Letter from the President: Let's Make 2020 Another Great Year for AACVPR
Dear AACVPR Nation,
Happy New Year to all and I wish all our members, AACVPR staff, GRQ, partner associations and vendors a fulfilling and successful new year.
Firstly, I would like to begin the New Year by thanking the volunteer service of all the Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs that have completed their terms and welcome the new committee chairs. The AACVPR committees are the backbone of our current and future delivery of our strategic plans, goals and aims, so without the dedicated service of committee leadership and the vast number of you that volunteer on committees and taskforces, AACVPR would not be as successful as we are today!
AACVPR staff, Board of Directors, GRQ, committees/taskforces and other teams have been working diligently on many programs and initiatives. Our laser focus has been on legislative advocacy watch and action, planning efforts for Day on the Hill (DOTH) 2020 and our 35th Annual Meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla., and updating our three year strategic plan. Additionally, key AACVPR leaders and members have been strengthening our relationships with Million Hearts CRC, continuing our ACC and AHA legislative and scientific alliances, aligning vendor engagement in the exploration of new technology and the future of home based CR/PR rehabilitation. Last but not least, AACVPR is evolving a new partnership with the CDC Office of Health and Smoking to enhance AACVPR’s spotlight on tobacco cessation partnerships and services.
Regarding legislative advocacy watch and action, DOTH 2020 is quickly approaching and I cannot state enough the importance of grassroots advocacy. DOTH 2020 is scheduled on March 2-3 and registration is complimentary! At DOTH, you have a unique opportunity to meet with your U.S. Senators and your state’s U.S. House Representatives to advocate for important issues to the CR/PR field and our patients. AACVPR’s DOTH legislative priority this year is on HR 4838-SOS: Sustaining Outpatient Services.
As Karen Lui highlighted in her reimbursement update recently, “the greatest need for programs right now is for the ability to expand to larger, often off-campus locations without the current drastic financial cut in reimbursement as we attempt to meet growing referrals and improve patient access for these beneficial services”. If you can't come to Washington D.C., you can still make an impact with AACVPR’s new virtual lobbying platform. Since the activation of this platform, AACVPR members have sent over 3000 messages to their House Representatives. AACVPR, in coordination with our GRQ partners, is planning another round of HR 4838-SOS grassroots advocacy via our virtual lobbying tool. Stay tuned!
We are also in legislative alignment with ACC and AHA to advocate for HR 3911. This bill will move up the date from January 2024 to 2021 to allow NPPs to satisfy the direct supervision requirement for CR, PR, and ICR services. This bill will also allow NPPs to independently order CR/PR services. We will keep you posted on the progress of this bill and your needed legislative advocacy engagement.
Just want to remind AACVPR members that February is Heart Month, Cardiac Rehabilitation Week is February 9-15and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week is March 8-14, 2020. We have a lot to celebrate in the months ahead! AACVPR will be highlighting CR Week and PR Week activities to our membership via email, twitter and website. I would like to know what you are planning for Heart Month and CR and PR Weeks. Feel free to email me at ana_mola@hotmail.com with your events.
Best,
Ana Mola, PhD, RN, ANP-C, MAACVPR
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