The HCM Academy's expert panel steering committee convened at ACC (American College of Cardiology) in Atlanta, GA, USA on Sunday, April 7th.

The PCMS team were onsite at the ACC to welcome and engage with our experts, discussing the results and insights from the interim analysis of the equality in healthcare survey distributed to our HCM Academy registered members, cardiologists and other HCPs in the US and Europe. Our steering committee members are some of the world leading figures in this therapeutic field – Martin Maron, Anjali Owens, Steve Ommen, and HCMA founder Lisa Salberg.

During the three-hour meeting, additional knowledge and key insights were gleaned and used to guide the next phase of our programme: the development of a consensus statement.

A significant takeaway from the meeting was the observation of minimal discrepancies between US and EU guidelines in practical terms. Where differences exist, there is often generally alignment between guidelines, and where obvious variances do occur, it is crucial to explore their implications for patients in practice.

Furthermore, discussion surrounded how individual patient background and origins might influence treatment choices, with further discussion around what constitutes the optimal approach for patient care. The aim for this phase of the program is to support greater diagnosis rates of HCM and better disease management that is equal for all, regardless of geography or patient population with an objective to support HCPs to:

  • Recognise the disparities faced by specific underserved communities
  • Encourage and drive access to a timely diagnosis and quality care for all patient populations

Our HCM Academy is a free CME initiative developed with renowned specialists that offers independent medical education, surrounding diagnosis and best practice aiming to improve patient outcomes by enhancing knowledge and confidence surrounding efficient diagnosis and management ofhypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Running for over two years now, the programme has been developed in partnership with and endorsed by the HCMA. It is delivered to our community of primary and secondary care audiences including GPs, primary care nurses, cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, echocardiographers, and hospital pharmacists across the United States, Canada, and Europe, including the United Kingdom.

The primary and secondary care webinar series from 2023 is available on the HCM Academy website until November 2024 for HCPs to access and gain CE credit(s).