Summer News

I hope all have had a restful 4th of July and perhaps a chance to take time off with family and friends. I wanted to update our members on notable upcoming events in the life of our chapter.

Our NC/SC Joint Annual Conference will be held at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, September 23-25, we will be meeting in the brand-new West Beach Conference Center which has received rave reviews.

Dr. Danny Steinberg who chairs our planning committee is putting together a program which is certain to be both stimulating and educational.

This is a great way to reconnect with colleagues both in our state as well as from NC. As always, there will be family friendly entertainment events. We expect a large turnout, so be sure to register early to take advantage of the early registration rates and discounted hotel rates.

The annual ACC Legislative Conference will be a live event this year in Washington, DC. This is scheduled from October 16-18. I urge all our members to consider attending this excellent meeting which provides a comprehensive update of regulatory and legislative issues confronting our professional lives as well as the care our patients receive. All attendees will have the opportunity to visit our legislators on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. For those who have never participated, it is a unique and educational experience, and provides an important opportunity to educate the decision makers in Washington. Our chapter has some limited funding set aside for our board members to make this trip on our behalf. If the available slots for board members do not fill, those will become open to chapter members. Registration is now open for this important event.

Lastly, I would like to urge all who already haven’t, to support our ACCPAC. This is our advocacy arm in Washington. Less THAN 3% OF OUR MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTES, a much lower percentage than anesthesiologists or orthopedic societies. Your annual dues do not support advocacy, only PAC donation does. This is an important time given the upcoming mid-term elections. Our PAC is NON-PARTISAN. Funds are used judiciously to support those in congress who are champions in support of our mission.

July is the State Giving Challenge month. States who raise the most dollars, or who have the highest participation rates, will be recognized at the legislative conference. I would love to see South Carolina recognized! Members can text HeartPAC to 41444 to donate.

It is an honor and privilege to represent you on the board of governors.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns or ideas on how our chapter can serve you better. My personal email is IVUSguy54@gmail.com, mobile is 803-331-5985. Our Chapter Executive Beth Denny is a great resource and can be contacted at bdenny@sccacc.org.

I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events.

Best regards,

Michael C. Foster, MD, FACC
President, SC Chapter