Do More, Be More, Learn More: Building the House of Cardiology on a Foundation of Education

Illustration: Lee Sauer

Learn more about business education from the experts at MedAxiom + Wharton Online: 

• Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program: Register for fall 2024 by Sept. 2.
• Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows: Open enrollment ends Aug. 31.

Those who know me know I was a critical care nurse at the core – I LOVED the unit. I loved the organized chaos. Most importantly, I loved helping our sickest, most vulnerable patients recover. For this reason, I got a Master of Science in Nursing instead of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. I was going to be an advanced practice nurse, and physical assessment was my favorite course – until I graduated. After graduation, I realized that to bring care to our patients, I needed to do more, learn more, be more.  

So instead of accepting a job as an advanced practice nurse, I assumed the role of a cardiovascular service line director, not knowing a full-time equivalency (FTE) from a spreadsheet. That’s how my journey into administration started and continues today: learning every day, hiring and working with people much smarter than me, with each piece making the whole so much stronger. I don’t think you can truly deliver exceptional cardiovascular care today without understanding all the factors that affect the business of cardiology, including finance, the impact of social determinants of health, patient health literacy, site of service complexities, and most importantly how to truly drive change that impacts quality. Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, FACC, drove that point home brilliantly during the James T. Dove Keynote at ACC.24 when she said, “Something isn't working and now we need to shift towards using quality measurement to translate toward better health and better outcomes, which is what people want.”¹ 

Embracing Change: The Urgency of Dyad Leadership and Team-Based Care

As cardiovascular leaders and providers, we have chosen a career path that is ever-changing, dynamic, powerful and impactful. We will continue to encounter new obstacles related to establishing new delivery models, addressing staffing shortages, and integrating new technology into practice. The house of cardiology has always risen to face these challenges – and we must do so now.   

That said, the practice of dyad leadership and team-based care has never been more important than it is right now. The need to understand the intersection between clinical and non-clinical competencies is crucial. And it is not imminent – it is here NOW. It is imperative that all cardiovascular physicians and cardiovascular team members across all practice settings understand that quality and finances are not mutually exclusive but intertwined. We do not need our physicians to read balance sheets or create spreadsheets, but they do need to recognize, acknowledge and facilitate programs and treatment plans that account for financial sustainability. As Dr. Joynt Maddox said, the cardiovascular community must deliver care differently than in the past. We need to be physician-led and professionally managed. 

Physicians often ask me if they need to get an MBA. For the most part, I don’t think so (with the exception of some individuals whose circumstances make an MBA very helpful). What is needed is a foundation for physician leadership that allows them to participate in effective dyad models at their organizations. To do that, we must ensure our physicians have appropriate business and leadership training and skills, as well as a knowledge base and infrastructure founded in non-clinical competencies.  

One of my biggest concerns for our community is that while we train excellent clinicians in the U.S., cardiovascular programs do not even teach the basics of non-clinical competencies. Clinical training should always be the primary goal, but a solid curriculum must train professionals to deal with the here and now as well as the future. I know training time is precious in our community, but I think this area needs some focused attention. Without it, we’re missing an important piece of the puzzle of high-quality cardiovascular care.  

Bridging the Gap: Business and Management Training for CV Professionals

With a focus on healthcare operations, economics, change leadership and people management, The MedAxiom + Wharton Online Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program fills an educational gap in our profession by addressing the foundational business concepts that underly the delivery of cardiovascular care. As a faculty member, I can vouch that the program equips cardiovascular clinicians and administrators with the essential skills and business acumen needed to lead in the competitive and rapidly changing healthcare landscape. It can be used to educate multiple members of the cardiovascular team (practice administrators, cardiologists, CV team members, nurses and advanced practice providers), and is flexible to accommodate busy schedules.  

We’re lifelong learners, and education must be embraced at every level of our careers. As I learned at the beginning of my career, it helps to have a solid business and management foundation as early as possible. Most fellows in training don’t even know how to look for a job, what practice setting would be best for them, and how to negotiate a contract. Where are their non-clinical competencies to help them initially and throughout their career? Lucky for our community, the MedAxiom and Wharton experts have also created the Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows program to address these early career needs. 

Knowledge doesn’t happen in a vacuum, especially in the ever-evolving world of healthcare. Both MedAxiom + Wharton Online programs connect you to a network that supports your learning. You’ll learn from world-renowned business and cardiovascular experts through lectures and interactive faculty sessions. You’ll also be able to join an exclusive discussion forum through each program – connecting you to past, current and future students. This education and these connections create a support network to strengthen the foundation for your future and the future of cardiology.   

Reference: 

1. American College of Cardiology. James T. Dove Keynote | More Than Checking Boxes: Why Quality Increasingly Matters. ACC.org. Published April 6, 2024. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/04/01/01/42/01-Dove-Keynote-More-Than-Checking-Boxes-Why-Quality-Increasingly-Matters-acc-2024.