Certificate of Attendance and Claiming CME/CNE Credit

The online ACC.12 and ACC-i2 with TCT CME/CNE Credit Site is now available for real time recording of your session attendance and claiming credit. Please be sure to keep a record of the session numbers you attended and know your badge number. You may enter your information at the conclusion of a session from any internet-enabled computer

If you are using the ACC.12 mobile app, go to “Claim CME/CNE” on the app home page. Please allow time for the system to update if you registered the same day you are accessing the CME/CNE system.

Statement of Need

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is estimated that 83 million Americans have one or more forms of CVD and on average, more than 2,200 Americans die of this disease each day. Members of the health care team provide care for patients with cardiovascular health needs in a wide variety of environments affecting the lives of countless patients and families. As the overall care of the patient with CVD becomes more complex, it is imperative that the cardiovascular professional remain current on the diagnosis, treatment and management of these diseases.

As in the past, this program will offer needs-based educational programming, including the comprehensive review of current established practice patterns as well as state-of-the-art updates, techniques and translational research in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in areas such as women’s health, vascular and valvular disease, imaging modalities, interventional cardiology, congenital cardiology, electrophysiology, pulmonary hypertension, STEMI, and addressing comorbidities. Additionally, to address the ongoing needs of our members, emphasis on performance in practice, as related to Maintenance of Certification (MOC) and Maintenance of Licensure (MOL), will be a focus for those requiring this educational emphasis.

Program Goals

Two global goals for the Annual Scientific Session communicate a commitment by the College to provide needs-based education that is independent of commercial interests and fosters change in learners’ knowledge, competence and performance to ultimately improve patient outcomes.

1. KNOWLEDGE — To disseminate knowledge of optimal cardiovascular care, disease prevention and improvements in overall patient outcomes.

Educational strategies for attaining this goal within specific learning pathways are to:

• Offer a core curriculum of cardiovascular and interventional education, including comprehensive reviews of established practice patterns as well as state-of-the-art techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of CVD
• Provide updates of available pharmaceuticals, medical devices and management strategies for cardiovascular patients
• Present basic and clinical research findings, independent of commercial interests, to increase the evidence base related to the care of patients with cardiovascular disease
• Disseminate information related to practice management, quality of care, ethical practices and non-clinical topics that contribute to desired patient outcomes
• Provide a forum for analyzing and critiquing new approaches to non-surgical management of patients with cardiovascular disease
• Create opportunities for knowledge exchange between general cardiologists and interventionalists, as well as cross-discipline areas of cardiology (e.g., cardiovascular surgery)
  

2. COMPETENCE — To foster the translation of evidence-based cardiovascular science and interventional concepts and techniques into daily clinical practice.

Educational strategies for attaining this goal within specific learning pathways are to:

• Offer education to satisfy, in part, requirements for MOC in cardiovascular and interventional medicine
• Provide individualized training in clinical diagnostics and procedures, presented in self- paced and hands-on formats
• Promote professional exchanges between and within groups of cardiovascular care providers with similar clinical, geographic and/or educational interests
• Present best practices of cardiovascular specialists and related health care professionals working in multidisciplinary teams
• Create a forum for global collaboration and cooperation on issues in cardiovascular medicine to improve professional practices worldwide
  

ACC.12 Program Level Objectives

Program level objectives describe what attendees are expected to know and/or do, via exhibiting improved competence, as a result of participating in one or more educational programs within any of the learning pathways comprising ACC.12:

Acute Coronary Syndromes
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Evaluate risk in non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes
• Practice state-of-the-art coronary bypass grafting (CABG) techniques, including  on-pump beating heart CABG, robotic endoscopic CABG, and hybrid revascularization
• Manage bleeding in patients with acute coronary syndromes
• Properly use novel oral anticoagulants to balance bleeding and efficacy in patients
• Identify the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic treatment measures for non-ST-segment elevation-acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS)
  

Arrhythmias
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Increase early detection and stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
• Employ recent knowledge of pharmacologic therapies in the treatment of atrial fibrillation
• Determine the most appropriate use of cardiac rhythm management devices in patients with cardiac arrhythmias
• Employ recent knowledge of the mechanisms of sudden cardiac death in treating patients with dilated cardiomyopathy
• Successfully manage patients with ventricular arrhythmias, including the management of sustained ventricular tachycardia
• Employ recent knowledge of syncope/dysautonomia in the management of patients with cardiac arrhythmias
  

Chronic CAD/Stable Ischemic Heart Disease
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Efficiently evaluate patients with ischemic chest pain, including considerations for triage of special populations (e.g., women)
• Initiate prompt care for patients with ischemia and acute myocardial infarction
• Manage ischemic heart disease patients with mitral regurgitation
• Review the benefit of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training program in secondary coronary
  heart disease prevention
  

Congenital Cardiology Solutions
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Employ recent knowledge of health care policy in managing patients with congenital heart disease
• Recognize the physical findings, pathophysiology, treatment options, and prognosis of common congenital heart diseases
• Practice appropriate management for end-of-life CHD patients
• Recognize the factors for selecting the “golden moment” to successfully intervene in congenital cardiac disease
• Employ recent knowledge of treating the failing Fontan in CHD patients
  

Diagnostic Testing: ECG Exercise and Sports
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Recognize advances in stress echocardiography
• Assess effective strategies for improving evidence-based guidelines on performing ECG on patient arriving at emergency department
• Review the role of 3D echocardiography in mitral valve disease
• Discuss the exercise tolerance test in predicting acute myocardial infarction in patient with potential acute coronary syndrome
  

Heart Failure
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Successfully treat patients with acute and chronic heart failure
• Recognize the cardiovascular risks associated with targeted cancer therapies
• Use new insights in managing patients gained from an LVAD update for the referring clinician
• Employ recent knowledge of managing comorbidities in heart failure patients
• Successfully manage arrhythmias in heart failure patients
  

Imaging: Cardiac and Vascular
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Increase the efficacy of imaging procedures for CVD conditions
• Employ "state of the art" techniques for cardiac PET/PET CT imaging
• Employ recent updates and advances in optimal CT angiography
• Recognize advances in multimodality imaging in valvular heart disease
• Discriminate when it is appropriate to perform cardiovascular imaging in patients
• Recognize best practices for radiation reduction in cardiovascular imaging
• Employ current practice and technology updates in cardiac SPECT and cardiac MRI
  

Pericardial/Myocardial Disease
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Assess the role of imaging modalities in assessing patients with pericardial disease
• Review the various clinical parameters of pericardial effusion impending tamponade
• Review etiology, diagnostic work-up and therapy of constrictive pericarditis
• Evaluate evidence-based clinical approach to management of recurrent pericarditis
  

Practice Performance, Improvement and Administration
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Assess the best approaches to improve clinical effectiveness and quality of care
• Discuss the strengths, limitations and challenges for current strategies to evaluate and improve care and outcomes of individuals at risk for or with CVD
• Discuss evidence-based care to improve patients outcomes
• Discuss evolving practice models and appropriate management processes to aid in efficient, high-quality patient care.
  

Prevention
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Employ recent knowledge for the use of new markers and genomics to enhance risk prediction in patients
• Evaluate and treat severe hypertension
• Determine hypertension risks and treatment
• Reduce CVD risks in patients with diabetes mellitus
• Employ recent knowledge of the effect of vitamin D on the cardiovascular system
• Employ recent knowledge of the effect of smoking on the cardiovascular system
• Manage cardiac issues and/or coronary disease in special patient populations (i.e., elderly, young adults, women, pregnant women, athletes)
• Manage prevention, stabilization, and risk reduction of atherosclerosis in patients
• Discuss how collaboration among health care providers could provide optimal outcomes for patients at risk for CVD
  

Pulmonary Hypertension
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Review current standards in the management of congenital heart disease patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Review impact of pulmonary hypertension on outcomes after aortic valve replacement
• Review intraoperative anesthetic management of patients with pulmonary hypertension and porto-pulmonary hypertension
  

Quality of Care and Outcomes Assessment
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Maximize the environmental, physical, medical management, psychosocial, human rights, and financial aspects of patient care
• Employ racial, ethnic and cultural competence in the management and treatment of patients
• Employ knowledge of excellence in transitions of care for improving hospital readmission rates
• Employ knowledge of the quality issues related to registries, health policy and public reporting
  

Valvular Heart Disease
Integrate concepts, theories, novel therapies and practical skills presented at sessions within this learning pathway to:

• Compare and contrast current transcatheter solutions, including percutaneous, transapical, hybrid solutions, valvuloplasty, etc.
• Evaluate the future of transcatheter solutions, including aortic devices, mitral devices, FDA regulations, etc.
• Analyze the biology of the mitral valve
• Evaluate and manage the asymptomatic patient with severe valvular heart disease

Target Audience

The Annual Scientific Session is intended for all professionals involved in delivering cardiovascular care, with particular emphasis on physicians, scientists, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, physicians assistants, nurses, pharmacists and practice administrators. Medical students and trainees, technicians, dietitians and other health care professionals will also benefit.

Accreditation

Continuing Medical Education Credit
The American College of Cardiology Foundation is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The ACCF designates the Annual Scientific Session (ACC.12) live educational activity for a maximum of 45.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.

Continuing Nurse Education Credit
The American College of Cardiology Foundation is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

The ACCF designates the Annual Scientific Session (ACC.12) live educational activity for a maximum of 43.25 continuing education hours.

Continuing Pharmacy Education Credit
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

The ACPE Universal Program Number for ACC.12 will be available on site at ACC.12 in Chicago. This program has been designated as a Knowledge-Based Program and provides a maximum of 24.75 contact hours of continuing education credit. Continuing education statements of credit will be mailed by the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 4 – 6 weeks to participants who have attended the program and completed an activity evaluation form.

Requirements for successful completion and awarding of credit is attendance of sessions offering credit in their entirety and completion of the evaluation tool. Each participant should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in each completed session.