Insert
Headline
HereASSISTANTS IN CARDIOLOGY
THE ASSOCIATION
OF PHYSICIAN
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Month Day Year
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Inside this issue
Letter from the
President
President’s Message
1
APAC Award Winners 2
Cardiology PA
Residency Program
2
New HTN Guidelines
3
APAC/HRS Joint
Sessions for 2015
3
PA Value
3
Advocacy Update
4
Member Update
4
Member Spotlight:
Sondra M. DePalma,
MHS, PA-C, CLS,
DFAAPA, AACC
5
Stay Connected
with APAC
6
This being my first contribution to the APAC Newsletter as president, let me
first say that it is a great honor to represent all the members for APAC. I pledge
to work diligently over this next year to address the concerns and the needs of
our members, to promote our position as a specialty and to strengthen our role
as stakeholder in the evolving healthcare system. This work, of course, cannot
be accomplished by one person alone, and I am pleased to recognize your
Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors has been actively planning events
for 2014 as well as discussing how our organization can impact the ongoing
changes of health care at the local, state and national levels.
Physician Assistants are playing an increasingly important role in the provision
of cardiology services and also as academic thought leaders in the United
States. We are proud of our colleague’s accomplishments.
Our next board meeting will be held in November and the details can be found
on our upcoming newsletter. We are in the process of updating our website and
bringing on a new Board of Directors. I would like to take the time and
introduce our new Treasurer Navdeep Saini and announce that he will be our
President Elect. You can read more about his accomplishments on our website.
Be sure to visit our website at www.cardiologypa.org. Please don’t hesitate to
update your information and to keep in touch. It is important that we have your
current e-mail address in order to ensure that you receive the information that
you need.
Warm Regards,
Editor:
Sondra M. DePalma,
MHS, PA-C, CLS,
DFAAPA, AACC
Shahzad Zeb, RPA-C, MPAS
President of the Association of Physician Assistants in Cardiology
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Month Day Year
Insert Headline Here
Vol. 1 Issue 1
2014 APAC Member Awards
APAC
announced
its first
annual Member Awards. Congratulations to the 2014 winners:
Visit
APAC
at
Morton
A. Diamond13
Lifetime Achievement Award
IMPACT
Michael Clark, PA-C, MPAS, PhD, AACC
APAC PA of the Year Award
Sondra M. DePalma, MHS, PA-C, CLS, DFAAPA, AACC
Cardiology PA-Physician Team Award
Joseph Faiella-Tommasino, RPA-C, MHS, PhD and Michael Poon, MD
APAC looks forward to recognizing more distinguished members in 2015.
Award descriptions and criteria are available at http://www.cardiologypa.org/member/member-awards
Mercer-Piedmont Heart Physician Assistant
Post-Graduate Residency in Advanced Cardiology
The Mercer-Piedmont Heart Physician Assistant Post-Graduate Residency in Advanced Cardiology is
currently seeking qualified applicants for its 12-month program. A collaborative effort between the Mercer
University Physician Assistant Program and the Piedmont Heart Institute, it is one of the first advanced
cardiology post-graduate PA residencies of its kind.
“Educational advancements in the field of cardiac medicine are being made every day,” said Jason Lucas,
Ph.D., PA-C, co-director of the program. “Programs like this allow physician assistants to specialize and be
better equipped to serve patients with advanced cases of heart disease. Empowering and supporting physician
assistants in their clinical efforts not only prepares them for their careers but also enhances the clinical care
heart patients receive.”
Residents in the program devote 75% of their time to clinical medicine, working alongside industry experts,
directly participating in all aspects of patient care in both the inpatient and critical care setting. Each resident
works a 12-month schedule that includes everything from rotations in general and interventional cardiology,
cardiothoracic surgery and advanced heart failure with exposure to LVAD, ECMO and open heart surgery.
Another 25% of the program is dedicated to a didactic curriculum where residents have an opportunity to
participate in interactive learning that occurs between residents and program faculty with case-based
presentations, small group lectures and journal clubs. Residents also take part in grand rounds, lectures and
additional instruction at the Mercer PA Program.
Three residents from South College in Knoxville, Tenn., Mercer University in Atlanta, Ga., and Stanford
University/Foothill College in Palo Alto, Calif. are currently participating in the residency program with the
first expected to graduate at the end of the year.
The program will soon be accepting new applications for the July 2015 – June 2016 residency year.
For additional information, including application requirements, visit piedmontheart.org/mercerPA.
Page 2
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Page 3
ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients with Hypertension
Coming soon . . .
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association will work
with partnering organizations to create new hypertension guidelines to complete the
cardiovascular prevention guideline armamentarium. The American Society of
Hypertension has announced that they are working as an “equal partner” on the new
guidelines. The American Academy of Physician Assistants was also asked to partner
and Sondra DePalma, Immediate Past President of APAC, will serve as the AAPA
representative on the guideline writing committee. Chaired by Paul Whelton, MD,
the guideline writing committee will begin working on the new guidelines in
November, with potential release in 2015.
The 2014 Evidence-Based Guideline for the Management of High Blood Pressure in
Adults published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by the Panel
Members appointed to the eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) was not endorsed
by any medical organization. The American Heart Association has been critical of the
document with AHA Past President Mariell Jessup, M.D stating, “We believe there’s
just not enough evidence at this point to justify such a major change in how we treat
people with high blood pressure”
Joint Session at Heart Rhythm 2015
Ideas.People.Technology
For the second year in a row, APAC will be
partnering with the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS)
in a Joint Session at the HRS 2015 conference.
Presentation submissions from partnering
organizations were competitively reviewed by the
Heart Rhythm Society’s Scientific Sessions
Program Committee on the basis of overall
medical and scientific interest to the attendees at
the meeting. The session proposal submitted by
the Association of Physician Assistants in
Cardiology entitled, “Device-Detected Atrial
Arrhythmias and Stroke Risk”, has been selected
for presentation on Thursday, May 14, 2015,
8:00-9:30 a.m.
Join APAC at HRS in Boston
May 13-16, 2015
A new nationwide study confirms that
patients believe PAs add value to healthcare
teams and provide excellent patient service
The study, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of
AAPA, surveyed more than 1,500 U.S. adults. Among
an oversample of 680 Americans who have interacted
with a PA in the last year (meaning either they
personally saw a PA or were present for the visit of
someone they care for), the survey revealed strong
support for the care PAs deliver:
 93 percent agree PAs are going to be part of the
solution to address the shortage of healthcare
providers.
 93 percent agree PAs are trusted healthcare
providers.
 92 percent agree having a PA at a practice
makes it easier for a patient to get an
appointment.
 91 percent agree PAs improve health outcomes
for patients.
 91 percent agree PAs improve the quality of
healthcare.
Reprinted from the AAPA Medical Watch
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Page 4
Advocacy Update
American College of Cardiology
APAC members continue to be actively involved with the ACC and serve on
many workgroups and committees to represent cardiology PAs.
Heart Rhythm Society
The International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE) continues to offer
advanced certification for PAs and other non-physicians as Certified
Electrophysiologist Specialists and Certified Cardiac Device Specialists.
American Society of Hypertension
ASH and the ASH Hypertension Specialists Program approved a platform for
Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Pharmacists to be
designated as specialists in hypertension. Responding to the team approach to
medicine and the public health importance of hypertension, ASH is creating a
method for PAs to demonstrate a mastery of hypertension and a certification
process for designation as a Specialist in Hypertension.
National Lipid Association
The NLA encourages PA membership and the Accreditation Council for Clinical
Lipidology (ACCL) certifies PAs and other non-physicians as Clinical Lipid
Specialists.
Member Update
Sharon M. Dickinson, PA-C, AACC serves as the CCA Liaison for the Oregon
Chapter of the ACC.
Kelly Wood, PA-C, AACC presented at the South Carolina & North Carolina
Chapters of the ACC 21st Annual Joint Meeting September 26-28, 2014 in
Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Amy Simone, PA-C served on the planning committee and was an invited
speaker at the Maryland Chapter of the ACC’s Foundations for Practice
Excellence: Core Curriculum for the Cardiovascular Clinician. Sondra M.
DePalma, MHS, PA-C, CLS, DFAAPA, AACC was also an invited speaker
on behalf of the AAPA and discussed “The Future of the Cardiovascular
Clinician”.
Camille Dyer, MS, PA-C, AACC, DFAAPA and Sondra M. DePalma,
MHS, PA-C, CLS, DFAAPA served as 2015 AAPA Conference CME Sessions
Graders for the upcoming IMPACT.15 to assure that relevant and educational
cardiology content is included at the national AAPA conference which is in San
Francisco, CA May 2015.
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Month Day Year
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Vol. 1 Issue 1
Page 5
Member Spotlight:
Sondra M. DePalma, MHS, PA-C, CLS, DFAAPA, AACC
Physician Assistant
Clinical Lipid Specialist
Penn State Hershey Heart & Vascular Institute
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
How/Where did your career in cardiology begin?
I went into cardiology directly after graduation from PA school. This was part planned but mostly serendipitous. I really enjoyed
my internal medicine rotation and was very interested in cardiometabolic risk (diabetes, HTN, etc). I applied for my first cardiology
position because it was in the location I wanted to live and was an internal medicine subspecialty. I can't say that I ever really
considered cardiology in PA school, but I immediately fell in love the specialty and cannot imagine doing anything else.
How long have you been practicing? In which cardiovascular area do you specialize?
I have been a Cardiology PA for over 12 years. I have advanced certification as a Clinical Lipid Specialist through the Accreditation
Council for Clinical Lipidology. At the Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute I practice general cardiology but work
closely with our electrophysiologists and heart failure specialists, and am involved in the Lipid and Cardiovascular Wellness
Program.
How long have you have been a member of APAC, and what has been your involvement?
I joined APAC in 2005 and began serving on the Board as a Director at Large from 2011-2012. I was the President from 2012-2014
and currently serve as the Immediate-Past President. I look forward to being involved for years to come.
Are you active with any other cardiovascular associations? If so, what committees do you serve
on and/or what leadership positions do you hold?
I am an active member of the American College of Cardiology. I serve on the ACC’s LDL: Address the Risk Oversight Work
Group, CVT Membership Work Group, and the Physician Assistant Work Group and PA Strategic Planning Sub-Work Group; and
served on the 2013 Scientific Sessions Planning Committee. I am also actively involved in the AAPA and serve on the National
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Educational Advisory Board and have been the Chief Cardiology Delegate in the AAPA House of
Delegates.
What is your personal philosophy on how PAs and the cardiovascular team influence the practice
of cardiology?
In cardiology as in other specialties, PAs are well-trained in the medical model to provide evidence-based, high-quality
comprehensive care in collaboration with other healthcare providers. Heart and vascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity
and mortality in the United States, and physicians need help in primary prevention and secondary treatment. While my physician
colleagues are performing invasive procedures and interpreting advanced cardiac imaging, I am spending time with the patient in
making clinical assessments, prescribing patient-centered therapies, educating, and coordinating care to improve patient satisfaction
and outcomes. If you are a cardiologist, who better to partner with than the profession who pioneered team-based practice and has
been doing it successfully for over 50 years?!
Do you have any recommendations on how other PAs can become further involved in APAC?
Just do it! Members of APAC are very welcoming and love new people and fresh ideas.
How can APAC members get in touch with you?
Email me at: sondramd@hotmail.com
Be featured in an upcoming Member Spotlight
“INSERT PULL QUOTE HERE.
Learn more at http://www.cardiologypa.org/news-a-events/newsletter
DELETE BOX IF NOT IN USE.”
The Pulse, Fall 2014
Month Day Year
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Get published in upcoming
editions of The Pulse!
Have a topic that you’d like to write
about? Want to see your thoughts and
ideas in print? Have personal
experiences or clinical pearls that may
help fellow Cardiology PAs? We want
to hear from you!
Your article and picture
could be featured here.
We are currently looking for members
and students to submit articles on a
variety of topics to APAC for consideration to be included in
an upcoming edition of The Pulse newsletter.
Members may write about any topic of their choice, and
should limit their submissions to 500 words or less.
Suggested topics are clinical tips and tricks, brief case
studies, and current events and issues facing the PA
profession.
Students are welcome to write about topics such as student
life, why they chose the PA profession, what they’ve
experienced during their cardiology rotation and other topics
relevant to students.
Although this is not intended for scholarly use, ideas that are
put forth as factual should be supported with evidence and
proper credit should be given to sources as appropriate to
avoid intellectual infringement and plagiarism. There is no
monetary compensation for articles selected for publication
in The Pulse newsletter
Articles may be edited for length and/or content.
Articles should be submitted to
apac.pulse@gmail.com for review.
THE ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANTS IN CARDIOLOGY
www.cardiologypa.org
apac.contact@gmail.com
APAC
P.O. Box 14
Holbrook, NY 11741
Page 6
The Association of Physician Assistants
in Cardiology (APAC) is a professional
organization for Physician Assistants who
practice in Cardiology. Since recognition
as a specialty organization in 2003,
APAC has made considerable progress
toward our goal of becoming the primary
resource and advocate for all cardiology
PAs.
As a Constituent Organization of the
AAPA, APAC collaborates with the
Academy and actively participates in the
House of Delegates at the AAPA annual
meeting to assure representation of
Cardiology PAs.
APAC also works closely with the
American College of Cardiology (ACC)
and other national organizations to
promote and advocate for increased
utilization of PAs to provide high quality,
cost-effective care to patients with
cardiovascular disease.
We’re online! Find, like, join,
and follow us on these sites:
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sociation-Physician-Assistants-inCardiology-023586?gid=
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