SoCCC Advocacy
Advocate for the professional, educational, research, and administrative needs of those who practice within the field Critical Care Cardiology.
Partner with other professional societies worldwide to support the needs of the society's constituency and to advance Critical Care Cardiology representation and education within these partnering organizations.
Collaborate with training programs, credentialing, and licensing organizations to advocate for training standards and certifications appropriately matched to the needs of patients within the modern Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), as well as analogous units serving critically ill patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Cultivate tools necessary to improve and sustain the well-being of Critical Care Cardiologists.
Offer expert guidance on the requirements necessary for the practice of Critical Care Cardiology and delineating responsibilities and professional scope of physicians in this field in order to ensure clarity and excellence in current and future practice.
Craft unique, novel, and collaborative educational platforms and initiatives.
Assess and learn from current heterogeneity in care delivery, and then vetting, designing, and testing ways to reduce variability.
Support patients, families, and communities.
Connect with vital non-clinical stakeholders including industry representatives, scientists, healthcare policy leaders, ethics champions, and community representatives.
Form research networks to promote scientific pursuits and the uniform dissemination of practice-changing innovations.
Foster inclusivity and promoting diversity within Critical Care Cardiology.
Enhance the impact and influence of non-physician members, early career constituents, and trainees.
Partner with hospitals, administrators, and healthcare systems to better understand the needs of patients within the CICU, the value of dedicated Critical Care Cardiology clinical expertise for these patients, and how care within these specialized settings align with institutional goals.
About us
Our Mission
To improve the care and outcomes of critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease and to promote, uphold, and advance the discipline of Critical Care Cardiology through education, advocacy, scientific discovery, and collaboration
SoCCC FAQs
Critical Care Cardiology as a unique discipline has grown substantially over the past few decades. The number of board-certified, dual-trained critical care cardiologists has increased significantly, as have the number of physicians dedicated specifically to the care of the critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease who occupy today’s CICUs. At the same time, care within the CICU has benefitted from an enhanced focus on multidisciplinary collaboration, with the pivotal involvement of key care partners including but not limited to nurses, nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), perfusionists, respiratory and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) specialists, critical care pharmacists, physical therapists, and others. As a result of this growth and expansion, there is a need for a professional society that can serve as a home and voice for all of these stakeholders, as well as our patients, their families, and communities.
Virtually all sub-disciplines within cardiovascular medicine have created their own subspecialty societies, and have enjoyed great and durable success with these efforts. Though not an all-inclusive list, here is a historical perspective on some of these:
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) – this is the only professional medical society in the United States that is dedicated solely to support the invasive and interventional cardiology community. It was founded in 1978 and SCAI had its first meeting in June of that year. The society’s goal was to focus on the needs of patients and providers within the cardiac catheterization laboratory, to develop quality standards, and to propose training guidance. The emergence and incorporation of SCAI actually paralleled the development of interventional cardiology as a therapy and discipline. During its inception, SCAI meetings were held in collaboration with both the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA), and they have worked in partnership with these organizations and others (e.g. the American Board of Internal Medicine, ABIM) to help standardize care.
Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) – this society was formed in 1995 by a group of academic cardiologists focused on the needs of patients with heart failure, with a goal of improving treatment strategies and optimizing care delivery. Their vision was to reduce the burden of heart failure and to provide a platform for collaboration, advocacy, research, and education. The HFSA was established to help bolster and promote the identity of its constituency and the specialty. They have helped to drive growth in the field and have pushed to better match expertise with patient needs.
Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) – in 1979, HRS was created when four electrophysiologists recognized the need for a society dedicated to the field of cardiac pacing and electrophysiology. It began with the formation of the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (NASPE) in Boston, and then changed its name to HRS in 2004. The first meetings of the society were held in conjunction with the ACC Scientific Sessions, followed by its first independent meeting 4 years later. The society was created to improve the care of those suffering from heart rhythm disorders though research, training, and the creation of health care policies and standards. There was also a keen interest in recognizing the importance of team-based care delivery as part of its mission.
The American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) – this society was founded in 1985 with the goal of developing programs to enhance basic and clinical education and to expand interdisciplinary clinical services in the growing field of preventive cardiology. It was incorporated in Connecticut in 2005, and then granted 501(c)(3) status in 2007. Its mission was to “promote the prevention of cardiovascular disease, advocate for the preservation of cardiovascular health, and disseminate high-quality, evidence-based information through the education of healthcare clinicians and their patients.” They have successfully partnered with the AHA Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, among other groups.
The International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS) – this society was founded in 2009 with a goal of advancing cardiovascular care of patients with cancer and survivors via collaboration among international researchers, educators, and clinicians. The IC-OS was co-founded by 2 physicians during the International Cardio-Oncology Congress in Milan, Italy. Later, the non-profit entity was established in the US. Currently, there are numerous international chapters of the IC-OS
The ACC, HRS, HFSA, and SCAI are currently working together to develop a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCVM), and as of Spring 2024 have submitted a formal application to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). This entity is envisioned to be an independent, self-governed body for cardiologists, and will be committed to cultivating a streamlined process for specialty certification. At this time, Critical Care Cardiologists sit in a unique – and perhaps somewhat precarious – position as a discipline, represented both by Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine. That may mean that our field could be governed and certified by both the new ABCVM and the ABIM. As new paradigms evolve, it will be imperative for Critical Care Cardiology to have an independent, unified voice in the form of its own society. We believe this underscores the importance for the timely creation of the Society of Critical Care Cardiology.
The SoCCC will be a non-profit organization. The process of incorporation and application for 501(c)(6) status has been initiated already. Membership will be open to any person with interest in the field of Critical Care Cardiology, regardless of background, training, or affiliation with other organizations. The society’s Executive Board will include President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer. A number of councils will be established, these will each be chaired by a society member, and these chairs will make up the society’s Board of Advisors. The SoCCC will consistently strive for maximum diversity and inclusion in the composition of its governing body, ensuring a fair representation of women, men, and under-represented minority groups that mirror the demographic makeup of the patient populations served by the society and its members. For additional details, please refer to the SoCCC bylaws.
We pronounce it as 'sox' or 'socks'.