Dr. Norma Keller Elected Leader of Two Cardiology Organizations in New York
Her Priorities Include Improving Access to Defibrillators in the Community
Mar 15, 2018
Norma Keller, MD, FACC, Chief of Cardiology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, has been elected President of the New York Cardiological Society, the oldest cardiologists’ organization in the nation, and Governor of the American College of Cardiology’s New York State chapter. Elected for a three-year term, Dr. Keller will serve her presidential role for the first 18 months, followed by her chapter gubernatorial role for the next 18 months.
Prior to her election, Dr. Keller served two terms as a member of the Council of the New York State chapter of the American Cardiology, through which she was a leader in the initiative to improve access to automatic external defibrillators. The initiative was recently awarded an innovation grant from the national American College of Cardiology.
A defibrillator is an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore a patient’s heartbeat and rhythm.
“I am thrilled that we have received an innovation grant for an initiative to improve access to automatic external defibrillators in our communities,” Dr. Keller said. “We will work with various EMS agencies to utilize data regarding locations of automatic external defibrillators so they can be used during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest when a 911 call is activated. I am hopeful that this will translate into earlier and more frequent use of automatic external defibrillators and improve patient outcomes.”
Dr. Keller was inducted into office on Monday night at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th Annual Scientific Session and Expo in Orlando, Florida. The New York State chapter functions, in consultation with the leadership of the American College of Cardiology, as an advisor to local and state governmental and professional organizations regarding issues related to cardiovascular disease.
“In these roles, I hope to support, advance, and create initiatives that will help reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease, transform cardiovascular care, update clinicians regarding new scientific data and best practices, and educate the public about cardiovascular wellness,” Dr. Keller said.
“We are proud of Dr. Keller and congratulate her on her election to lead these prestigious organizations,” said William Hicks, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “Dr. Keller is an outstanding and innovative physician who heads a cardiology service at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue that is at the forefront of cardiac care, providing a full range of services and employing a true multidisciplinary team approach to result in excellent patient outcomes. The hospital recently was recognized for excellence in six categories of heart and stroke care by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.”
“I’m proud to represent NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in the New York chapter of the American College of Cardiology,” Dr. Keller said. “The purpose of the chapter is to contribute to the prevention of heart disease and to ensure that individuals with heart disease get the best quality of care. I will also act as a legislative liaison of the chapter to represent issues that will help alleviate the administrative burden on clinicians, and I will advocate for programs and solutions to advance our scientific knowledge and improve clinical outcomes in New York State.”
The New York Cardiological Society was founded in 1926 as the Sir James Mackenzie Cardiological Society, and changed its name two years later. In 1949, a group of physicians from the New York Cardiological Society formed the American College of Cardiology. The New York State chapter of the American College of Cardiology was founded in 1990. Today the New York Cardiological Society is the educational arm of the New York State chapter of the American College of Cardiology, and is responsible for the major educational initiatives of the organization.