April 22, 2019 — Five cardiovascular professional societies released a new consensus document on optimizing care for patients with valvular heart disease. The consensus document — produced by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), American College of Cardiology (ACC), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) — is available online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).
The intent of this document is to propose a system of care for patients with valvular heart disease (VHD), the primary goal of which would be to optimize outcomes for all patients and ultimately improve the care of VHD at all centers. This approach is intended to increase the identification of patients with VHD and emphasize best practices as captured in the 2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients with Valvular Heart Disease and the 2017 AHA/ACC Focused Update of the 2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease. It is also intended to promote the efficient utilization of resources, facilitate communication and continuity of care, and emphasize the need for transparency in reporting of and accountability for outcomes relative to national benchmarks.
For more information: www.acc.org
October 23, 2026 
