I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some thoughts from Edward T. A. Fry, MD, FACC, who is one of our Indiana-ACC past presidents and current ACC Vice President:

"As you are aware, advice from physicians to their patients has been the most successful way to convince people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Now that most health systems have committed to ensuring that all of their associates and clinicians are vaccinated, it is time to lead this same effort in the local communities we serve. The voices of physicians can be a powerful influence and reassurance to those who have, for whatever reason, remained unvaccinated.

According to the CDC., IN ranks 11th of the 50 states in vaccination rates, with only 45% of the population fully vaccinated. Our neighbors who are not vaccinated not only expose themselves to great harm, but they will do so to others until the virus is eliminated. We can not eliminate the virus nor reduce the emergence of new, deadlier variants and get back to 'normal' until the health and safety of the entire community are guaranteed through universal vaccination. This impacts our educational systems, economy, community mental health, and social fabric.

Accordingly, targeted Public Service Announcements and local media appearances by clinical leaders from all the health systems across Indiana are likely to be the most powerful way to message the need, safety, and responsibility of getting vaccinated. I have reached out to my own health system asking them to support delivering the same message either through their individual systems or, preferably, jointly.

The clinical community has taken an oath to care for and protect our patients, their families, and the public at large. We can not have personal health until we have public health. As such, we must leverage our relationships with local media and other information platforms to make the case to those who have not yet received vaccines. The need and timing are critical"

The ACC and nine other cardiovascular societies have released a statement in support of all health care systems requiring COVID-19 vaccines for health care and long-term care employees. You can read more about it here.

Our own CV Team Chapter Representative Emily Keltner adds, "The voices of physicians and CV team members can be a powerful voice in your community. The people you grew up with, your parents, friends, the parents of your kids' friends are looking to you for guidance. I posted a picture on Facebook and Twitter for each vaccine and how I felt the next day. I had several people tell me I was the first person they knew to get the vaccine. They felt better getting the vaccine when someone they knew and trusted in the healthcare field got it and did fine. Your voice is powerful; use it wisely. Personal stories have the most impact. Be the source of truth and the example in your community. Let’s end this."

I would like to stress that many patients and their families will listen to and trust the advice from physicians who care for them. Personal contact is important and can be life-saving. 

1. I know we are all busy, but there may be opportunities where you will have the time to interact with your patients about their COVID-19 vaccination status. We all know heart disease is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection.

2. If you have a conversation about COVID-19 vaccination status, YOU CAN BILL FOR IT. Here is how:

   A. CPT CODE 99401 (Preventative medicine counseling) allows a physician or an advanced practitioner to bill for a face-to-face interaction for the purpose of preventing illness. According to my billing people, this code is distinct from E/M services and may be reported separately with modifier 25 when performed   

   B. You must document at least 7 minutes to qualify for billing this additional service. The documentation must be clear with what was counseled and the total time spent on counseling.

   C. Diagnosis code Z71.89 (other specified counseling) must be attached to the CPT Code for the claim to process correctly.

   D. Worth 0.48 WRVU per Medicare.

If you have questions, please ask your institution's billing and coding professionals to help you out.

If Gwen Goldfarb, our chapter executive, or I can be of assistance to you, please let us know.

Sincerely,

The American College of Cardiology is currently offering FREE ONE-YEAR MEMBERSHIP to all new CV Team members! Unlocking free membership is easy. All your nonmember colleagues need to do is complete a quick ACC membership application at https://memberapp.acc.org/, and enter promo code CVTREFER20 on the payment screen. The free membership will extend through December 31, 2021.

Registration is now open for the ACC’s Virtual Legislative Conference from Oct. 3-5. To register, click here and fill out the online registration form. For questions about the conference, email advocacyleg@acc.org or call (800) 435-9203. Stay tuned to @Cardiology on Twitter and use the #ACCLegConf for updates and to engage in discussions before during and after the event.

This year, FITs, residents, and CV team members have the opportunity to be part of the ePoster Competition held in conjunction with the Indiana-ACC Virtual Annual Meeting. Abstracts accepted for presentation at the Indiana-ACC Virtual Annual Meeting will be available On Demand through the ePoster Portal. With this exciting format, participants will showcase their posters along with MP4 voice-over PowerPoint presentations of their submissions. Stay tuned!

We are delighted to report on the Indiana-ACC Women in Cardiology (WIC) activities that have occurred this year!

ACC’s Americares Campaign to help front-line COVID-19 relief efforts around the world just got an additional boost thanks to a generous matching gift of up to $25,000 from the J.F Maddox Foundation, as designated by ACC Board of Trustees Member Thomas M. Maddox, MD, FACC. The ACC launched its Americares Campaign with a $25,000 seed gift earlier this year. Since then, more than $30,000 has been raised towards Americares’ Resilience and India funds, both of which provide direct support in the form of medicine and supplies to health care providers on the front lines battling COVID-19. With numbers once again on the rise in the U.S. and around the world, this matching gift opportunity comes at a vital time. Tax-deductible contributions can be made here. Learn more at Americares.org/ACC.

The ACC has launched a new CardiaCast podcast series on nutrition, with new episodes dropping weekly. Listen to the free CardioNutrition series with host, Robert J. Ostfeld, MD, MSc, FACC, along with leaders in the field, who will discuss the nutrition recommendations in the ACC/AHA guidelines, dietary patterns such as a Mediterranean, plant-based, or Ketogenic diet, practical ways to weave nutrition recommendations into clinical practice, how to get reimbursed for nutrition counseling and drive behavior change, and more. Don’t miss the first five episodes: CardioNutrition - Why are we here?; What Do the ACC Dietary Guidelines Actually Say?; The Skinny on Fats - and Omega 3s!; Carbs, Fiber, and Grains, Oh My!; and Dude, Where’s my Protein?

Digital health is increasingly becoming an important mechanism of chronic disease care, especially in cardiology. The ACC recently developed a Telehealth Workbook to provide guidance on conducting telehealth visits to effectively manage cardiovascular care, including what should happen prior to, during, and post-visit. The workbook offers specific recommendations on the management of heart failure, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and atrial fibrillation. Additionally, it also includes resources to existing CardioSmart tools, such as the Cardiac METs Fact Sheet and the Activity Log Worksheet that complement the telehealth visits. Download the workbook now at ACC.org/Telehealth.

MedAxiom’s ninth annual Cardiovascular Provider Compensation and Production Survey Report – which unveils trends across cardiology, surgery, advanced practice providers, and non-clinical compensation – reveals the true impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cardiovascular programs in 2020. In addition to highlighting comparisons between private and integrated models, the report features new panel size metrics for workforce planning. Use this essential strategic planning tool – designed by cardiology, for cardiology – to optimize your organization and transform cardiovascular care in 2022 and beyond. DOWNLOAD REPORT

For those of you looking for an alternative to the traditional 10-year board certification exam, please consider the ACC’s new product, the Collaborative Maintenance Pathway (CMP). The CMP is about learning and refreshing your knowledge on a yearly basis. It's delivered through ACC's SAPs, so it includes comprehensive educational material and annual updates. You'll get text and presentations created by experts, plus hundreds of self-assessment questions. Learn in whatever format suits your needs – reading, watching, and/or listening. Find out more here.