19th Annual Advocate Heart Institute - Prevention to Cure Symposium 2026

Oka Lawn, IL US
April 15, 2026

The 19th Annual Prevention to Cure Symposium brings together leading experts to share the latest advances in heart disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Throughout the day, attendees will learn about emerging technologies such as AI in ECG interpretation, updated guidelines in lipid management and antiplatelet therapy, advances in structural heart and vascular procedures, and important topics ranging from cardiogenic shock to sudden cardiac death in young patients. Designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals, the symposium offers a full day of evidence‑based education, interdisciplinary perspectives, and practical insights to support high‑quality cardiovascular care.

 

This conference is being held in person/virtually.

NOTE: Please note this activity will be presented 9:00am – 4:15pm CST / 10:00am - 5:15pm EST

Target Audience

This activity is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other healthcare professionals.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, learners should be able to:

  • Implement evidence-based therapeutic strategies for managing atrial fibrillation
  • Develop consultation skills for recommending minimally invasive valvular procedures based on patient-specific needs
  • Critically evaluate and perform assessments for detecting infiltrative heart disease
  • Select appropriate non-invasive screening methods for ischemic heart disease based on individual risk factors
  • Apply updated lipid therapy guidelines to achieve new target lipid levels in patient care
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 6.00 American Board of Surgery
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery's Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
    • 6.00 ABS Self-Assessment
  • 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 6.00 Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
    Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Advocate Aurora Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers receiving this course receive 6.00 of ethics, clinical, cultural competence, and/or general continuing education credits.
  • 6.00 Attendance
    Attendance Credit
    • 6.00 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.00 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)
    Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 6.00 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
  • 6.00 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE)
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.00 ABIM MOC Part II
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 6.00 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
Course opens: 
03/04/2026
Course expires: 
12/31/2026
Event starts: 
04/15/2026 - 9:00am CDT
Event ends: 
04/15/2026 - 4:15pm CDT
Cost:
$0.00
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AGENDA
 

Time

Program (Topic and Speakers)

 

8:55am – 9:00am

Welcome & Introduction

Pat Pappas, MD – Medical Director, Advocate Heart Institute, Christ Medical Center

Adarsh Bhan, MD – Chief, Section of Cardiology and Symposium Program Director, Christ Medical Center

 

9:00am – 10:00am

AI and how it’s been incorporated into ECG reading

KEYNOTE: Oguz Akbilgic, DBA, PhD, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine

10:00am – 10:25am

Left atrial appendage occlusion in contemporary practice. Patient selection and clinical Impact.

Bahij Kriedieh, MD – Electrophysiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

10:25am – 10:40am

BREAK

10:40am – 11:05am

Abbreviated DAPT versus Standard therapy in high-risk bleeding patients

Chadi Nouneh, MD – Interventional Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

11:05am – 11:30am

Updates in Lipid Management

Amir Naqvi, MD – General Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

11:30am – 11:55am

Advances in transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve therapies

Abdul Kafi, MD – Structural Heart Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

11:55am – 12:40pm

LUNCH

12:40pm – 1:05pm

The coronary CTA Era: Noninvasive High Impact

Shermeen Memon, MD – Director Cardiac MRI and CT, Advocate Christ Medical Center

1:05pm – 1:30pm

Cardiogenic shock, management and data from the danger HF study

Surendra Avula, MD – Interventional Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

1:30pm – 1:55pm

Genetic testing for cardiovascular disease

Katie Cobian, Genetic Counseling – Advocate Christ Medical Center

1:55pm – 2:20pm

Sudden death in the young

Frank Zimmerman, MD – Pediatric Electrophysiology, Advocate Children’s Hospital

2:20pm – 2:35pm

BREAK

2:35pm – 3:00pm

Cardiac Amyloidosis: Update

Mark Dela Cruz, MD – Advanced Heart Failure Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

3:00pm – 3:25pm

Advancement in Thoracoabdominal Aortic Repair

Matt George, MD – Vascular Surgeon, Advocate Christ Medical Center

3:25pm – 3:50pm

Leadless Cardiac Pacing. Where do we stand today?

Jeffery Neiger, MD – Electrophysiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center

3:50pm – 4:15pm

Bioprosthetic vs. Mechanical valves in younger patients

Antone Tatooles, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Advocate Christ Medical Center

 

Advocate Christ Medical Center
4440 W 95th St.
Stein Auditorium
Oka Lawn, IL 60453
United States

Faculty
 

  • Adarsh Bhan, MD; Chief, Section of Cardiology and Symposium Program Director, Christ Medical Center
  • Gina Roache, RN, BSN, MA; Vice President, National Heart and Vascular Service Line, Illinois Division
  • Heather Isome. LSW; Social Worker; Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • George Gavrilos, PharmD; Clinical Pharmacist Specialist; Christ Medical Center
  • Pat Pappas, MD; Medical Director, Advocate Heart Institute, Christ Medical Center
  • Oguz Akbilgic, DBA, PhD; Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
  • Bahij Kriedieh, MD; Electrophysiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Chadi Nouneh, MD; Interventional Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Amir Naqvi, MD; General Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Abdul Kafi, MD; Structural Heart Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Shermeen Memon, MD; Director Cardiac MRI and CT, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Surendra Avula, MD; Interventional Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Katie Cobian; Genetic Counselor; Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Frank Zimmerman, MD; Pediatric Electrophysiology, Advocate Children’s Hospital
  • Mark Dela  Cruz, MD; Advanced Heart Failure Cardiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Matt George, MD; Vascular Surgeon, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Jeffery Neiger, MD; Electrophysiology, Advocate Christ Medical Center
  • Antone Tatooles, MD; Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Advocate Christ Medical Center

 

Disclosure

Faculty disclosures are being reviewed and will be presented to the audience in advance of the program.

 

Accreditation Statement
 

In support of improving patient care, Advocate Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Credit Statement(s)
 

American Medical Association (AMA) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.00 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) 
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum 6.00 hours of CPE credit for pharmacists. CPE credit can be claimed on the AAH CE platform within 60 days of activity completion and information will be provided to CPE Monitor. Participants should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 
Pharmacy UAN: JA0006327-0000-26-065-L01-P
 

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Advocate Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 6.00 general continuing education credits.

Board Recognition Statement(s)
 

American Board if Internal Medicine (ABIM) 
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 6.00 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

American Board of Surgery (ABS)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

Available Credit

  • 6.00 American Board of Surgery
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery's Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
    • 6.00 ABS Self-Assessment
  • 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 6.00 Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
    Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Advocate Aurora Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers receiving this course receive 6.00 of ethics, clinical, cultural competence, and/or general continuing education credits.
  • 6.00 Attendance
    Attendance Credit
    • 6.00 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.00 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)
    Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 6.00 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
  • 6.00 Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE)
    Aurora Health Care Department of Pharmacy Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.00 ABIM MOC Part II
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 6.00 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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How to Register
 

Click “Take Course” to register and/or claim credit for this program.  

For those attending this conference virtually, a link to the meeting will be provided prior to the event.

For Further Information
 

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