HVAP , Certification program for Heart Valve Disease Management by Physicians

The Association of Physicians of India (API) has initiated a new educational program to meet the needs of out patients. API realises that there is a huge burden of heart valve disease in out country served only be about 4000 cardiologists but the need is 88,000. Majority of patients have been cared for by their family physicians who are then referred on to cardiologists for heart valve specialists and expose them to the risk of contracting covid, especially the elderly and frail. In addition, some physicians may not be aware/upated of the current guidelines foe specialist treatment or indications for specialist care.

To facilitate safe an updated heart valve care by physicians for their patients, API has started a dedicated program namely Heart Valve Academy for Physicians (HVAP). To deliver this, API has partnered with The Heart Valve Center, India which constitutes a group of heart valve specialists to collaborate and materialise this educational certification program for physicians.

What is Heart Valve Academy of Physicians (HVAP) program ?

HVAP is an API conducted and endorsed educational program for physicians to allow them gain education and updates towards managing patients with heart valve disease within their practice until they need specialist referral to a heart valve specialist. This is an online educational/CME program constituting 6 modules each lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes over 8 weeks resulting in certification by API through issuing a formal certificate stating "Dr xxxxxxx" is a Certified Member of Heart Valve Academy of Physicians".

Why is the HVAP conducted ?

Many heart valve diseases need good surveillance and medical management before requiring specialist care. Although many heart valve disease patients have been managed successfully by physicians, this dedcated educational program is meant to formally update physicians towards safely managing heart valve disease patients with collaboration from specialists. This may help bridge the huge vacuum in the lack of qualified cardiologists in our country and may help minimise delays in patient care and visits to speciaist centres which may risk infection with Covid, especially the elderly.

What are the key aspects of the HVAP program ?

1. Physicians attending all six modules will get a formal certification allowing them to display it in their practices substantiating their update in treating heart valve diseases through an API endorsed program.
2. Through the HVAP program, physicians have access to a dedicated online platform where they can send their patient's clinical information including ECG, Echocardiogram and CT scans as electronic data onto a secure onlne portal. The Heart Valve Centre, India manned by deidcated heart valve specialists will report back within 24 hours with a formal opinion. The opining team (usually cardiac valve specialist / cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon) names and credentials and mCI number will be on the online report sent back to the physician. This will allow physicians to either continue managing the patient at their own centre with medical managment as suggested or referring them to their local specialist as appropriate.
3. Through the HVAP program, the physician is involved throughout the care of their patients through formal updates and collaboration from specialists, thereby rendering the best for their patients right at their door steps and avoiding referral to centres faraway for patients who may not need refferal.
4. The patient, in majority of cases managed by their family physician, is likely to be happy and confident to get a one-stop-solution whereever possible and appropriate.
5. Through the HVAP program, the physician is involved in patient's care during diagnosis, surveillance, decision making process for specialist care and post specialist care follow-up.
6. API beleives that the HVAP program will pave the way for healthy collaboration between spcialists and physicians thereby enhancing and maintaining a positive culture mont doctors which is always focused towards patient's well being, convenience and quality of care.