Cardiology chief chosen to lead advocacy for academics

DALLAS – May 25, 2011 – Dr. Joseph Hill, chief of cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been named to lead the American College of Cardiology’s new Council on Academic Cardiology for the next three years. The ACC Council will provide a strong voice for doctors who are also teaching and conducting research, he said.

	Dr. Joseph Hill

“The future of cardiovascular medicine hinges critically on the success of the academic mission and academic health centers,” Dr. Hill said. “We train the medical students, residents and fellows who will emerge as the next generation of providers and investigators. It is from the academic mission that new discoveries and innovations emerge. Increasingly, however, much of our mission, including research and teaching, exists as an unfunded mandate. There is urgency to addressing these concerns, particularly now during a time of sea change in health care delivery and health care payment.”

The ACC is a non-profit medical society made up of more than 39,000 people focused on transforming cardiovascular care. Membership includes doctors, researchers, pharmacists and physician assistants. ACC is a world leader in formulating health policy, promoting education, and establishing standards and practice guidelines.

With the national health care landscape changing, much of the discussion has centered on reimbursement rates for government-sponsored programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, Dr. Hill said.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with that – this is a shared concern across the entire house of cardiology, private practice and academic,” he said. “That being said, we seek to focus attention on the bigger picture which includes health care policy, training, lifelong education, workforce needs, National Institutes of Health appropriations and much more.”

The Council will be a resource for American College of Cardiology’s larger advocacy role will provide regular reports on the state of academic cardiology, as well as propose strategies related to group’s academic cardiovascular initiatives.

Dr. Hill earned his medical and doctorate degrees from Duke University. He completed postgraduate training at the Institut Pasteur in Paris and Harvard Medical School. At UT Southwestern, he directs the Harry S. Moss Heart Center.

Dr. Hill has held numerous national leadership positions, including President of the Association of Professors of Cardiology and President of the Association of University Cardiologists. He is a fellow of the American Heart Association, ACC, and International Society for Heart Research.

Media Contact: LaKisha Ladson
214-648-3404
lakisha.ladson@utsouthwestern.edu

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