Cardiology professor in middle of one-year term as president
Ted Bass, MD, said the first half of his one-year term as president of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions has been productive and exciting.
Bass, a professor and chief of cardiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville, became SCAI’s 36th president in May. He’s been an SCAI fellow since 1991.
As president, Bass has led SCAI’s continued efforts to establish “appropriate-use criteria” to help interventional cardiologists make sound clinical decisions and provide optimal evidence-based care to patients. SCAI is also organizing a “boot camp” to give catheterization lab directors guidance in making choices that are best for physicians and patients.
Bass said SCAI is expanding a joint project with the American College of Cardiology to see that cath labs nationwide reach quality benchmarks. The society has also been advocating for health care reform that will benefit the cardiology discipline.
“These issues include addressing the importance of accessibility to specialty care and facilitating discussions about benchmarking outcomes,” he said.
Bass said a challenge has been addressing patient and physician needs with diminishing resources in an era of increasing transparency and outcome measurements. A concern, for instance, is the use of stents, he said. Some cardiologists believe they are overused.
“As a group, we consistently re-examine our own performance and ask important questions about the care we provide our patients,” Bass said.
About SCAI
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is regarded as the primary professional association for invasive and interventional cardiologists. The society, which held its first annual meeting in 1978, has more than 4,000 members today. It’s headquartered in Washington, D.C.
“It is a wonderful place for early-career physicians to learn, become involved in our important missions and find support when facing many of the complex challenges,” Bass said. “We have never been healthier, more involved and active in so many areas.”
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