11
March
2013
|
02:00 AM
America/Los_Angeles

John Gordon Harold, MD, Inaugurated as President of the American College of Cardiology

Los Angeles - March 11, 2013John Gordon Harold, MD, MACC, MACP, FESC, FCCP, FAHA, a past chief of staff of Cedars-Sinai and a clinical professor in the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, was sworn in today as president of the American College of Cardiology.

Harold’s year-long term as the top officer of the 43,000-member group began as the college’s 62nd Annual Scientific Session got underway in San Francisco.

“The American College of Cardiology is fortunate to have such a gifted and thoughtful physician at the helm during this era of historic changes in healthcare and healthcare technology,” said Thomas M. Priselac, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai.“Dr. Harold is able to translate complex policy initiatives into changes that benefit patient care.”

“Dr. Harold’s excellence in patient care and his extensive track record of global advocacy on behalf of heart health make him uniquely qualified to lead the American College of Cardiology,” said Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and the Mark S. Siegel Family professor. “He is truly the cardiologists’ cardiologist, a wonderful human being and an inspiration to his colleagues.”

Harold has a lengthy record of leadership positions. At Cedars-Sinai, he has served as a member of the board of directors, chief of staff of the medical staff and clinical chief of cardiology at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

Harold also has served on the board of directors for the Los Angeles affiliate of the American Heart Association, where he is the immediate past president and from whom he received the AHA Passion of the Heart Award in 2007. He has been honored with the master designation from both the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Physicians.

Harold’s priority during his presidency of the college is to focus on technological innovations that can further continuing medical education and improve patient care.

“I am honored to be able to lead the ACC as we begin to navigate the digital landscape in the coming year,” Harold said. “Through this new digital strategy, the college will be able to improve member experience and engagement, enhance the doctor-patient relationship and improve quality. I will promote ACC’s mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health and as a global knowledge organization that will continue to innovate and engage with its members in a mutually beneficial way.”

The American College of Cardiology is a 43,000 nonprofit medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers. It bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet its stringent qualifications. The college is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The group provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care.

Harold has been active with the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association for more than 25 years and has chaired numerous fundraising events. He also has held national and state chapter offices, including chair of the college’s Board of Governors, Executive Committee member and governor for Southern California. In his new role, Harold will work closely with the college’s staff on national and state issues that affect the practice of cardiology.

A first-generation American son of Irish immigrants, Harold was born in California but grew up in New York City. He attended Stuyvesant High School and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree at City College of New York, where he was a member of the first graduating class of the Sophie Davis Center for Biomedical Education. Harold received his medical degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, which named him Alumnus of the Year in 2007.

After completing a three-year residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Harold came to Cedars-Sinai in 1982 to complete a fellowship in cardiology under the direction of his mentor, Jeremy Swan, MD, one of the inventors of the Swan-Ganz catheter.

The Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute is internationally recognized for outstanding heart care built on decades of innovation and leading-edge research. From cardiac rehabilitative and preventive care and heart transplantation to the training of the heart specialists of tomorrow and leading-edge research that is deepening medical knowledge and practice, the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.