Frequently Asked Questions

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ACC.21 Moving to All Virtual

As planning for the hybrid ACC.21 kicked into high gear last year, the College was hopeful that delaying the meeting until the Spring would allow an opportunity for ACC and its membership to safely reconnect in Atlanta, GA, for the 70th Annual Scientific Session & Expo. Unfortunately, with the continued presence of COVID-19 and a sudden, sharp increase in ongoing travel restrictions imposed by health care institutions, academic medical centers and exhibitor companies, the decision has had to be made to transition the meeting from a hybrid model to entirely virtual.

While we are saddened that we will need to wait another year before seeing everyone in person, the virtual component of ACC.21 will continue as planned, building on the success of last year's meeting with an enhanced world-class program delivered through our innovative digital platform built for learning, collaboration and networking. Included will be a robust virtual Expo offering both exhibits and education in our Learning Destinations and, last but not least, more opportunities to engage and interact with attendees from around the world. Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

ACC.21 Goes Virtual FAQs

Registration, Hotel & Transportation Questions

I bought the Gold Package will I receive a refund?

Yes, your package will automatically be transitioned to the Silver virtual package and you will receive a refund for the difference in registration fees. Please expect your refund to be issued to your original form of payment within 2 – 4 weeks. If you have any questions about the status of your refund, please contact ACC@maritz.com.

Do I need to cancel my hotel?

Attendees who booked with a hotel in the official ACC housing block will have their reservation automatically canceled by Maritz, ACC's official housing and registration company. Attendees who did not book with a hotel in the official ACC housing block must contact their hotel/lodging directly to cancel reservations and are responsible for any associated fees from hotels. Please note that ACC will be sending an official meeting cancellation correspondence to all contracted hotels.

How should I handle canceling flights and other modes of transportation I already secured?

Please contact your airline or transportation provider directly regarding ticket cancellations. If you purchased travel insurance, please contact your provider for information and next steps.

Will ACC refund me for any cancellation fees for my flight or other transportation?

The ACC will not refund cancellation fees. All attendees were urged to purchase personal travel insurance during the registration process.

General Questions

Why did the ACC wait so long to cancel the live portion of the meeting?

Since the decision was made last Fall to move forward with a hybrid model for ACC.21, the ACC has been closely and diligently tracking several critical indicators, including the progression of the COVID-19 virus, the limitations caused by travel restrictions being extended into the second quarter of the year and beyond, and the progress made in rolling out a vaccine. As an integral part of the planning for the live event, there has been close collaboration with the city of Atlanta, the Georgia World Congress Center and, most recently, BioIntelliSense, to create a live component of the hybrid meeting featuring the highest standards of safety.

We have long said we would make a decision about the live portion of the meeting in Atlanta based on the best data in the New Year, and unfortunately, with COVID-19 continuing to take a toll on patients worldwide and a sharp increase in travel restrictions for attendees over the last few weeks, College leaders have decided it is in the best interest of members, patients, staff, industry partners and other stakeholders to move from a hybrid model to an all virtual delivery of ACC.21. We look forward to an anticipated return to our live meeting during ACC.22 in Washington, DC.

Will there still be access to the hundreds of educational sessions, along with LBCTs and Featured Clinical Research, promised as part of the hybrid ACC.21?

Yes. The submission of science for ACC.21 is excellent and we will have many exciting clinical trials and an outstanding abstract program to deliver. Our educational program is also top-notch and promises to offer the same quality learning that we have all come to expect from the ACC. Specific program details will be rolled out as planned in the coming weeks.

Will ACC.21 virtual be the same as ACC.20 virtual?

No, it will be better! We are very excited to have the opportunity to build on the success of ACC.20/WCC Virtual and to apply our learnings from ACC's other virtual meetings to create a best-in-class virtual experience connecting attendees with the best CV science and education from around the world.

LBCTs were expected to be announced next month. Will that still happen?

Yes. We are excited to announce there will be a program of ACC.21 Late-Breaking Clinical Trials and Featured Clinical Research. Stay tuned for updates.

Will I still be able to take part in Convocation as a new FACC or AACC?

Yes! More details on Convocation will be coming in the next few weeks, however, look for an exciting program honoring ACC's incoming and outgoing presidents, recognizing Distinguished Award Winners, and welcoming new FACCs and AACCs to the College.

Will ACC.21 Virtual allow for any opportunities for networking and connecting?

Yes! The ACC is working to build an innovative digital platform to allow for learning, collaboration and networking. Attendees are encouraged to connect with each other via social media now using #ACC21. More details coming soon!

What will happen with my sponsorship/exhibit/booth for ACC.21 now that the meeting is entirely virtual?

Plans for a virtual Expo were already underway as part of the ACC.21 hybrid meeting. The Virtual meeting provides a unique ability to reach a wider audience through a Virtual Booth, Virtual Sponsorships or Virtual Learning Destinations. A representative from SPARGO will work with interested exhibitors to ensure a seamless transition.

When/where will ACC.22 take place?

ACC.22 is slated for Washington, DC, April 2 – 4, 2022.

Does this decision affect or reflect decisions planned for other in-person ACC meetings scheduled for 2021?

The ACC is currently planning for all meetings between now and August 2021 to be held virtually. Any decisions about Fall meetings, including Legislative Conference, Quality Summit, NYCVS.21 and ACC International Conferences will be communicated later this year.

Submit Your Science FAQs

Can I submit an abstract or case to ACC.21 if it has been presented previously?

For ACC.21, we have revised the guidelines for submitting an abstract/case that has been presented previously. Please refer to the following table to determine eligibility for submission of scientific abstracts and complex cases for presentation at ACC.21. These criteria protect the quality, originality, and integrity of the science and case discussions featured during ACC.21.

Eligible

Not Eligible

Abstracts/cases that have not previously been presented either live or virtually at another professional society meeting or published prior to ACC.21 are eligible for submission.

If an abstract/case has been presented (either live or virtually) only at an ACC state chapter meeting or ACC international meeting (ACC Asia, ACC Latin America, ACC Middle East), it is eligible for submission to ACC.21.

If an abstract/case has been presented (either live or virtually) only to a state medical society or country society meeting, or local institutional meeting, it is eligible for submission to ACC.21.

If an abstract/case is also planned for submission or presentation at a meeting taking place after ACC.21, it is eligible to be submitted to the ACC Annual Scientific Session.

Abstracts/cases may be submitted to journals for publication if the journals agree to hold publication until the ACC.21 embargo is lifted on the designated day at 8 am ET.

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if they have been presented either live or virtually at a national meeting held in the United States or any non-ACC international meeting held prior to ACC.21.*

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if they have been presented live or virtually at programs held by non-profit organizations (e.g., ACC live U.S. courses).

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if the abstract has been published prior to ACC.21.

If abstracts/cases are submitted to journals for publication and the journals do not agree to hold publication until the embargo is lifted and the abstract/case is published prior to that date, the abstract/case must be withdrawn from ACC.21.

* Examples of this type of meeting include, but are not limited to, scientific sessions by the American Heart Association (AHA), Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Requests for exceptions to these eligibility requirements must be made in writing and will be reviewed by the ACC.21 Chair and ACC.21 Vice Chair. These situations are expected to be rare given the comprehensive guidance as detailed above.

If you have any questions, please contact Holly Santry on ACC staff at (hsantry@acc.org).

Can I submit an abstract or case to ACC.21 if it has been published previously?

No, abstracts and cases are not eligible for consideration if it has been published prior to ACC.21.

If I submit my abstract to ACC.21, am I allowed to submit it to other conferences or journals?

Yes, if the abstract/case will be presented at another meeting taking place after ACC.21. If your abstract/case is accepted by another U.S. national or international conference taking place prior to ACC.21, or if it is published prior to ACC.21, you will need to withdraw it from the ACC.21 program no later than January 14, 2021.

If it is accepted for publication close to the ACC.21 dates, it is possible to coordinate the date of publication with the ACC Media Relations team and the respective journal so that the ACC.21 embargo policies are not violated.

Can I submit a case presentation to the general abstract category?

This would not be advisable. Since the general abstract category is meant for scientific research only, case presentations are more likely to receive lower grades from abstract reviewers and are therefore less likely to be accepted.

Who can submit to the general abstract category?

Anyone is eligible to submit to this category, including non-ACC members and medical students.

I am unsure of what category my abstract best fits into – Which category should I pick?

As the submitting author, you are the most well equipped for knowing which category your abstract should be submitted to. However, if you would like a second opinion, we recommend reaching out to your colleagues, as they will have more expertise on the subject than ACC staff.

Who can submit to the Complex Clinical Case category?

New for ACC.21, we are accepting complex clinical case submissions from the following three groups:

1) Fellow in Training (FIT): The first author and presenter must be a medical student or anyone in a fellowship or residency program.

2) Cardiovascular Team: The first author must be a non-physician CV team member, which could include nurses, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, CV practice administrators, technologists, registered dietitian nutritionists or exercise specialists/physiologists. The presenter must be a CVT member.

3) MD/PhD: The first author is a medical doctor or researcher. The presenter is a medical doctor or researcher.

Priority will be given to FIT and Cardiovascular Team submissions during the selection process.

If my abstract is accepted, when will I be notified?

All abstract presenters will receive a notification of their acceptance status on February 10, 2021.

Who will be notified if the abstract is accepted?

The only person who will be notified of whether or not your abstract is accepted is the presenting author for that submission.

If my abstract is accepted, will it be published?

Yes, it will be published online in the ACC.21 JACC Abstract Supplement prior to the ACC Annual Scientific Session.

What is the fee for abstract submission? Can this be waived?

The fee is $49 for all general submission categories, including Abstracts, Complex Clinical Cases, and Interventional Challenging Cases. This fee cannot be waived.

When is the abstract submission deadline?

In order to give you additional time to finalize your submissions, the deadline for abstract and case submissions is now Monday, December 7, 2020 at Noon ET.

Are there example abstract submissions I can see?

Yes. We provide examples for the following categories on our Annual Scientific Session site: Complex Clinical Cases (FIT and CVT cases). If you would like to see examples of abstract submissions, you can view them in the ACC.20/WCC Abstract Supplements of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Supplement 1 and Supplement 2.

How do I complete my disclosures?

Visit https://disclosures.acc.org and log in using your ACC username and password. If you do not have an ACC username, you can create one for free on that page.

Do all co-authors need to complete their disclosures?

No. Only the presenting author and lead investigator are required to complete their disclosures. If a person is both the presenting author and lead investigator, then only they need to complete their disclosures.

Does the Lead Investigator need to complete their disclosures in order for the submission to be complete?

No, they do not. The only person who must complete their disclosures in order for an abstract to be complete is the submitting author/presenting author. If the abstract is accepted, ACC will follow up with any lead investigators who have not disclosed.

Is there a maximum number of authors that can be on an abstract submission?

Yes, the maximum number of authors that can be on a single submission is 25.

Who should I list as the Lead Investigator for my abstract?

Generally, the Lead Investigator is the senior author of an abstract, but sometimes the presenting author will list themselves as the Lead Investigator as well.

Can I change who the presenting author is?

Yes, you can. To do this, log back into the submission site, click on the submission you want to make the change to, and go to the "Author" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. There, you will see the option to "Change who is Presenting" underneath the author names.

Can I change the order authors are listed?

Yes, you can change the order of all co-authors, except for the first author. To do this, log back into the submission site, click on the submission you want to make the change to, and go to the "Author" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. There, you will see the option to "Change the Order these Author(s) are listed" underneath the author names.

Why can't I change who the first author is?

The system automatically makes the submitting author the first author because they have completed their disclosures. If you would like to make someone other than the submitting author the first author, you will need to have them first complete their disclosures and then you will need to contact Annual Scientific Session staff to have them change the first author for you.

Why is there an "N/A" displayed next to my name as the first author on the "Author" tab? Why is my institution information missing?

The first author will always have "n/a" displayed to the right of their name. This is normal and does not display anywhere else other than on the "Author" tab. Do NOT enter your name more than once to enter in your institution information since institution information is entered in on a separate tab.

Is there a maximum character count for a submission?

Yes, the maximum character count per submission is 1,900 characters NOT including spaces. If you choose to add an image or table to your submission, it will count as 600 characters towards the total 1,900 characters that are allowed.

Do the section headers in the body of my submission count towards the total character count of my submission?

Yes, they do, and they cannot be removed. Please account for the section headers in your abstract's total character count.

Can I change the section headers in the body of the abstract on the submission site?

No, the headers in the body of the abstract cannot be edited. However, if you are submitting a case to one of our regular abstract categories and your sections do not align with the section headers, you can add your own header after them.

If I am using commonly known abbreviations like TAVR or STEMI, do I need to include them in my 5 unique abbreviations?

o No, you do not. Commonly known abbreviations do not need to be counted towards the 5 unique abbreviation limit and they do not need to be written out in their entirety upon first use.

Can I include a table in my abstract?

Yes, you may include a table in your abstract by uploading an image of it as GIF or JPG file. The easiest way to do this is by taking a screenshot. You can do this on a Windows computer by using the snipping tool, and you can do this on an Apple computer by hitting Command-Shift-4.

Do I need to get a signed patient consent form for my case submission?

No, you do not. We work under the assumption that you have already taken all necessary steps to protect your patient's identity and respect their privacy.

How do I know my abstract is complete?

All tabs on the left-hand side of the submission site will have checkmarks next to them and the "Review My Work" tab will have a message saying, "Your submission is complete and will be sent to review." You will also have the option to send yourself a confirmation email that your submission is complete at the top of the "Review My Work" page. This option will only appear if your submission is complete.

Am I able to save a copy of my abstract?

Yes. You can save a copy of your abstract by logging into the submission site, clicking on the submission that you want to save, and then going to the "Review My Work" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. On the top of that page, you will have the option to print your abstract for your records.

Can I make edits to my abstract after the submission deadline?

No, you cannot. Per ACC policies and procedures, no edits can be made to abstract submissions after the submission deadline. This includes adding author names or correcting errors in data. Please carefully review your submission prior to the submission deadline to ensure all co-authors are listed and all information is correct.

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