Participating in a national council, such as the German Interoperability Council for Digital Medicine, allows healthcare professionals to contribute to national efforts in developing interoperability specifications for digitalised healthcare. General requirements include proven specialist knowledge with at least 5 years of professional experience in healthcare, information technology (IT) and standardisation in the healthcare sector. Applicants must also belong to a legal entity listed in the Health IT Interoperability Governance Regulation.1 The participation of individual experts is independent of the group (eg, medical society) they represent. In 2022, the working group ‘Analysis of the status quo of the heart failure patient journey’ aimed to improve the care of patients with heart failure by reviewing all interoperability specifications and developing approaches for improvement and optimisation. The working group provided concrete recommendations for implementing a digital patient journey in heart failure. Sound knowledge of cardiology, particularly heart failure, project experience in telehealth and advanced knowledge of integrated care, national guidelines, cardiology terminology, classifications, data models and hospital documentation systems were mandatory requirements for participation.

South African Medical Research Council

Assuming leadership roles in medical research councils, such as the South African Medical Research Council, can be a logical next step for some cardiologists due to their understanding of robust research and critical questions related to cardiovascular health. Research councils play a vital role as custodians of the research agenda. They ensure equitable and accountable research practices, promote research capacity development, facilitate knowledge translation and dissemination, and foster innovation and technologies that advance health. Cardiologists with postgraduate research training, business and managerial qualifications and strong effective communication skills are well suited for leading research institutions or councils. In addition, innovation, teamwork, compassion and authenticity are not only core principles for heart teams but also for leading diverse teams within research councils.

In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is an additional imperative to address local and regional health priorities. Collaboration with funding agencies from high-income countries can help transform the research landscape and strengthen local capacity through technology transfer and support for self-initiated and independent research programmes. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to showcase research from LMICs that often receives less attention than it deserves, placing LMICs at the heart of global health research.

Regulatory bodies and health technology assessment

Governmental or quasi-governmental bodies often seek long-term advice from clinicians, such as having them serve as non-executive directors on the boards of organisations like the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the Human Tissue Authority, or the Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency in England. To be competitive for such positions, clinicians must not only be well respected for their clinical or academic expertise but also be capable of understanding complex situations and providing high-quality non-partisan advice. It is essential to have evidence of involvement in governance of other organisations and the ability to acknowledge and respect different viewpoints. Any potential conflicts of interest must be declared and managed appropriately. Taking up an advisory position with a governmental or regulatory organisation may require ceasing other activities, such as advisory roles in medical industry or study leadership roles in industry-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally, involvement at this level necessitates careful consideration of public statements, as your voice may be interpreted as the official position of the organisation you assist. Such roles exist in most geographies.

Summarising the above

Overall, governmental, research and regulatory sectors provide cardiologists with a platform to extend their impact beyond clinical practice. It allows them to influence policies, shape research agendas and contribute to improving healthcare systems on a broader scale. 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2023-322809