ACC Oregon June Newsletter - 2019

By: Ty J. Gluckman,  MD, FACC
ACC Oregon Governor


Dear Oregon ACC Members:

Summer is upon us and in Oregon that means long, sunny days, beautiful sunsets and hopefully the chance to spend increased downtime with family and friends. Whether going on a road trip, hosting a barbecue or spending the day at the beach, we all find different ways to unwind, decompress, and recharge. This time is necessary for our physical and mental well-being. Most of us would acknowledge, however, that we do this far too little. 

Whether you call it burnout or moral injury, there exists a growing recognition within healthcare that it deserves heightened attention. In this newsletter, I highlight a number of actions taken by the American College of Cardiology to address this by promoting wellness in the workplace.

On a related note, I also share a few thoughts about the recent New York Times article that has been read by nearly every clinician that I know. Much more than a commentary on the Electronic Medical Record, it reminds me why clinicians must be drivers of change in health care, not merely impacted by them.

Finally, I feel it's important to highlight the ongoing Diversity and Inclusion efforts within the College. As just one component, we are looking to strengthen our support of Women in Cardiology (WIC) statewide through a number of different means.
Workforce Wellness
 
While individuals that go into healthcare are among the hardest working and most resilient, the statistics related to burnout are extremely sobering. Defined as long-term, unresolved job stress that leads to exhaustion, a sense of feeling overwhelmed, cynical, and detached from work, with a lack of personal accomplishment, the contributors to burnout only seem to be growing.

Burnout impacts men and women, early and late career professionals, as well as physicians and other cardiovascular team members alike. And the consequences can be tragic-rising rates of job dissatisfaction, clinical depression and suicide.

Even though there's not a quick fix, this should not dissuade us from working hard to come up with solutions. Some have reduced work hours, changed work settings, taken up a new hobby, or simply talked with colleagues.

The College is early into this journey, but is trying to figure out what may help. Whether it's attending a   hearing from colleagues about What they're doing to tackle this problem or Getting insight from our leaders, I'd encourage you to be proactive. 

As recently stated by the College's Past-President, Mike Valentine, "We practice medicine because of our passion for improving and saving the lives of patients. We can and must take care of ourselves to best take care of those we took an oath to serve."
Our Need to Be Drivers of Change
 
When a recent opinion piece titled "The Business of Health Care Depends on Exploiting Doctors and Nurses was published in the New York Times a few weeks back it spread like wildfire. Whether through text, Twitter or email, seemingly everyone I knew was sharing the link along with additional thoughts about what it meant to them. Comments came fast and furious through the ACC Board of Governor's listserv. As noted in one of the online comments, "Sometimes it is hard not to be cynical or pessimistic about healthcare in the future."

What can you do to make a difference? Because there is no quick and easy fix, it's all the more important to make your voice heard. Get involved at the local, State, or Federal level. Contact myself to become involved in advocacy within the College. As I stated above, clinicians must be drivers of this change!!
Women in Cardiology (WIC)

While women make up 51% of the U.S. population, a much different story exists within the field of Cardiology. Based on 2015 data, less than 10% of adult Fellows within the College are women. Cardiology ranks 36th out of 44 specialties tracked for percentage of women, with interventional cardiology coming in even worse at 42nd. The proportion of women in adult cardiology fellowships (21%) is lower than all other specialties within medicine except neurosurgery (17%) and orthopedics (14%).

What should be done to help address this? How can you play a role?

We are focused on growing our local Women in Cardiology (WIC) Section. State networks are some of the best ways for women cardiologists and cardiovascular team members to build a community, foster relationship and share best practices related to personal and professional empowerment. While we are leveraging WIC resources from ACC National, we very much want and need your input. We are in the early stages of planning a WIC event this fall so please stay tuned for additional details.
BOG Advocacy Task Force - Prior Authorization Survey
Please Respond to the Survey!

On behalf of the BOG Advocacy Task Force- please take a minute to fill out the survey regarding prior authorization . The group is hoping to collect as much information as possible to help in their creation of materials/tool kits. The deadline to fill out this easy and quick survey is next Friday, June 28th. 
ACC Member Hub

Recently launched, the ACC Member Hub was created to make it easier for individuals within the College to connect, collaborate, and communicate through a new online community . You can build your own network, search for upcoming College events, start or join a discussion group, or serve as a mentor. Go through the web  or download the Member Hub app for your iPhone or Android device today.

The College is having a competition amongst Chapters between now and October 25th to see which Chapter can get the most members to sign up for the Member Hub.....It's Free to Access and Use, and a great way to connect with others throughout the Chapter and Country.


Oregon Cardiovascular Symposium - 2020

Finally,  we've picked a date for next year's Oregon ACC Symposium - April 17th and 18th, 2020. Please block your calendars as we plan to make this our best Symposium yet!!!

Wishing you all a great start to summer,

Ty J Gluckman, MD, FACC
Providence Heart Institute
Portland
Oregon Chapter, American College of Cardiology | 503-345-9294 
alan@cardiologyinoregon.org | Oregon ACC
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