In advance of the ACC’s annual meeting in New Orleans from March 28-30, ACC president, Dr. Christopher M. Kramer spoke with HCB News about his personal history with the meeting and what attendees can expect from it this year.

We also discuss the state of the industry and the innovations he is most excited about.

HCB News: What was the first ACC Annual Scientific Session you attended, and what sticks with you about that experience?
Dr. Christopher M. Kramer: The first ACC meeting I attended was in 1990 in New Orleans when I was Chief Medical Resident, a few months before I started my CV fellowship. I was amazed by the networking opportunities, the camaraderie, and the outstanding science that was being shared. On top of that, it was in New Orleans and my father and 2 of my brothers lived there at the time and I was able to stay with them.

HCB News: What core purpose does the meeting serve for the cardiovascular community today?
CK: There are a number of purposes for the meeting, but the core purpose is to update the CV community on the very latest science so that they can integrate this into their daily practice of CV medicine.

HCB News: What emerging technologies or clinical breakthroughs showcased this year do you believe will most significantly change cardiovascular care over the next five years?
CK: One major advance that is being showcased is advances in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in the daily practice of cardiovascular medicine. AI and digital technology advances have emerged as catalysts for changing how we diagnose, treat and manage patients. It is critical that clinicians understand how to apply AI in the digital transformation of care delivery. The ACC.26 intensive will focus on AI and address practical implementation as well as approaches to financing and governance. There will be hands-on sessions on the best ways to prompt generative AI models and several keynote AI-related lectures.

HCB News: Are you seeing shifts in what hospitals and health systems are looking for when they attend — such as greater focus on outcomes, cost efficiency, or digital integration?
CK: Again, AI is a critical focus for hospitals and health systems and will be addressed deeply as mentioned above. They are also looking for methods to improve outcomes and the science presented will go a long way to advancing this.

HCB News: When you walk the Scientific Session floor, what excites you most personally?
CK: The most exciting part of walking the floor for me is running into old friends and colleagues and catching up both personally and scientifically. The networking opportunities at the meeting are always tremendous.

HCB News: What advice would you give to a new cardiologist or cardiology stakeholder attending for the first time?
CK: Try not to overschedule yourself. It is easy to think you can bounce from session to session, taking in part of each, but what happens then is that you end up spending your time in the hallways trying to hurry to the next session which might be half the convention center away. It is best to pick the key sessions you want to attend and stick with them.

HCB News: When you look around at the state of cardiology, what gives you the greatest sense of hope about the future?
CK: A number of things excite me about the future and the promise of cardiovascular medicine. One is the sheer number of novel therapies that continue to be developed and offer the promise of improved health for our cardiovascular patients. The other is the youthful exuberance and energy of our trainees and early career cardiologists and APP’s that represent the future of our field.

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