UKHC Cardiologist Named President of the KYACC
Dr. Gretchen Wells, director of UK HealthCare Women’s Heart Program at the Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, will assume office as president of the Kentucky Chapter of the American College of Cardiology (KYACC), and will serve on the Board of Governors for ACC.
In this role, Wells will lead KYACC initiatives to improve access to cardiovascular care across the Commonwealth.
“Dr. Wells is uniquely well-suited to lead KYACC during this unprecedented time,” said Stephanie Czuhajewski, who serves as the KYACC executive director. “Her clinical and leadership experience will be invaluable to KYACC efforts to optimize interdisciplinary care along the continuum, as consumers and clinicians navigate new paradigms in health care stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Over her three-year term, Wells hopes to expand opportunities for participation across the cardiovascular care team and to advance health equity measures that address disparities in care that disproportionately affect rural communities and people of color in Kentucky.
“I am looking forward to serving as president of the KYACC,” Wells said. “We have an exceptionally strong chapter recognized nationally for its contributions to cardiovascular medicine. We will continue to address not only the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular disease and health care delivery but also the growing disparities in cardiovascular care and outcomes.”
Through her work at UKHC and the Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, Wells helps Kentucky women enjoy longer, fuller lives with healthy hearts. While there are many issues to tackle and more research needed to help women thrive, Wells is particularly interested in finding new ways of detection and treatment to address the differences in heart disease in men versus women.
She also focuses on treating women who are breast cancer survivors and develop heart problems from chemotherapy, and young women with pregnancy complications, like preeclampsia, who are at higher risk for heart disease later in life.
Wells has served as both Lexington councilor and treasurer for KYACC, prior to her election as chapter president. She is the 2020 recipient of the American Heart Association Women in Cardiology mentoring award.
About KYACC
The Kentucky Chapter of the American College of Cardiology is dedicated to contributing to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and ensuring optimal quality of care for individuals with such diseases. The KYACC works with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and serves as a source of advice to local and state government and professional organizations concerning issues related to cardiovascular disease.
