The Society of Critical Care Cardiology-Rationale, blueprint, and lessons learned in the creation of a new multidisciplinary professional organization.

IMPORTANCE

Since the cardiac intensive care unit was first introduced into the medical landscape, patient complexity, comorbidity, and illness severity have increased substantially over time. This evolution has required and informed the cultivation of new tools and an expanding skill set for those who deliver care in these units, and has paved the way for the emergence and growth of a distinct discipline-Critical Care Cardiology. With the genesis of this field and the need to care for comorbid and critically ill patients, numerous questions have been posed, including those related to optimal staffing models, appropriate training pathways, and the development of best practice principles to guide patient management. To address these and other challenges, to foster necessary collaborations, and to galvanize a maturing field, the Society of Critical Care Cardiology (SoCCC) was born.

OBSERVATIONS: SoCCC was created to provide an independent, yet complementary home for stakeholders within this rapidly growing discipline. Its mission is to address the unique needs and concerns of Critical Care Cardiology through an inclusive approach that prioritizes the development of early career faculty, actively engaging them to help to shape the field and to strengthen its unique practice environment-the cardiac intensive care unit. While collaborations with larger professional societies remain essential, an independent subspecialty society like SoCCC intends to capitalize on the historical precedent and experiences shared by other successful organizations, while leveraging its nimble structure to advocate for and advance the needs of its constituency.

CONCLUSIONS/RELEVANCE: While this document primarily details the history and rationale that led to the establishment of SoCCC, it also endeavors to be a practical blueprint to support future leaders who might be considering a new society for their own subspecialty.