News from the SVS

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

Membership dues statements for 2018 were emailed to all members at the beginning of October. Members have until Dec. 31 to pay their dues, ensuring that they continue to receive all the benefits of SVS membership, including discounted registration fees for the Vascular Annual Meeting and the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference as well as educational opportunities; subscriptions to the Journal of Vascular Surgery publications; grant programs; practice resources and reporting standards. Members also get legislative access and advocacy –important as the health care field changes dramatically; branding and public relations to raise public awareness of the specialty; and more.

Visit vascular.org/invoices or call the Membership Department, 312-334-2313, to pay dues.  

Membership dues statements for 2018 were emailed to all members at the beginning of October. Members have until Dec. 31 to pay their dues, ensuring that they continue to receive all the benefits of SVS membership, including discounted registration fees for the Vascular Annual Meeting and the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference as well as educational opportunities; subscriptions to the Journal of Vascular Surgery publications; grant programs; practice resources and reporting standards. Members also get legislative access and advocacy –important as the health care field changes dramatically; branding and public relations to raise public awareness of the specialty; and more.

Visit vascular.org/invoices or call the Membership Department, 312-334-2313, to pay dues.  

Membership dues statements for 2018 were emailed to all members at the beginning of October. Members have until Dec. 31 to pay their dues, ensuring that they continue to receive all the benefits of SVS membership, including discounted registration fees for the Vascular Annual Meeting and the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference as well as educational opportunities; subscriptions to the Journal of Vascular Surgery publications; grant programs; practice resources and reporting standards. Members also get legislative access and advocacy –important as the health care field changes dramatically; branding and public relations to raise public awareness of the specialty; and more.

Visit vascular.org/invoices or call the Membership Department, 312-334-2313, to pay dues.  

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for an optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for an optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for an optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

The SVS Foundation highlights innovation and the connection between research bench and patient bedside in its just-published 2017 Annual Report, now available online.

Read about the Foundation’s expanded mission, emphasizing disease prevent and patient education along with the core commitment to fund basic and clinical research. Read why Michael C. Dalsing, MD, gives and how Ulka Sachdev, MD, has utilized her Foundation awards to try to unlock the suffering caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Read about this year’s grant recipients, Foundation financial details, lists of donors to not only the Foundation but also the new Alexander Clowes Lecture Fund, award opportunities and how every gift helps. Read, and donate today.

Don’t forget how valuable the Vascular Educational and Self-Assessment Program can be in keeping with all things vascular-related.

The fourth edition – which will soon include a mobile app (Apple products only) for off-line – launched just two months ago. Besides the app, VESAP4 also offers syncing between the companion app and desktop version; expanded bookmarking and annotation, easier navigation and simplified tracking of CME/MOC certificates.

Costs is $450 for candidates, $550 for members and $650 for non-members. A total of 75 CME (7.5 for each of the 10 sections) will be available. For information, email [email protected] or call 800-258-7188. 

Don’t forget how valuable the Vascular Educational and Self-Assessment Program can be in keeping with all things vascular-related.

The fourth edition – which will soon include a mobile app (Apple products only) for off-line – launched just two months ago. Besides the app, VESAP4 also offers syncing between the companion app and desktop version; expanded bookmarking and annotation, easier navigation and simplified tracking of CME/MOC certificates.

Costs is $450 for candidates, $550 for members and $650 for non-members. A total of 75 CME (7.5 for each of the 10 sections) will be available. For information, email [email protected] or call 800-258-7188. 

Don’t forget how valuable the Vascular Educational and Self-Assessment Program can be in keeping with all things vascular-related.

The fourth edition – which will soon include a mobile app (Apple products only) for off-line – launched just two months ago. Besides the app, VESAP4 also offers syncing between the companion app and desktop version; expanded bookmarking and annotation, easier navigation and simplified tracking of CME/MOC certificates.

Costs is $450 for candidates, $550 for members and $650 for non-members. A total of 75 CME (7.5 for each of the 10 sections) will be available. For information, email [email protected] or call 800-258-7188. 

Despite affecting 25 million Americans, including two to six million with ulcer conditions, chronic venous insufficiency is relatively understudied compared to other vascular diseases. Yet for patients with venous leg ulcers, their condition is debilitating, painful and embarrassing.

Dr. Ulka Sachdev is studying the condition, hoping her “bench-side research” will develop “bedside” solutions. She received a five-year, National Institutes of Health K08 and SVS Foundation grants in 2012 and an SVS Foundation Clinical Research Seed Grant in 2017. “Their ulcers are very difficult to manage,” she said. “They are large, open, painful and wet. Patients’ daily routines are negatively affected by their wounds. It’s really sad.”

Since she regularly treats CVI patients, Dr. Sachdev wondered why some patients have benign venous insufficiency that ulcerates and why some ulcers recur. “If we could determine at an earlier stage how to mitigate the risk of new ulceration or recurrence, I think it would be worth it,” she said.

In her previous, K08-supported research she hypothesized that wound healing during ischemia is promoted by inflammatory proteins released by damaged tissue. She found that certain proteins known as danger signals can be released by damaged tissue and promote regenerative effects. 

“My hypothesis is that specific danger signals can be manipulated, ideally with an oral drug,” Dr. Sachdev said. “If it works, this could be a mechanism that allows a dying muscle cell to say, ‘Hey, I need help.’  This might mean that someone who cannot get a bypass or a stent might not have to face amputation.’”

Her recent grant is for studying study patterns of inflammation in chronic venous insufficiency. 

The goal of her studies is to determine whether patients with benign varicose veins and those with ulcerations express inflammatory mediators that predict their response to treatment. Later, perhaps, effective treatments will be found that change these patients’ lives.  

Despite affecting 25 million Americans, including two to six million with ulcer conditions, chronic venous insufficiency is relatively understudied compared to other vascular diseases. Yet for patients with venous leg ulcers, their condition is debilitating, painful and embarrassing.

Dr. Ulka Sachdev is studying the condition, hoping her “bench-side research” will develop “bedside” solutions. She received a five-year, National Institutes of Health K08 and SVS Foundation grants in 2012 and an SVS Foundation Clinical Research Seed Grant in 2017. “Their ulcers are very difficult to manage,” she said. “They are large, open, painful and wet. Patients’ daily routines are negatively affected by their wounds. It’s really sad.”

Since she regularly treats CVI patients, Dr. Sachdev wondered why some patients have benign venous insufficiency that ulcerates and why some ulcers recur. “If we could determine at an earlier stage how to mitigate the risk of new ulceration or recurrence, I think it would be worth it,” she said.

In her previous, K08-supported research she hypothesized that wound healing during ischemia is promoted by inflammatory proteins released by damaged tissue. She found that certain proteins known as danger signals can be released by damaged tissue and promote regenerative effects. 

“My hypothesis is that specific danger signals can be manipulated, ideally with an oral drug,” Dr. Sachdev said. “If it works, this could be a mechanism that allows a dying muscle cell to say, ‘Hey, I need help.’  This might mean that someone who cannot get a bypass or a stent might not have to face amputation.’”

Her recent grant is for studying study patterns of inflammation in chronic venous insufficiency. 

The goal of her studies is to determine whether patients with benign varicose veins and those with ulcerations express inflammatory mediators that predict their response to treatment. Later, perhaps, effective treatments will be found that change these patients’ lives.  

Despite affecting 25 million Americans, including two to six million with ulcer conditions, chronic venous insufficiency is relatively understudied compared to other vascular diseases. Yet for patients with venous leg ulcers, their condition is debilitating, painful and embarrassing.

Dr. Ulka Sachdev is studying the condition, hoping her “bench-side research” will develop “bedside” solutions. She received a five-year, National Institutes of Health K08 and SVS Foundation grants in 2012 and an SVS Foundation Clinical Research Seed Grant in 2017. “Their ulcers are very difficult to manage,” she said. “They are large, open, painful and wet. Patients’ daily routines are negatively affected by their wounds. It’s really sad.”

Since she regularly treats CVI patients, Dr. Sachdev wondered why some patients have benign venous insufficiency that ulcerates and why some ulcers recur. “If we could determine at an earlier stage how to mitigate the risk of new ulceration or recurrence, I think it would be worth it,” she said.

In her previous, K08-supported research she hypothesized that wound healing during ischemia is promoted by inflammatory proteins released by damaged tissue. She found that certain proteins known as danger signals can be released by damaged tissue and promote regenerative effects. 

“My hypothesis is that specific danger signals can be manipulated, ideally with an oral drug,” Dr. Sachdev said. “If it works, this could be a mechanism that allows a dying muscle cell to say, ‘Hey, I need help.’  This might mean that someone who cannot get a bypass or a stent might not have to face amputation.’”

Her recent grant is for studying study patterns of inflammation in chronic venous insufficiency. 

The goal of her studies is to determine whether patients with benign varicose veins and those with ulcerations express inflammatory mediators that predict their response to treatment. Later, perhaps, effective treatments will be found that change these patients’ lives.  

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Instructors are Teri Romano, RN, MBA, CPC, CMDP; Sean P. Roddy, MD; Robert M. Zwolak, MD, PhD; and Sunita D. Srivastava, MD.

Friday topics are: coding and reimbursement essentials, global surgical packages, getting paid the first time when applying surgical modifiers and the Medicare rule on non-physician practitioner billing.

Saturday topics include an overview of Current Procedural Terminology, coding for a number of procedures and information on MACRA, MIPS and APMs. Future SVS CPT coding initiatives also will be discussed.

An optional half-day workshop, from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Oct. 13, will focus on codes for evaluation and management (E&M), which physicians continue to misunderstand and misuse.  

Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for the optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Instructors are Teri Romano, RN, MBA, CPC, CMDP; Sean P. Roddy, MD; Robert M. Zwolak, MD, PhD; and Sunita D. Srivastava, MD.

Friday topics are: coding and reimbursement essentials, global surgical packages, getting paid the first time when applying surgical modifiers and the Medicare rule on non-physician practitioner billing.

Saturday topics include an overview of Current Procedural Terminology, coding for a number of procedures and information on MACRA, MIPS and APMs. Future SVS CPT coding initiatives also will be discussed.

An optional half-day workshop, from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Oct. 13, will focus on codes for evaluation and management (E&M), which physicians continue to misunderstand and misuse.  

Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for the optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

Don't let the federal government keep money -- in the form of Medicare reimbursements -- to which you are entitled!

Learn all about coding and reimbursement, from the essentials to modifiers to future initiatives, at the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop, Oct. 13-14, in Chicago. Instructors are Teri Romano, RN, MBA, CPC, CMDP; Sean P. Roddy, MD; Robert M. Zwolak, MD, PhD; and Sunita D. Srivastava, MD.

Friday topics are: coding and reimbursement essentials, global surgical packages, getting paid the first time when applying surgical modifiers and the Medicare rule on non-physician practitioner billing.

Saturday topics include an overview of Current Procedural Terminology, coding for a number of procedures and information on MACRA, MIPS and APMs. Future SVS CPT coding initiatives also will be discussed.

An optional half-day workshop, from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Oct. 13, will focus on codes for evaluation and management (E&M), which physicians continue to misunderstand and misuse.  

Cost is $880 for an SVS member or staff, $955 for a non-member and $250 for residents and trainees. Cost for the optional session is $100 for an SVS member or staff, $215 for a non-member and $50 for residents and trainees.

Learn more, register and access the full agenda here.

The staffs of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous & Lymphatic Disorders are interested in creating a list of SVS members who have interest, expertise and resources to perform high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

If interested, please submit your name, institution and topics consistent with your area of expertise. Members may reach out directly via email to Dr. Cynthia Shortell, assistant editor of reviews for JVS-VL, and Dr. Ron Fairman, assistant editor of reviews for JVS. 

The staffs of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous & Lymphatic Disorders are interested in creating a list of SVS members who have interest, expertise and resources to perform high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

If interested, please submit your name, institution and topics consistent with your area of expertise. Members may reach out directly via email to Dr. Cynthia Shortell, assistant editor of reviews for JVS-VL, and Dr. Ron Fairman, assistant editor of reviews for JVS. 

The staffs of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous & Lymphatic Disorders are interested in creating a list of SVS members who have interest, expertise and resources to perform high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

If interested, please submit your name, institution and topics consistent with your area of expertise. Members may reach out directly via email to Dr. Cynthia Shortell, assistant editor of reviews for JVS-VL, and Dr. Ron Fairman, assistant editor of reviews for JVS. 

September is Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month. To help SVS members educate patients and to spread awareness about vascular surgeons, we have prepared several things you can share.

1. An infographic for patients and their families. We urge you to print it and post around the office or your institution.

2. A quick resource web page for patients, offering patients a PAD video playlist and links to articles and information on PAD.

3. The latest PAD research information for physicians, along with clinical practice guideline links. If you have contacts among primary care physicians or other referrers, please feel free to send them this link.

4. Two press releases on PAD, to share with your communications people, public relations departments and/or patients

•             Don't Fall for These 6 Internet Myths About Statins

•             Often misdiagnosed, PAD can be mild or deadly

September is Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month. To help SVS members educate patients and to spread awareness about vascular surgeons, we have prepared several things you can share.

1. An infographic for patients and their families. We urge you to print it and post around the office or your institution.

2. A quick resource web page for patients, offering patients a PAD video playlist and links to articles and information on PAD.

3. The latest PAD research information for physicians, along with clinical practice guideline links. If you have contacts among primary care physicians or other referrers, please feel free to send them this link.

4. Two press releases on PAD, to share with your communications people, public relations departments and/or patients

•             Don't Fall for These 6 Internet Myths About Statins

•             Often misdiagnosed, PAD can be mild or deadly

September is Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month. To help SVS members educate patients and to spread awareness about vascular surgeons, we have prepared several things you can share.

1. An infographic for patients and their families. We urge you to print it and post around the office or your institution.

2. A quick resource web page for patients, offering patients a PAD video playlist and links to articles and information on PAD.

3. The latest PAD research information for physicians, along with clinical practice guideline links. If you have contacts among primary care physicians or other referrers, please feel free to send them this link.

4. Two press releases on PAD, to share with your communications people, public relations departments and/or patients

•             Don't Fall for These 6 Internet Myths About Statins

•             Often misdiagnosed, PAD can be mild or deadly

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is seeking feedback from SVS members by Oct. 2 on its draft recommendations for ASH guidelines on VTE in the context of pregnancy and Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

The guidelines have been posted for comment. Members can review the comment page here and download the draft recommendations. The page includes a link to the online survey where members can provide their comments.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is seeking feedback from SVS members by Oct. 2 on its draft recommendations for ASH guidelines on VTE in the context of pregnancy and Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

The guidelines have been posted for comment. Members can review the comment page here and download the draft recommendations. The page includes a link to the online survey where members can provide their comments.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is seeking feedback from SVS members by Oct. 2 on its draft recommendations for ASH guidelines on VTE in the context of pregnancy and Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

The guidelines have been posted for comment. Members can review the comment page here and download the draft recommendations. The page includes a link to the online survey where members can provide their comments.