Federal Association of Resident Cardiologists

The Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen e. V. (BNK) — the Federal Association of Resident Cardiologists — is a German professional association of internists holding the subspecialty designation of cardiology and working in their own practices. It is the largest cardiologists' association at the contract-physician (vertragsärztlich) level in Germany, with more than 1,200 members representing over 90 percent of cardiology practices. Its seat is in Munich. The association traces its origins to 1979, when roughly 100 resident internists with a cardiology subspecialty founded the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Niedergelassener Kardiologen (ANK). It was converted into a registered association (e.V.) in 1993 and renamed Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen on 25 September 1995. Its membership grew to around 1,100 by 2008 and to over 1,200 today. The BNK's core purposes are professional-political representation and continuing education. It advocates the interests of its members before politicians and other professional organizations at both federal and regional level, and it runs a broad program of continuing medical education, branded since 2014 under the title "Wissen für Morgen" (Knowledge for Tomorrow). Its working groups (AGs) provide high-quality training for members, and it organizes regional workshops as well as national conferences and congresses, including the autumn meetings (Herbsttagungen) and the twice-yearly members' assemblies. The association's journal is HERZ, which became its official organ in 1995. The BNK is closely networked with other umbrella organizations, notably the German Society of Cardiology (DGK) and the Professional Association of German Internists (BDI). Its first chairman is a co-opted member of the DGK and German Heart Foundation presidiums and of the editorial boards of Cardio News and HERZ. The association also maintains a cardiologist search service for patients and referring physicians, and it operates special information pages for members on topics such as the GKV contribution-rate stabilization law and the new GOÄ fee schedule. As a registered voluntary association, the BNK is not a listed company and has no commercial parent. It functions as a non-profit professional body funded through membership and association activity, and it remains active in German health policy debates affecting office-based cardiology.

The Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen (BNK) began in 1979 as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Niedergelassener Kardiologen (ANK), founded by a group of about 100 resident internists holding the subspecialty designation of cardiology. For its first years the ANK functioned as a working group within the emerging field of office-based cardiology in Germany. In 1993 the organization was converted into a registered association (eingetragener Verein), and on 3 August 1993 it was entered in the register of associations at the Amtsgericht München. In 1994 the scientific society DGK amended its statutes to include resident cardiologists in the Commission for Clinical Cardiology, the program commission and the nomination commission — a sign of the growing integration of office-based cardiologists into the wider cardiology community. On 25 September 1995 the ANK was renamed Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen, the name it still bears. In the same year the journal HERZ became the association's official organ. In 1997 the association restructured, establishing an office (Geschäftsstelle) on 1 June 1997 and integrating all 23 KV areas more strongly into board work through regional representatives. In 1998 the BNK launched the "Praktische Kardiologie-Journal by Fax," a weekly information service for referring colleagues, and co-founded the IKKF (Institut für klinisch kardiologische Forschung) together with the DGK and ALKK. The same year saw the first structured cooperation with cardiologists from Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, which later became the "Council Cardiology Practice" in Denia, Spain. In 1999 the first position paper of resident cardiologists in the BNK on the health system and the 2000 health reform was published, and the association adopted a logo and a website. In 2000 a central working group "Integrated Care" was established to draft a position paper; in 2001 it was renamed the "Strategy Commission" and the position paper on integrated care was completed. The first nationwide "Cholesterol Weeks" gave the association public visibility. In 2003 the BNK commissioned an expert report from Professors Oberender, Graf von der Schulenburg and Wasem on the role of outpatient and contract-physician cardiology in Germany. Membership grew from the founding group to around 1,100 by 2008 and to more than 1,200 today, representing over 90 percent of cardiology practices. Since 2014 the association's continuing education offerings have been branded "Wissen für Morgen." The BNK remains active in professional politics, continuing education and quality assurance, including the QuIK register for invasive cardiology, and maintains close ties with the DGK and the BDI.

• 2014

  Continuing education offerings branded under the title "Wissen für Morgen."

• 2008

  Membership had grown to around 1,100.

• 2003

  Commissioned expert report from Professors Oberender, Graf von der Schulenburg and Wasem on the role of outpatient and contract-physician cardiology in Germany.

• 2001

  Working group renamed "Strategy Commission"; position paper on integrated care completed; first nationwide "Cholesterol Weeks" held.

• 2000

  Established central working group "Integrated Care" to draft a position paper.

• 1999

  Published first position paper on the health system and the 2000 health reform; adopted a logo and website.

• 1998

  Launched "Praktische Kardiologie-Journal by Fax"; co-founded IKKF with DGK and ALKK; first structured cooperation with cardiologists from Belgium, France, Italy and Spain.

• 1997

  Restructuring with establishment of an office (Geschäftsstelle) on 1 June 1997; all 23 KV areas integrated via regional representatives.

• 1995

  Renamed Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen on 25 September 1995; HERZ journal became the association organ.

• 1994

  DGK statutes amended to include resident cardiologists in the Commission for Clinical Cardiology, program commission and nomination commission.

• 1993

  Converted into a registered association (e.V.); entered in the register of associations at the Amtsgericht München on 3 August 1993.

• 1979

  Founded as Arbeitsgemeinschaft Niedergelassener Kardiologen (ANK) by about 100 resident internists with a cardiology subspecialty.

The largest professional association of office-based cardiologists in Germany, representing more than 90 percent of cardiology practices and acting as the voice of resident cardiologists in health policy.

• HERZ journal

  The association's official organ, which became the BNK's journal in 1995.

• "Wissen für Morgen" continuing education

  Regular continuing education offerings under this title since 2014, covering cardiac disease patterns, new examination and treatment methods, and extracardiac questions.

• QuIK register

  Quality assurance in invasive cardiology.

• Cardiologist search

  A service to find cardiologists, available on the BNK website.

• Cholesterol Weeks
• GKV contribution-rate stabilization law special page
• GOÄneu special page

1. 1Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologen e. V. - BNK e.V.bnk.de
2. 2Über uns - BNK e.V.bnk.de
3. 3Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologenwikidata.org
4. 4Bundesverband Niedergelassener Kardiologende.wikipedia.org