights how quality is truly a team sport, requiring professionals across the entire cardiovascular care team. This year’s Distinguished Excellence in Health Care Quality Award will be presented to Melissa Todice, APRN, FNP-BC, CCK, on Thursday, Sept. 17 following the closing general session titled “Beyond the Silos: Care Coordination as a Cardiovascular Quality Strategy.”

As in previous years, networking and peer-to-peer collaboration remain central to the experience, creating opportunities for attendees to share knowledge, exchange ideas and build relationships that extend well beyond the meeting itself. Huff encourages participants to look beyond the podium when seeking inspiration.  

“Some of the most transformative ideas don’t come from a presentation … they emerge in the hallways, during networking and through relationships that continue long after the meeting ends,” she says. “Those connections are what make the ACC Quality Summit such a special community and continue to advance cardiovascular care across the country.”

For more meeting coverage, dive into the ACC Quality Summit 2026 Digital Newspaper, follow the ACC on social media and use the hashtag #ACCQuality26.

Keywords: Quality Summit, National Cardiovascular Data Registries, ACC Accreditation, Quality of Health Care, Quality Improvement, Registries