This post was authored by Eileen M. Handberg, PhD, ARNP-BC, FACC, and Margo B. Minissian, RN, ACNP-BC, CLS, AACC.

Cardiac Care Associates (CCAs) have reached an important milestone this year as they celebrate 10 years of inclusion in ACC membership.  The ACC has taken a strong position advocating for the importance of team-based care through governance and committee appointments both in the state chapters and at the national level.  College CCA members actively participate in every facet of the ACC, providing input and enriching the College discussions and direction. The members of the care team represent and serve as strong advocates for cardiovascular patients and their families as they provide input into ACC programming efforts. The integration of the entire cardiac care team continues to move forward as other members of the team have also been incorporated since the initial inclusion of nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and cardiovascular nurse specialists.

The upcoming ACC.13 meeting provides the ultimate opportunity for all members of the care team to come together to improve individual knowledge and skills and to develop a stronger understanding of important roles each member of the care team plays in the delivery of high quality cardiovascular care.

This year’s meeting offers an incredible opportunity for education and networking.  You can download the ACC.13 eMeeting Planner App or view the Online Planner to personalize your educational portfolio and make the most of the conference.  For those new to cardiovascular practice, the Cardiology Core Curriculum track will allow you to review all major areas of cardiology. Interested in developing your skills? Take advantage of Heart Songs, which is a self-paced, multimedia learning experience to sharpen your auscultation skills. Walk the exhibit hall and become familiar with new technology. Interested in EP or Heart Failure or Intervention? Focus your session attendance on those topic tracks. If you want to get the pulse on what drugs and treatments are proving to improve outcomes, be sure to attend the Late Breaking Clinical Trials to see important new data presented.  And if you’re interested in research, you can attend the Cardiac Care Team Research Bootcamp. You can also get your pharmacology credits at the full day pharmacology program.  Attend any of the Team-Based symposiums to see how team-based care makes a difference and might translate into your own practice.

Want to make a difference in cardiovascular care outside of your practice? Meet new colleagues and network in the Cardiovascular Team Community Lounge in South Room 222 or come to the Cardiovascular Team Section meeting on Saturday, March 9 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. in the Marriott Marquis, Salon 8 Yerba Buena Ballroom. Directly following the meeting, attendees are invited to a special reception to celebrate the 10th Anniversary and the achievements of those who will achieve the distinguished designation Associate of the American College of Cardiology (AACC) at Convocation.  We look forward to an exciting program and to meeting you in San Francisco!

For more information about CCA activities at ACC.13, visit accscientificsession.org.