In its 19^th year, UF Health’s Heart2Heart Symposium stands as a beacon of education and collaboration in cardiovascular care.

The Heart2Heart Symposium, a Health and Wellness Summit at The Brownwood Resort and Spa in The Villages held Feb. 21-23, was deemed a success by organizers and attendees alike. 

The event, which drew healthcare professionals from across the region, was originally founded by Dr. Srinivas Attanti, MD, FACC, a consultative and interventional cardiologist with Citrus Cardiology Consultants P.A. who recognized the need for continued learning. 

Its enduring legacy underscores the importance of continuous learning in delivering optimal healthcare outcomes for communities. As healthcare professionals converge at the symposium, they not only enrich their knowledge but also reaffirm their commitment to serving the needs of patients with excellence and compassion.

Dr. Attanti’s goal by way of the symposium, is to provide vital insights for nurses, students and physicians attending the symposium on topics that encompass diagnosing, treating and preventing cardiovascular disease. He says the heart, brain and the rest of the circulation in one’s body are all part of that.

He says UF Health Central Florida provides a grant to help fund the symposium.

“UF Health Central Florida is proud to offer this educational opportunity as part of our ongoing investment and unwavering commitment to the high-quality cardiovascular care we bring to our community,” says Dr. Attanti.  

Heather Long, CEO of UF Health Central Florida, delivered the symposium’s opening remarks, expressing gratitude to attendees for their dedication to advancing cardiovascular care. Heather emphasized the significance of continuous education in delivering high-quality healthcare to communities.

Dr. Attanti shared insights into the symposium’s inception 19 years ago, adding that it’s usually held during women’s heart month in February each year. He says the main topics are the heart, patient management of heart attacks, strokes and how to prevent them.

“I moved here in 2004 from New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital and when I started doing the procedures and treatments here, I noticed we had some lack of education or gaps in education from the nursing staff,” he says, adding that his belief is that they were not up to the same level because cardiology commonly changes and advances rapidly. “In the last 30 years, there’s been a lot of new things that we have been doing for patients in a less invasive way.  And treatment options for these procedures have changed dramatically.”

“We need to make sure to keep our staff and nurses updated on those things.” 

Symposium Founder Dr. Srinivas Attanti, MD, FACC and UF Health Central Florida CEO Heather Long

Attendees, which included nurses as well as students from Polk State and Valencia College—schools incorporate the symposium as part of their curriculums—find immense value in the diverse range of topics covered over the two-day event. 

Nicole King, RN, Chest Pain Coordinator for UF Central Florida Division, commends the symposium’s relevance to daily practice. 

“It covers a wide range of topics, including medications, treatments, and upcoming options for patients,” she says, emphasizing the symposium’s role in elevating healthcare practices and fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals. “It also covers things that we might know but can get updates on and things that are up and coming, so I think it’s really important and exciting to be able to cover all of that in one setting.”

Lindsey Hathaway, a vendor with Astrazeneca (pharmaceutical company), joined several vendors from various companies, at the symposium to introduce and demonstrate some of the industry’s leading medicines and products.

Lindsey says the symposium is a great platform for doing that.

“It’s great to have these meds and products that work wonders, but if people don’t understand how they work or know where to find resources to help the community and patients afford them, it does no one any good,” Lindsey says. 

Furthermore, the symposium extends its reach beyond nursing staff to include primary care physicians by dedicating a third day for their continued medical education. 

Dr. Attanti emphasized the symposium’s commitment to community welfare, making attendance free this year to ensure accessibility post-pandemic.

“We wanted to make sure everyone who wanted to attend, could,” he says, adding that he is looking forward to next year’s program, as it will mark the symposium’s 20-year anniversary.

For more information about the symposium and more, visit https://centralflorida.ufhealth.org/resources/cardiovascular-symposium/.