SCAI Government Relations Committee Liaison for CPT and SCAI Structural Heart Disease Council, Dr. Andrew Goldsweig, invited Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) to visit the cath lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) last week. Dr. Goldsweig, in addition to his SCAI duties, is an associate professor of interventional cardiology and the associate lab director for structural heart disease at UNMC. Dr. Goldsweig and his team emphasized the state-of-the-art clinical care delivered at the lab and the top-quality training and research that the lab's technology enables the medical center to provide. 

"It's very impressive," Sen. Fischer said. "Nebraska is so fortunate to have a gem like this right here in the state." 

Dr. Goldsweig also spoke with Sen. Fischer about issues that may come before Congress soon, such as the importance of prior authorization reform. 

Dr. Goldsweig said he was proud to host the Senator and "showcase the incredible facility we have, that is not only great for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine but is great for the people of Nebraska." 

SCAI’s Government Relations Committee Chair Dr. Lyndon Box commented, “Having Sen. Fischer visit with Dr. Goldsweig and his colleagues and take a tour of the cath lab is a great example of how SCAI members can invite their Members of Congress to their workplace and highlight the public policy issues important to interventional cardiology.”  

SCAI Government Relations Co-Chair and Board member, Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa added, “Dr. Goldsweig is a great advocate for SCAI and the profession. The more policymakers know about SCAI and interventional cardiology, the better, especially when critical questions arise. We hope more SCAI members take the opportunity to invite their Senators and Members of Congress to work.” 

At the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) cardiac catheterization laboratory, from left, Nichole Niehus, lab manager); Daniel Anderson, MD, PhD, chair of the UNMC Division of Cardiovascular Medicine; Sen. Deb Fischer; Andrew Goldsweig, MD, SCAI Government Relations Committee liaison for CPT and the Structural Heart Disease Council); Lisa Drew, cath lab nurse specialist); Jaclyn Rivington, MD, UNMC cardiovascular medicine Fellow); and Katie Connell, cath lab technologist.

For more information on how to schedule a cath lab visit with your Senators and Members of Congress, contact SCAI Vice President, Government Relations, Curtis Rooney at crooney@scai.org or Rachel Weston, Senior Associate, Government Relations at rweston@scai.org.