CDH Employee Promotes Cardiology on Capitol Hill

NORTHAMPTON — Arthur King had undiagnosed rheumatic fever as a child and required open-heart surgery 18 years ago at the age of 38. In his lifetime, he has had more than three dozen echocardiograms.

This personal experience led him, in mid-life, from a business career to a career he is passionate about.

“Cardiology became my hobby,” said King, who is now a registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer in Radiology at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. “So now I get paid to enjoy my hobby, and I can identify with my patients because I know what it’s like to have been where they are.”

King spent two years at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield before deciding to come on board at Cooley Dickinson.

He recently completed his first anniversary at the hospital and has been appointed to sit on the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Advocacy Council, the lobbying organization for ASE that works closely with the American College of Cardiology on issues such as reimbursement, policies, and credentialing.

Every year the ASE selects 20 people from around the country to attend “Hill Day,” during which the members go to Washington for three days in September — at ASE’s expense — to be trained on the issues and then to attend pre-scheduled appointments with the legislators from their appropriate states. King participated in the event this fall.

“Not only will I be able to represent our industry in advocating for issues like reimbursement and quality standards,” he said, “but I am also fortunate to be one of the few attendees representing a community hospital rather than a large teaching hospital. I hope that I can add a slightly different perspective on the issues at hand.”