May 31, 2012 — As the nation struggles with healthcare reform, and as imaging services move increasingly to hospital settings, physicians and other healthcare providers are facing new challenges, leading to a shift in the support needed from their professional societies. As part of an ongoing commitment to helping members provide quality patient care in a changing healthcare landscape, the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) will offer a full day of sessions on practice management as part of its annual Scientific Sessions, planned this year for June 30-July 3 at the Gaylord National in National Harbor, Md.
Highlighted speakers will include Catherine Hanson, vice president of the AMA’s Private Sector Advocacy and Advocacy Resource Center Unit, who is responsible for state legislation and private sector matters, including physician practice management and third-party payer issues. She will provide an insider’s look at the changing healthcare landscape. In addition, Cathleen Biga, president and CEO of the Cardiovascular Management of Illinois, will bring her knowledge of the private practice market to give tips on “Running a Profitable Practice in the Era of Change” and “Business Options for Cardiovascular Practice and Academics.”
The track, planned for June 30, will feature renowned faculty and offer advice on how to maintain a viable practice in today’s market; anticipated trends and how to deal with them; advice for getting appropriate reimbursement from payers; how to maneuver the system as an individual practitioner; and provide an opportunity for interactive questions with a panel of experts. “These sessions will include discussions of the stresses that cardiology practices and echocardiography services face now and in the future, and ways to navigate the dynamic and uncertain healthcare environment,” said Michael Picard, M.D., FASE, past president of ASE and one of the chairs of the program.
The first half of the day will include two sessions entitled “Medical Practice Management in the New Healthcare Norm.” Part 1 of this section will focus on “Leadership Tips for a Successful Practice,” and will include a review of the current status of healthcare reform, business options for cardiovascular practice and academics, strategic planning for practitioners and a panel discussion. Part 2 will offer “Evolving Models of Practice,” and will include discussions on accountable care organizations, the role of imaging in the future of cardiovascular care and how to build a successful echocardiography lab in a hospital setting. Speakers representing the American College of Cardiology (ACC), a co-sponsor of the morning’s session, and the current president of Intersocietal Accreditation Commission-Echocardiography (IAC-Echocardiography) will be included in the program.
Afternoon sessions focus on reimbursement, appropriate use criteria, quality and advocacy for the profession. According to David Wiener, M.D., FASE, chair of this portion of the program, “The session on ‘Advocacy and the Future of Cardiovascular Practice’ will inform you about the impact of payment reform and regulatory changes on cardiovascular practice, and on imaging in particular, along with trends in the private payer sector.”
For more information: www.asecho.org
June 19, 2025 
