Articles

In this new regular series, we will feature digital initiatives and innovations by the ACC that are aligned towards meeting the educational and clinical needs of members. Developed through member engagement and feedback, featured initiatives are geared towards CV professionals at all stages of their career. These resources have made the ACC a trusted source of consumable knowledge that is integrated with the daily activities of the CV team and fully accessible when needed.

Clinician burnout is a challenging predicament affecting the cardiovascular workforce. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has identified clinician well-being as a strategic priority, launching a multifaceted initiative to address systemic factors and promote well-being. ACC created a Task Force on Clinician Well-Being (via Board of Trustees) to lead the initiative at the organizational level. Below are some of the highlights of measures initiated by the ACC to help reverse the burnout crisis. Visit the clinician well-being portal for more information and ways to get involved. 

https://www.acc.org/Features/2019/07/clinican-well-being-portal

1. The ACC’s Clinician Well-Being Portal is a central hub: It has access to tools, webinars, coaching modules, peer-learning communities. Specific offerings include leadership coaching webinars (“Coaching Fundamentals for Cardiovascular Leaders”, “Culture Change Through Coaching”), mental health education, and inclusive-workplace training (civility, respect, inclusion).
2. ACC has published policy statements on career flexibility in cardiology and respect/civility/inclusion, both key to enabling environments where clinicians thrive. At the system-level, ACC has aligned its efforts with the broader “quadruple aim” (patient care, population health, cost, workforce well-being) and partnered with national efforts (e.g., National Academy of Medicine’s Change Maker Campaign) to initiate systemic change.
3. Peer Connectivity: The DocMatter Community: The ACC DocMatter Community provides ACC members with a secure, moderated, peer-to-peer discussion platform. In this community, clinicians can post case questions, share best practices, seek peer insights, and connect around clinical topics. The ACC offers a “DocMatter Clinician Advocate” to assist with technical support and enhance user experience. This platform is an access point for building community and reducing isolation — an important element of well-being, especially in high-stress specialties.