The American Society for Preventive Cardiology.

Abstract

The American Society for Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) has started 2018 with noteworthy initiatives. A recap of just a few will be beneficial for members, as well as nonmembers, who will hopefully be inspired to join our burgeoning society. First, we have continued and augmented our Town Hall Series exploring and solving medication access problems in the United States. The 2016 and 2017 meetings were an extraordinary success as we led the nation in the mission to help appropriate patients gain access to PCSK9i, while simultaneously creating methods to ease the massive burdens on our offices. Continuing such advocacy efforts, the ASPC organized 5 programs in 2018 to convene at the American College of Cardiology (ACC), PriMed California, ASPC, Cardiometabolic Health Congress, and the American Heart Association meetings. We hope to see many of you there, so you can share your opinions and also learn to use the tools we have recently developed to help you and your patients. Second, eager to tear down silos separating diverse medical disciplines, the ASPC founded the American Society for Preventive Cardiology Collaborative Action Group (ACAG). Our inaugural meeting was held at the 2018 ACC meeting, where 20+ groups met to discuss issues seemingly specific to their fields, yet actually sharing a commonality with others. The ACAG mission is to facilitate collaboration among varied groups, helping one another amplify their respective missions. ACAG will not launch its own initiatives; it exists solely as a facilitative pipeline of communication and amplification. Third, ASPC created a robust mobile app designed to help clinicians navigate the complex insurance world, thereby ensuring that your patients receive the medications you have prescribed. We began with the PCSK9i, as these medicines have seen unprecedented insurance barriers, making access to them often impossible. The app contains invaluable resources such as a 10-step guide to success, single-page prior authorization and appeal letters, contact information for all state insurance commissioners, links to other helpful resources, and much more. We will soon add similar solutions for heart failure and diabetes medications. Please know that we always welcome suggestions to improve—or add additional functionality to—the app. I would encourage everyone to download the app and then “join” it. You will find it at the Apple App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1357143692, and the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aspc.conf4cvaob. In closing, I invite everyone to view the agenda for the 2018 ASPC Congress at the Tamaya Resort, Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico (https://www.aspconline.org/congress2018). The Congress will host some of the world's leading authorities in their respective fields. It will provide an unparalleled educational experience in a relaxing setting, which is the ultimate aim of all our annual meetings. Please join us; you will not be disappointed. Wishing you well,