E-Newsletter   |  Issue 3                        ohioacc@gmail.com | 800.983.6446
The Ohio Chapter-ACC will be the key voice and resource for all concerned with cardiovascular care in Ohio.

Register for the 41st Annual Carl J. Wiggers Memorial Lecture
The Ohio Chapter-ACC is pleased to present the 41st Annual Carl J. Wiggers Memorial Lecture to be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2004, at the Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland. James S. Forrester, MD, FACC, is this year's guest lecturer, and his talk is entitled Diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease & Coronary Disease: Children of the Same Parent? You can register online!

Agenda
Registration, reception and exhibits will be from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Dinner begins at 7:00 p.m., and the lecture begins at 7:45 p.m.

Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) through the joint sponsorship of The MetroHealth System and The Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.  The MetroHealth System is accredited by the OSMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians

The MetroHealth System designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 CME category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award.  Each Physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

History of Dr. Carl J. Wiggers
The Carl J. Wiggers Memorial Lecture was established in 1963, the year Dr. Wiggers passed away. He retired in 1953 as Chairman of the Department of Physiology at Wester Reserve University. He was President of the American Physiological Society and wrote almost 400 scientific papers and eight textbooks. He founded the journal Circulation Research in 1952. His legacy, however, is the fact that he trained many of the world's cardiovascular leaders. Carl Wiggers personally trained 38 department heads and/or research directors.

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Vote! Ohio-ACC Board of Trustees Ballot on Its Way
It is time for our annual Ohio Chapter-ACC Board of Trustees Elections. All paid Ohio-ACC members will receive a ballot in the next couple of weeks. Make sure to vote! Let us know if you're interested in having your name placed on the slate of candidates for next year's election. Questions? Call 800.983.OHIO.

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Professional Liability Insurance Crisis in Ohio
In an effort to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the Professional Liability Insurance (PLI) crisis in Ohio, the Ohio State Medical Assosciation (OSMA) is currently conducting a statewide survey of physicians to assess how the PLI crisis is impacting physician practices and patient access to care.  

ALL physicians are encouraged to participate in this very important survey.  Your responses will help OSMA demonstrate to state legislators and the public at-large that there is, in fact, a crisis in health care in Ohio.  For a copy of the survey, please go to the OSMA PLI Crisis Center at: www.osma.org.

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Ensure Your Voice Is Heard in Congress
Your ability to continue practicing medicine may depend on the future actions of Congress. Right now, Senate leaders have been frustrated with their inability to secure enough votes to pass national medical liability reform that would bring stability to medical liability insurance rates.

On a positive note, Congress moved twice last year to ensure Medicare physician fees would increase rather than be reduced, at least until 2006. In Ohio, the average savings to cardiologists, as a result of this legislation is $40,986. This is great news and a good start.

In this election year, contributions to members of Congress who have been supportive of physician and patient-focused issues are essential to ensuring our continued access to lawmakers as we help them to stay in office. Make a difference today by supporting the ACC Political Action Committee (PAC).

2006 is just around the corner. Congress needs to hear from us. Join your collegues and help support those Members of Congress who support your ability to provide quality patient care!

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Calendar of Events
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Carl J. Wiggers Memorial Lecture
The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland
Register online.

Thursday, May 20, 2004
Peripheral Vascular Coding Seminar
Cleveland - Hilton Hotel East
Call 800.227.7888 to register.

Friday, May 21, 2004
Peripheral Vascular Coding Seminar
Columbus - Concourse Hotel Airport
Call 800.227.7888 to register.

Saturday, October 16, 2004
14th Annual Ohio-ACC Meeting
The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland
Call 800.983.OHIO for more information.

GUEST COLUMNIST
Melanie T. Gura, RN, MSN, CNS
Ms. Gura is the newly-appointed Cardiac Care Associate to the Ohio-ACC Board of Trustees.

The American College of Cardiology recognizes the key role that we as clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses play in the care of the cardiovascular patient. The ACC has developed a new membership category, the Cardiac Care Associate, to provide us with the same quality and evidence-based educational focus as our physician members enjoy. In addition to reduced membership fees, we as Cardiac Care Associates have access to substantial and significant membership benefits, including:

· Electronic access to trusted ACC publications, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Current Journal Review
· Access to Cardiosource.com for comprehensive cardiovascular information on line
· Web updates of ACC/AHA guidelines
· Reduced fees to attend the most important CME events in cardiovascular medicine, including the Annual Scientific Session

In addition to these tangible benefits, I think the greatest benefit is the opportunity to network and interact with colleagues like yourself. Different disciplines bring unique knowledge and perspectives to the art and science of providing patient care. Collaboration is essential to quality patient care.

I encourage you to collaborate with your colleagues by joining the ACC as a Cardiac Care Associate. Together we can enhance the quality of care we deliver our patients and promote the success of our specialty and society.

Fellows-in-Training Highlights

  • ACCSAP V Drawing!
    All fellows-in-training who attend the April 21st Wiggers Lecture in Cleveland will be entered in a drawing for a copy of ACCSAP. Register today!
  • Advice
    Some words of wisdom for those of you finishing up your fellowship and seeking a career in private practice:
    "Diligently evaluate, and shop for PRIVATE (personally owned) disability insurance with the BEST specialty-specific definition of occupation possible. You have chosen a physically demanding specialty and you need to protect your earning power."
    - Michael R. Jennings, MD, FACC
  • Congratulations to Ohio Award Winners!
    2004 ACCF/Bristol-Myers Squibb Travel Award Winner
    Stephen C. Cook, M.D.
    The Ohio State University Medical Center-Cardiovascular Medicine
    Training Director: Albert Kolibash, M.D., F.A.C.C.
  • 2004 Young Investigators Awards Finalists
    Clinical Investigations:
    Oussama Wazni, M.D., South Euclid, OH; Chief of Service: Andrea Natale, M.D. Presentation: B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels Predict Post-operative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients undergoing Cardiac Surgery
  • 2003 ACCF MRI/CT Travel Awardees
    Laura L. De Benedetti, M.D., Medical College of Ohio
    Stephen Maxwell, University Hospital of Cleveland

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Network with Your Colleagues
The Ohio-ACC has several listservs (e-mail discussion groups) set up to help you communicate with your colleagues:
1) Billing & Office Issues Listserv
2) Cardiac Care Associate Listserv
3) Fellows-in-Training Listserv
Please contact us if you would like to be added to any of these groups. Include your name, e-mail address, office address & phone number. 

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Member & Practice Highlights
We would like to feature our Ohio-ACC members' achievements as well as their practices' achievements here. Please send us your special announcements!

Capitol City Cardiology, with several office located throughout Columbus and Lancaster, has been classified by the Medical Group Managers Association (MGMA), as a better performing practice for the second consecutive year.

Special thanks to AstraZeneca for its support of this issue.

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