The American College of Cardiology (ACC) was chartered and incorporated as a teaching institution in 1949, and established its headquarters, called Heart House, in Bethesda, Maryland in 1977. The mission of the ACC is to advocate for quality cardiovascular care—through education, research promotion, development and application of standards and guidelines—and to influence health care policy.
The core values for the ACC are as follows:
Professionalism: The interests of patients are primary.
Knowledge: The College must promote growth, dissemination and application of knowledge about cardiovascular medicine.
Value of the cardiovascular specialist: The cardiovascular profession makes a distinct contribution to medical care that should be recognized and enhanced.
Integrity: Honesty, compliance with legal requirements, and ethical behavior are essential in all activities. Member driven: The College and its major activities must be led by active members and must promote volunteerism.
Inclusiveness: The College involves a broad range of volunteers that reflects the composition of its membership.
The ACC has developed four main goals which each have an annual target with corresponding objectives, initiatives and key measures. The current goals are as follows:
Maintain position as the recognized leader to emphasize, synthesize, summarize and disseminate cardiovascular science, knowledge and best practices.
Accelerate the application of cardiovascular science, knowledge, and measurement into practice.
Increase value to members through programs and services that most effectively meet their needs.
Improve overall financial and operational performance.