Health Equity

The ACC's Inaugural Health Equity Stakeholder Summit will take place on April 2 – 3 in Washington, D.C. The two-day event will bring together key stakeholders for important discussions centered around the theme of "Transformative Equity: Rethinking CV Care." See the draft agenda.

Why Health Equity

ACC's Mission is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all as cardiovascular disease remains the #1 cause of mortality worldwide. Over the last seven decades, the College has been the epicenter for cardiovascular professionals to learn, grow and share and will remain so as we realize the ACC's Vision of a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. ACC is paving the road to health equity through our Health Equity Strategy with the goals to: create a culture of health equity in cardiovascular medicine; prioritize health equity in all ACC activities; and eliminate disparities by ensuring equitable cardiovascular care for all.

ACC Health Equity Pledge

I pledge to take action to support ACC's health equity vision to "achieve a culture of health where every person reaches their full cardiovascular health potential as a natural right." I acknowledge the negative impact of cardiovascular health inequities on patient care delivery, cardiovascular outcomes, and population health. I commit to work to transform my practice and the cardiovascular care that I deliver to be the most equitable for all.

Health Equity Task Force Leadership

The ACC thanks its Health Equity Task Force and Diversity and Inclusion Committee members for their work on the Summit and in developing and implementing the College's overarching Health Equity Strategy.

Health Equity Taskforce Members  Diversity & Inclusion Committee Members
Paul Douglass, MD, MACC (Chair)
  Quinn Capers, IV, MD, FACC (Chair)
Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, MACC (Immediate Past Chair)
  David Aguilar, MD
Kathryn L. Berlacher, MD, FACC
  Paul Anaya, MD, PhD
Pamela S. Douglas, MD, MACC
  Rachel Bond, MD, FACC
Linda D. Gillam, MD, MACC
  Matthew Carazo, MD, FACC
Akshay K. Khandelwal, MD, FACC
  Edward Chu, MD, FACC
Robert Roswell, MD, FACC
  Stephen C. Cook, MD, FACC
Herman A. Taylor, Jr., MD, FACC
  V. Antoine Keller, MD, FACC
Thad F. Waites, MD, MACC
  Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, FACC (Chair- Elect)
Marlene S. Williams, MD, FACC
  Modele O. Ogunniyi, MD, MPH, FACC
Biykem Bozkurt, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA
  Karl Gordon Patti, MD
Dorairaj Prabhakaran, MD
  Nosheen Reza, MD, FACC

  Brittany R. Smith, PharmD, BCACP

  Zarina Sharalaya, MD

  Melanie S. Sulistio, MD, FACC

Keynote Speaker: Daniel E. Dawes J.D.

Cardiology

Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., is a widely respected healthcare and public health leader, health equity & policy expert, educator, and researcher who currently serves as Senior Vice President, Global Health & Executive Director of the Global Health Equity Institute at Meharry Medical College. Dawes is also Founding Dean of the School of Global Public Health at Meharry Medical College, the first school of public health at an historically black institution. He is the author of two groundbreaking books, 150 Years of ObamaCare and The Political Determinants of Health, both published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Among his many achievements, he is the principal investigator for the nation’s first health equity tracker, co-founder of the Health Equity Leadership and Exchange Network (HELEN), and co-principal investigator of the HHS National COVID-19 Resiliency Network. Dawes serves as an advisor to The White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, an appointed member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee to the Director and co-chair of the CDC’s Health Equity Working Group, as well as the NIH’s National Advisory Council for Nursing Research.

Health Equity Resources

Access ACC health equity-related resources at ACC.org/HealthEquity, including on-demand webinars and related companions guides on topics like South Asian health disparities, LGBTQ+; latest research and health equity news items; education and meeting opportunities; and more.