The Heart Rhythm Society provides valuable services for every type of heart rhythm professional — learn more about the Heart Rhythm Society membership categories. Society membership provides a number of benefits including a subscription to HeartRhythm, the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, reduced rate for all Heart Rhythm Society programs, products and services, including our Annual Scientific Sessions, year-round Education Programs, CD-ROMs, and Coding Guide for Heart Rhythm Procedures and Services.
Additional membership benefits include our online newsletter, members-only website, listing in "Find a Heart Rhythm Specialist" on the website (physicians only), Washington Reports sent via e-mail broadcast, Healthcare Policy Analyst representing the Heart Rhythm Society's interests on legislation and practice issues, access to our Coding and Reimbursement Specialist, networking opportunities, access to Patient Education materials on our website, capacity to serve as a sponsor, voting privileges, and eligible to hold office (if North American citizen or permanent resident), eligible to serve on committees and task forces, and credential designation following name for Fellows category.
Publications
HeartRhythm, the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, is provided free to all members and provides rapid online and print publication of the most important basic and clinical scientific developments devoted to arrhythmias, devices, and cardiovascular electrophysiology. The top-ranked specialty journal in cardiology publishes scholarly reviews, editorials, unique case reports, letters to the editor, Heart Rhythm Society annual plenary lecture, and several feature sections. HeartRhythm boasts an impact factor of 3.777. More information is available at: www.hrsonline.org/journal. Other publications include The Coding Guide for Heart Rhythm Procedures and Services, created by the Heart Rhythm Society's expert Coding Subcommittee and Committee on Health Policy.
Education
The Education Department has expanded its activities to include:
- Annual Scientific Sessions include abstract presentations, feature symposia, educational sessions and technical exhibits
- Annual Board Review Course: comprehensive review of clinical cardiac electrophysiology with hands on sessions prior to each of American Board of Internal Medicine's added qualification examination in clinical cardiac electrophysiology.
- Fellowships: Full-year and traveling fellowship and Advanced Training institutional fellowships
- Educational Products and programs for physicians and allied professionals: Multi-media products, Audiotapes, CPT Coding Book, CD-Roms
- Web Education-English and Spanish
- Patient Education-Booklets available for distribution
- A library has been developed and is continually receiving contributions from members who publish or contribute material to a publication.
Educational programs are organized under the auspices of the Heart Rhythm Society's Continuing Medical Education Committee that assures that course content and faculty for each program sponsored or co-sponsored by the Heart Rhythm Society meet the Essentials and Guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. The Heart Rhythm Society designates programs as meeting the criteria for Category I CME credits and for contact hours for nurses, when appropriate. A Handbook is available for potential course directors. Annual Scientific Sessions
The Annual Scientific Sessions is held each Spring. Included in this program are the presentation of abstracts in oral and poster sessions, core curricula, debates, tutorials, meet the experts luncheons and programs geared to the Allied Professionals. Technical exhibits are also featured. The Young Investigator Awards competition is held at the Annual Sessions. A call for abstracts and papers is advertised annually to provide an opportunity for individuals in cardiac pacing and cardiac electrophysiology to share their clinical experience and research. Distinguished Scientist Awards and other special awards are also presented and new members are recognized.
Continuing Medical Education
The Heart Rhythm Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians, CME credits and nursing contact hours are designed for educational programs, when applicable.
Position Conferences
The Heart Rhythm Society keeps up-to-date with the clinical and regulatory problems of the pacemaker physician and electrophysiologist and facilitates interaction with industry, the federal regulatory agencies and other physicians and scientists.
Advocacy
The Heart Rhythm Society advocates on behalf of the membership for optimal health care policies and standards and provides leadership on key issues affecting heart rhythm specialists, scientists, allied health personnel, and patients with cardiac arrhythmias. The Heart Rhythm Society maintains a strong voice in Washington, DC through its government relations office. Through the Health Policy Committee, the Heart Rhythm Society responds to legislative and regulatory government initiatives and interacts with key policy makers in Washington, DC.
Fellowships
The Heart Rhythm Society awards full-year training fellowships for study and research in cardiac pacing and cardiac electrophysiology on a competitive basis to individuals who are citizens or permanent residents of a country in North America. Full-year applicants must include cardiac pacing or cardiac electrophysiology as a central part of their long-term goals.
Committees
The Heart Rhythm Society's committees provide an opportunity for involvement from all categories of membership. These committees include: Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Health Policy, Finance, Governance, Marketing/Communications, Scientific Sessions, Education and Training and Fellowship. Several councils include the Presidents Council and the International Advisory Council.
Young Investigator Awards
The Heart Rhythm Society annually invites submission of manuscripts for competitive review and presentation of finalists' papers at its Annual Scientific Sessions. Cash awards are made to all finalists. The intent of these awards is to encourage and give recognition to able young investigators for original clinical investigation or basic research in the areas of cardiac pacing and/or cardiac electrophysiology. Any physician or scientist who is presently involved in an active fellowship or residency program or who has been so involved within the past three years, is eligible to participate. Members of the Heart Rhythm Society receive packets of information and abstract forms to distribute to interested candidates.
International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE)
The International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE), formerly NASPExAM®, is a standard of excellence for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and its exam is recognized as the highest benchmark of professional competency in cardiac pacing, defibrillation and electrophysiology. An affiliate, independent body of the Heart Rhythm Society, IBHRE is enriched by cardiac arrhythmia health care professionals who strive for excellence and optimal health care by passing this distinguished exam. Participation in the exam is consistent with the Heart Rhythm Society’s overall purpose to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education and optimal health care policies and standards. Working together to standardize the profession, IBHRE and HRS provide the most current testing and professional development tools with advances in heart rhythm management to enhance knowledge and delivery of health care to patients.
The Membership Certificate A membership certificate is prepared for each member upon acceptance.
