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Focus on Research: Open or Endovascular? Study Seeks Veterans’ Preferences
If veterans who need abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery are fully versed in both open and endovascular procedures, will they be happier with their choice?
To prevent “buyers’ remorse,” a new study at VA centers is examining if decision aids can help align patient preference with the type of AAA surgery. Enrollment begins at 20 VA centers in April.
PROVE-AAA – PReference for Open Versus Endovascular AAA Repair – has received $1.1 million in funding from the VA’s Health Services Research and Development branch.
AAA is a common condition among veterans, prompting nearly 2,000 surgical repairs yearly in VA hospitals.
“Our hypothesis is that vets concerned about pain or disability will prefer endovascular repair, while veterans who prioritize concerns about durability will prefer open repair,” said Dr. Goodney. Aligning preferences with treatments will ultimately improve the quality of VA surgical care, he said.
At each participating center, investigators will identify 12 veterans with an AAA at least 5 centimeters in diameter that can be treated by either repair. At 10 sites, patients will receive decision-making help, plus a pre-survey and survey. At 10 control sites, veterans will receive only the survey. Patients will be followed for two years; total project time is four years.
Collaborator Dr. Kristine Orion hopes the study “will help me to better understand why they would choose one surgical approach over the other. I believe many actually prefer open surgery to an endovascular one to avoid lifelong radiological surveillance.”
This is the first such study in the United States, said Dr. Goodney. A previous non-randomized study in England discovered that when patients without a treatment preference received balanced, in-depth information, more than two out of three reached a decision they described as “definitive,” he said. Nearly 20 percent preferred open surgical repair.
Findings will be reported to the National Surgery Office Vascular Advisory Board “to help ensure veterans’ preferences remain at the center of AAA treatment decisions,” Dr. Goodney said.
If veterans who need abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery are fully versed in both open and endovascular procedures, will they be happier with their choice?
To prevent “buyers’ remorse,” a new study at VA centers is examining if decision aids can help align patient preference with the type of AAA surgery. Enrollment begins at 20 VA centers in April.
PROVE-AAA – PReference for Open Versus Endovascular AAA Repair – has received $1.1 million in funding from the VA’s Health Services Research and Development branch.
AAA is a common condition among veterans, prompting nearly 2,000 surgical repairs yearly in VA hospitals.
“Our hypothesis is that vets concerned about pain or disability will prefer endovascular repair, while veterans who prioritize concerns about durability will prefer open repair,” said Dr. Goodney. Aligning preferences with treatments will ultimately improve the quality of VA surgical care, he said.
At each participating center, investigators will identify 12 veterans with an AAA at least 5 centimeters in diameter that can be treated by either repair. At 10 sites, patients will receive decision-making help, plus a pre-survey and survey. At 10 control sites, veterans will receive only the survey. Patients will be followed for two years; total project time is four years.
Collaborator Dr. Kristine Orion hopes the study “will help me to better understand why they would choose one surgical approach over the other. I believe many actually prefer open surgery to an endovascular one to avoid lifelong radiological surveillance.”
This is the first such study in the United States, said Dr. Goodney. A previous non-randomized study in England discovered that when patients without a treatment preference received balanced, in-depth information, more than two out of three reached a decision they described as “definitive,” he said. Nearly 20 percent preferred open surgical repair.
Findings will be reported to the National Surgery Office Vascular Advisory Board “to help ensure veterans’ preferences remain at the center of AAA treatment decisions,” Dr. Goodney said.
If veterans who need abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery are fully versed in both open and endovascular procedures, will they be happier with their choice?
To prevent “buyers’ remorse,” a new study at VA centers is examining if decision aids can help align patient preference with the type of AAA surgery. Enrollment begins at 20 VA centers in April.
PROVE-AAA – PReference for Open Versus Endovascular AAA Repair – has received $1.1 million in funding from the VA’s Health Services Research and Development branch.
AAA is a common condition among veterans, prompting nearly 2,000 surgical repairs yearly in VA hospitals.
“Our hypothesis is that vets concerned about pain or disability will prefer endovascular repair, while veterans who prioritize concerns about durability will prefer open repair,” said Dr. Goodney. Aligning preferences with treatments will ultimately improve the quality of VA surgical care, he said.
At each participating center, investigators will identify 12 veterans with an AAA at least 5 centimeters in diameter that can be treated by either repair. At 10 sites, patients will receive decision-making help, plus a pre-survey and survey. At 10 control sites, veterans will receive only the survey. Patients will be followed for two years; total project time is four years.
Collaborator Dr. Kristine Orion hopes the study “will help me to better understand why they would choose one surgical approach over the other. I believe many actually prefer open surgery to an endovascular one to avoid lifelong radiological surveillance.”
This is the first such study in the United States, said Dr. Goodney. A previous non-randomized study in England discovered that when patients without a treatment preference received balanced, in-depth information, more than two out of three reached a decision they described as “definitive,” he said. Nearly 20 percent preferred open surgical repair.
Findings will be reported to the National Surgery Office Vascular Advisory Board “to help ensure veterans’ preferences remain at the center of AAA treatment decisions,” Dr. Goodney said.
Education: Software, coding guide improve bottom line
Frustrated by reimbursement denials because of a simple error in code order? Coding software can help – and make a difference to your bottom line.
The Society for Vascular Ultrasound-Society for Vascular Surgery Coding Advisor Software is bundled with the SVS Coding Guide for a complete package of expert coding guidance for all peripheral vascular surgery and interventional codes. The software also includes explanations and notes on component and bundled coding.
Users find the scrubber a particularly valuable feature; doctors or office staff can run a claim through the scrubber to see what will be denied before submitting the claim. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of rearranging the code order. Sometimes a code is missing. The scrubber identifies these issues so they can be fixed prior to submission.
The result of using the guide and software? The reimbursement to which a surgeon is entitled, multiplied hundreds of times. One example: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements. If the office typically performs eight to 10 ultrasounds a day, missing out on $3 in reimbursement each time, that office could be losing up to $600 a month (20 works days). And that’s just one missing code for one procedure.
Purchase the software and guide and learn more at vsweb.org/CodingGuide. Be sure to enter the code SVCSA to receive the special SVS member price.
How coding mistakes cost money
Situation: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements.
Office performs 8 to 10 ultrasounds a day
10 procedures X $3 = $30
$30 X 20 work days = $600 a month
Frustrated by reimbursement denials because of a simple error in code order? Coding software can help – and make a difference to your bottom line.
The Society for Vascular Ultrasound-Society for Vascular Surgery Coding Advisor Software is bundled with the SVS Coding Guide for a complete package of expert coding guidance for all peripheral vascular surgery and interventional codes. The software also includes explanations and notes on component and bundled coding.
Users find the scrubber a particularly valuable feature; doctors or office staff can run a claim through the scrubber to see what will be denied before submitting the claim. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of rearranging the code order. Sometimes a code is missing. The scrubber identifies these issues so they can be fixed prior to submission.
The result of using the guide and software? The reimbursement to which a surgeon is entitled, multiplied hundreds of times. One example: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements. If the office typically performs eight to 10 ultrasounds a day, missing out on $3 in reimbursement each time, that office could be losing up to $600 a month (20 works days). And that’s just one missing code for one procedure.
Purchase the software and guide and learn more at vsweb.org/CodingGuide. Be sure to enter the code SVCSA to receive the special SVS member price.
How coding mistakes cost money
Situation: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements.
Office performs 8 to 10 ultrasounds a day
10 procedures X $3 = $30
$30 X 20 work days = $600 a month
Frustrated by reimbursement denials because of a simple error in code order? Coding software can help – and make a difference to your bottom line.
The Society for Vascular Ultrasound-Society for Vascular Surgery Coding Advisor Software is bundled with the SVS Coding Guide for a complete package of expert coding guidance for all peripheral vascular surgery and interventional codes. The software also includes explanations and notes on component and bundled coding.
Users find the scrubber a particularly valuable feature; doctors or office staff can run a claim through the scrubber to see what will be denied before submitting the claim. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of rearranging the code order. Sometimes a code is missing. The scrubber identifies these issues so they can be fixed prior to submission.
The result of using the guide and software? The reimbursement to which a surgeon is entitled, multiplied hundreds of times. One example: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements. If the office typically performs eight to 10 ultrasounds a day, missing out on $3 in reimbursement each time, that office could be losing up to $600 a month (20 works days). And that’s just one missing code for one procedure.
Purchase the software and guide and learn more at vsweb.org/CodingGuide. Be sure to enter the code SVCSA to receive the special SVS member price.
How coding mistakes cost money
Situation: A $3 mistake in ultrasound reimbursements.
Office performs 8 to 10 ultrasounds a day
10 procedures X $3 = $30
$30 X 20 work days = $600 a month
Your SVS: SVS Launches Expanded Member Benefits Portfolio
The Society for Vascular Surgery is devoted to enhancing value and benefits for every member. To that end, the SVS is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program. This program will help build upon an already robust foundation of current member benefits by offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
Committee Chair Dr. Richard Lynn praised the new lineup. “This is nuts-and-bolts help for us,” he said. “In this day and age where we are struggling for $15 and $20 co-pays, savings like this will be a welcome benefit and a true, member-appreciated benefit.”
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
The Society for Vascular Surgery is devoted to enhancing value and benefits for every member. To that end, the SVS is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program. This program will help build upon an already robust foundation of current member benefits by offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
Committee Chair Dr. Richard Lynn praised the new lineup. “This is nuts-and-bolts help for us,” he said. “In this day and age where we are struggling for $15 and $20 co-pays, savings like this will be a welcome benefit and a true, member-appreciated benefit.”
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
The Society for Vascular Surgery is devoted to enhancing value and benefits for every member. To that end, the SVS is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program. This program will help build upon an already robust foundation of current member benefits by offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
Committee Chair Dr. Richard Lynn praised the new lineup. “This is nuts-and-bolts help for us,” he said. “In this day and age where we are struggling for $15 and $20 co-pays, savings like this will be a welcome benefit and a true, member-appreciated benefit.”
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
VQI: 2016 VQI Participation Awards
The SVS Patient Safety Organization has announced the winners of the 2016 VQI Participation Awards. This program, in its second year, recognizes the importance of active participation in the Vascular Quality Initiatives (VQI) as a critical component of the quality improvement mission. VQI centers may receive up to three “stars,” based on the extent of their participation in three areas: long-term follow-up (LTFU) reporting, regional quality group meetings, and vascular procedure registries.
The SVS Patient Safety Organization (PSO) is very encouraged by the 2016 results. Of the 316 eligible centers, 42 received three stars; 71, two stars; and 89, one star. Both the number and percentage of centers earning three stars increased, compared with last year.
Long-term follow-up reporting is one of the most important factors in the program. It demonstrates a commitment to monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of vascular treatment, assessing potential problems and providing optimal medical management. LTFU allows a more meaningful assessment of patient outcomes and quality than just perioperative outcomes and is a cornerstone of the VQI. The median reporting rate for LTFU increased from 57 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2016.
The second area, physician and staff attendance at regional quality group meetings, is critical to drive discussions of outcome variation and to encourage multicenter participation in outcomes analysis and quality improvement efforts. The third measure provides increased opportunities for learning and improvement.
To learn more about VQI, visit vsweb.org/VQI or contact Jim Wadzinski at [email protected].
The SVS Patient Safety Organization has announced the winners of the 2016 VQI Participation Awards. This program, in its second year, recognizes the importance of active participation in the Vascular Quality Initiatives (VQI) as a critical component of the quality improvement mission. VQI centers may receive up to three “stars,” based on the extent of their participation in three areas: long-term follow-up (LTFU) reporting, regional quality group meetings, and vascular procedure registries.
The SVS Patient Safety Organization (PSO) is very encouraged by the 2016 results. Of the 316 eligible centers, 42 received three stars; 71, two stars; and 89, one star. Both the number and percentage of centers earning three stars increased, compared with last year.
Long-term follow-up reporting is one of the most important factors in the program. It demonstrates a commitment to monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of vascular treatment, assessing potential problems and providing optimal medical management. LTFU allows a more meaningful assessment of patient outcomes and quality than just perioperative outcomes and is a cornerstone of the VQI. The median reporting rate for LTFU increased from 57 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2016.
The second area, physician and staff attendance at regional quality group meetings, is critical to drive discussions of outcome variation and to encourage multicenter participation in outcomes analysis and quality improvement efforts. The third measure provides increased opportunities for learning and improvement.
To learn more about VQI, visit vsweb.org/VQI or contact Jim Wadzinski at [email protected].
The SVS Patient Safety Organization has announced the winners of the 2016 VQI Participation Awards. This program, in its second year, recognizes the importance of active participation in the Vascular Quality Initiatives (VQI) as a critical component of the quality improvement mission. VQI centers may receive up to three “stars,” based on the extent of their participation in three areas: long-term follow-up (LTFU) reporting, regional quality group meetings, and vascular procedure registries.
The SVS Patient Safety Organization (PSO) is very encouraged by the 2016 results. Of the 316 eligible centers, 42 received three stars; 71, two stars; and 89, one star. Both the number and percentage of centers earning three stars increased, compared with last year.
Long-term follow-up reporting is one of the most important factors in the program. It demonstrates a commitment to monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of vascular treatment, assessing potential problems and providing optimal medical management. LTFU allows a more meaningful assessment of patient outcomes and quality than just perioperative outcomes and is a cornerstone of the VQI. The median reporting rate for LTFU increased from 57 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2016.
The second area, physician and staff attendance at regional quality group meetings, is critical to drive discussions of outcome variation and to encourage multicenter participation in outcomes analysis and quality improvement efforts. The third measure provides increased opportunities for learning and improvement.
To learn more about VQI, visit vsweb.org/VQI or contact Jim Wadzinski at [email protected].
SVN Convention Near
SVS members, spread the word: Educational opportunities for vascular nurses and technologists await at the Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Convention.
The convention will be April 4-7 in Nashville, Tenn., and will offer information for the basic to expert practitioner. To learn more, visit vsweb.org/SVNConvention.
SVS members, spread the word: Educational opportunities for vascular nurses and technologists await at the Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Convention.
The convention will be April 4-7 in Nashville, Tenn., and will offer information for the basic to expert practitioner. To learn more, visit vsweb.org/SVNConvention.
SVS members, spread the word: Educational opportunities for vascular nurses and technologists await at the Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Convention.
The convention will be April 4-7 in Nashville, Tenn., and will offer information for the basic to expert practitioner. To learn more, visit vsweb.org/SVNConvention.
‘The Matrix’ to be part of VRIC
“The Matrix” is more than a movie. It’s also part of the May 3 Vascular Research Initiatives Conference in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Matrix Revolution: Vascular Repair and Regeneration,” is the title of the Translational Panel at VRIC, to be moderated by SVS President Ronald Fairman, MD. Christopher K. Breuer, MD, will speak on “Development of Tissue Engineered Grafts for Use in Congenital Heart Surgery” and Jeffrey Lawson will discuss “Human Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels: Clinical Experience in Dialysis Access and Arterial Disease.” 
William Sessa, PhD, will deliver the keynote address, now known as the Alexander W. Clowes Distinguished Lecture.
VRIC, emphasizing vascular biology, is held the day before the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions. Both meetings will be at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. For more, visit vsweb.org/VRIC17.
“The Matrix” is more than a movie. It’s also part of the May 3 Vascular Research Initiatives Conference in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Matrix Revolution: Vascular Repair and Regeneration,” is the title of the Translational Panel at VRIC, to be moderated by SVS President Ronald Fairman, MD. Christopher K. Breuer, MD, will speak on “Development of Tissue Engineered Grafts for Use in Congenital Heart Surgery” and Jeffrey Lawson will discuss “Human Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels: Clinical Experience in Dialysis Access and Arterial Disease.”
William Sessa, PhD, will deliver the keynote address, now known as the Alexander W. Clowes Distinguished Lecture.
VRIC, emphasizing vascular biology, is held the day before the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions. Both meetings will be at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. For more, visit vsweb.org/VRIC17.
“The Matrix” is more than a movie. It’s also part of the May 3 Vascular Research Initiatives Conference in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Matrix Revolution: Vascular Repair and Regeneration,” is the title of the Translational Panel at VRIC, to be moderated by SVS President Ronald Fairman, MD. Christopher K. Breuer, MD, will speak on “Development of Tissue Engineered Grafts for Use in Congenital Heart Surgery” and Jeffrey Lawson will discuss “Human Tissue Engineered Blood Vessels: Clinical Experience in Dialysis Access and Arterial Disease.”
William Sessa, PhD, will deliver the keynote address, now known as the Alexander W. Clowes Distinguished Lecture.
VRIC, emphasizing vascular biology, is held the day before the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions. Both meetings will be at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. For more, visit vsweb.org/VRIC17.
Encourage Vascular Nurses to Attend SVN Convention
For all members who work with vascular nurses: please encourage them to attend the upcoming Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The education is sure to benefit the entire office.
SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling III will speak at one of the sessions.
It's the premiere meeting for vascular nurses to facilitate networking and professional development. Be sure to forward information along to any and all vascular nurses and techs in your organization.
The convention will be April 4-7 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and is geared to vascular nurses, nurse practitioners, vascular techs, cardiovascular nurses and nurses/techs working in cath labs, angio suites or endovascular operating rooms.
For all members who work with vascular nurses: please encourage them to attend the upcoming Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The education is sure to benefit the entire office.
SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling III will speak at one of the sessions.
It's the premiere meeting for vascular nurses to facilitate networking and professional development. Be sure to forward information along to any and all vascular nurses and techs in your organization.
The convention will be April 4-7 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and is geared to vascular nurses, nurse practitioners, vascular techs, cardiovascular nurses and nurses/techs working in cath labs, angio suites or endovascular operating rooms.
For all members who work with vascular nurses: please encourage them to attend the upcoming Society for Vascular Nursing’s 35th Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The education is sure to benefit the entire office.
SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling III will speak at one of the sessions.
It's the premiere meeting for vascular nurses to facilitate networking and professional development. Be sure to forward information along to any and all vascular nurses and techs in your organization.
The convention will be April 4-7 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and is geared to vascular nurses, nurse practitioners, vascular techs, cardiovascular nurses and nurses/techs working in cath labs, angio suites or endovascular operating rooms.
SVS Launches Expanded Member Benefits Portfolio
The Society for Vascular Surgery is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program, offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The portfolio includes a number of insurance, financial and private-practice related products that will assist members in their day-to-day lives. The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
The Society for Vascular Surgery is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program, offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The portfolio includes a number of insurance, financial and private-practice related products that will assist members in their day-to-day lives. The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
The Society for Vascular Surgery is proud to announce the launch of its very own member affinity program, offering members access to best-in-class products and services coupled with special member discounts.
“These plans are a significant expansion of our member benefits, designed specifically to simplify your lives and protect your practices and businesses,” said SVS President Dr. Ronald Fairman. “We’re pleased to offer them and hope you take advantage of them.”
The portfolio includes a number of insurance, financial and private-practice related products that will assist members in their day-to-day lives. The result: a selection of financial and practice solutions to protect and benefit your families, incomes, practices, offices and staff – even your own slice of cyberspace.
For more information, including the list of options, visit vsweb.org/AffinityProgram, call 855-533-1776 or email [email protected].
A Message from the President: The ACS: Dedicated to Doing What’s Right for the Patient
Do what’s right for the patient. That statement is the bedrock on which the American College of Surgeons (ACS) stands.
Throughout its nearly 104-year history, the ACS has promoted surgical education and quality improvement. The College’s dedication to education and quality can be traced to the guiding principles of its founder, Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS. In Dr. Martin’s era, the early 20th century, medical education was in a deplorable state, as documented in the well-known Flexner report of 1910.
To help improve surgical education and training, Dr. Martin first established Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics (SG&O, now the Journal of the American College of Surgeons) as a practical journal for practicing surgeons, edited by active surgeons. He published an editorial in the journal inviting surgeons to “learn by watching” and encouraged “every physician in the U.S. and Canada who was interested in surgery to observe the clinics in one of the large medical centers.” Approximately 1,300 physicians responded to Dr. Martin’s charge, resulting in the first Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America (CCSNA), November 7-9, 1910, in Chicago, IL. After the third CCSNA meeting in 1912, Dr. Martin concluded that further change was necessary, which eventually led to the formation of the ACS in November 1913.
Standards
The importance of establishing standards for hospitals and surgical training cannot be emphasized enough. These programs fundamentally changed surgical practice and training. If the College had ceased to exist after that achievement, it would have more than fulfilled the expectations of Dr. Martin and other ACS leaders. But this did not happen. Instead, the College continued to inspire quality and to maintain the highest standards for better outcomes through establishment of programs aimed at improving care for cancer and trauma patients.
Committees
The ACS Committee on Cancer published a Standardized Method for Reporting Cancer End Results in 1953. In 1965, other organizations partnered with the College to transform this committee into the Commission on Cancer (CoC), which today uses strict criteria and a rigorous on-site evaluation process to accredit more than 1,530 U.S. cancer centers. This accreditation process is used not only for initial verification of achievement of program standards, but also for periodic review for compliance to maintain accreditation.
Early in its history, the College also established a Committee on the Treatment of Fractures, which evolved into what we now know as the Committee on Trauma (COT). The COT’s guidelines for hospitals to attain or maintain verification as trauma centers—Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient—was first issued in 1976 and now is in its sixth edition.
Another seminal event in trauma took place in 1976—an airplane crash involving James K. Styner, MD, FACS, and his family, in rural Nebraska. His wife died on impact, and his children were severely injured. Angered by the delays his family experienced in receiving appropriate care, Dr. Styner called for the development of adequate facilities and standardized approaches to care for severely injured patients. He combined forces with Paul E. “Skip” Collicott, MD, FACS, and other Nebraska surgeons, to develop the Advanced Trauma Life Support® program, which introduces physicians and other health care professionals around the world to best practices for initial evaluation and management of trauma patients.
ACS Regent Lenworth M. Jacobs, Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, has led more recent COT initiatives, including development of the Advanced Trauma Operative Management® course and the Hartford ConsensusTM. This panel—composed of trauma care professionals and government officials—developed the Stop the Bleed program—an initiative aimed at enhancing survival from mass casualty and active shooter events.
Another important committee that the College established to ensure surgeons are prepared to do what’s right for the patient is the Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education (CESTE). Launched in 1992 with the late C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, as the inaugural Chair, CESTE was charged with developing processes to evaluate emerging surgical technology for safety and effectiveness, creating standardized education programs, and measuring outcomes. Two of the College’s most important education and quality programs sprang from CESTE—the Accredited Education Institutes, under the leadership of Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Education, and the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, first led by R. Scott Jones, MD, FACS, and now under the purview of Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, FACS.
The future is in your hands
Unquestionably, the ACS and its leaders have a rich history of doing what’s right for the patient. The future, however, belongs to you. I want to encourage you to participate in all the activities of your College at the local, state, and national levels. Establish personal relationships with leaders. Be an advocate for our education and quality programs. I am confident that there are those among you who will become the leaders who will continue the evolution of the College and inspire quality, maintain the highest standards, and ensure better outcomes.
Dr. Townsend is the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery, department of surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston; professor of surgery, department of surgery, professor of physician assistant studies, School of Allied Health Sciences; and graduate faculty in the cell biology program, UTMB. He is the 97th President of the ACS.
Do what’s right for the patient. That statement is the bedrock on which the American College of Surgeons (ACS) stands.
Throughout its nearly 104-year history, the ACS has promoted surgical education and quality improvement. The College’s dedication to education and quality can be traced to the guiding principles of its founder, Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS. In Dr. Martin’s era, the early 20th century, medical education was in a deplorable state, as documented in the well-known Flexner report of 1910.
To help improve surgical education and training, Dr. Martin first established Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics (SG&O, now the Journal of the American College of Surgeons) as a practical journal for practicing surgeons, edited by active surgeons. He published an editorial in the journal inviting surgeons to “learn by watching” and encouraged “every physician in the U.S. and Canada who was interested in surgery to observe the clinics in one of the large medical centers.” Approximately 1,300 physicians responded to Dr. Martin’s charge, resulting in the first Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America (CCSNA), November 7-9, 1910, in Chicago, IL. After the third CCSNA meeting in 1912, Dr. Martin concluded that further change was necessary, which eventually led to the formation of the ACS in November 1913.
Standards
The importance of establishing standards for hospitals and surgical training cannot be emphasized enough. These programs fundamentally changed surgical practice and training. If the College had ceased to exist after that achievement, it would have more than fulfilled the expectations of Dr. Martin and other ACS leaders. But this did not happen. Instead, the College continued to inspire quality and to maintain the highest standards for better outcomes through establishment of programs aimed at improving care for cancer and trauma patients.
Committees
The ACS Committee on Cancer published a Standardized Method for Reporting Cancer End Results in 1953. In 1965, other organizations partnered with the College to transform this committee into the Commission on Cancer (CoC), which today uses strict criteria and a rigorous on-site evaluation process to accredit more than 1,530 U.S. cancer centers. This accreditation process is used not only for initial verification of achievement of program standards, but also for periodic review for compliance to maintain accreditation.
Early in its history, the College also established a Committee on the Treatment of Fractures, which evolved into what we now know as the Committee on Trauma (COT). The COT’s guidelines for hospitals to attain or maintain verification as trauma centers—Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient—was first issued in 1976 and now is in its sixth edition.
Another seminal event in trauma took place in 1976—an airplane crash involving James K. Styner, MD, FACS, and his family, in rural Nebraska. His wife died on impact, and his children were severely injured. Angered by the delays his family experienced in receiving appropriate care, Dr. Styner called for the development of adequate facilities and standardized approaches to care for severely injured patients. He combined forces with Paul E. “Skip” Collicott, MD, FACS, and other Nebraska surgeons, to develop the Advanced Trauma Life Support® program, which introduces physicians and other health care professionals around the world to best practices for initial evaluation and management of trauma patients.
ACS Regent Lenworth M. Jacobs, Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, has led more recent COT initiatives, including development of the Advanced Trauma Operative Management® course and the Hartford ConsensusTM. This panel—composed of trauma care professionals and government officials—developed the Stop the Bleed program—an initiative aimed at enhancing survival from mass casualty and active shooter events.
Another important committee that the College established to ensure surgeons are prepared to do what’s right for the patient is the Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education (CESTE). Launched in 1992 with the late C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, as the inaugural Chair, CESTE was charged with developing processes to evaluate emerging surgical technology for safety and effectiveness, creating standardized education programs, and measuring outcomes. Two of the College’s most important education and quality programs sprang from CESTE—the Accredited Education Institutes, under the leadership of Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Education, and the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, first led by R. Scott Jones, MD, FACS, and now under the purview of Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, FACS.
The future is in your hands
Unquestionably, the ACS and its leaders have a rich history of doing what’s right for the patient. The future, however, belongs to you. I want to encourage you to participate in all the activities of your College at the local, state, and national levels. Establish personal relationships with leaders. Be an advocate for our education and quality programs. I am confident that there are those among you who will become the leaders who will continue the evolution of the College and inspire quality, maintain the highest standards, and ensure better outcomes.
Dr. Townsend is the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery, department of surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston; professor of surgery, department of surgery, professor of physician assistant studies, School of Allied Health Sciences; and graduate faculty in the cell biology program, UTMB. He is the 97th President of the ACS.
Do what’s right for the patient. That statement is the bedrock on which the American College of Surgeons (ACS) stands.
Throughout its nearly 104-year history, the ACS has promoted surgical education and quality improvement. The College’s dedication to education and quality can be traced to the guiding principles of its founder, Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS. In Dr. Martin’s era, the early 20th century, medical education was in a deplorable state, as documented in the well-known Flexner report of 1910.
To help improve surgical education and training, Dr. Martin first established Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics (SG&O, now the Journal of the American College of Surgeons) as a practical journal for practicing surgeons, edited by active surgeons. He published an editorial in the journal inviting surgeons to “learn by watching” and encouraged “every physician in the U.S. and Canada who was interested in surgery to observe the clinics in one of the large medical centers.” Approximately 1,300 physicians responded to Dr. Martin’s charge, resulting in the first Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America (CCSNA), November 7-9, 1910, in Chicago, IL. After the third CCSNA meeting in 1912, Dr. Martin concluded that further change was necessary, which eventually led to the formation of the ACS in November 1913.
Standards
The importance of establishing standards for hospitals and surgical training cannot be emphasized enough. These programs fundamentally changed surgical practice and training. If the College had ceased to exist after that achievement, it would have more than fulfilled the expectations of Dr. Martin and other ACS leaders. But this did not happen. Instead, the College continued to inspire quality and to maintain the highest standards for better outcomes through establishment of programs aimed at improving care for cancer and trauma patients.
Committees
The ACS Committee on Cancer published a Standardized Method for Reporting Cancer End Results in 1953. In 1965, other organizations partnered with the College to transform this committee into the Commission on Cancer (CoC), which today uses strict criteria and a rigorous on-site evaluation process to accredit more than 1,530 U.S. cancer centers. This accreditation process is used not only for initial verification of achievement of program standards, but also for periodic review for compliance to maintain accreditation.
Early in its history, the College also established a Committee on the Treatment of Fractures, which evolved into what we now know as the Committee on Trauma (COT). The COT’s guidelines for hospitals to attain or maintain verification as trauma centers—Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient—was first issued in 1976 and now is in its sixth edition.
Another seminal event in trauma took place in 1976—an airplane crash involving James K. Styner, MD, FACS, and his family, in rural Nebraska. His wife died on impact, and his children were severely injured. Angered by the delays his family experienced in receiving appropriate care, Dr. Styner called for the development of adequate facilities and standardized approaches to care for severely injured patients. He combined forces with Paul E. “Skip” Collicott, MD, FACS, and other Nebraska surgeons, to develop the Advanced Trauma Life Support® program, which introduces physicians and other health care professionals around the world to best practices for initial evaluation and management of trauma patients.
ACS Regent Lenworth M. Jacobs, Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, has led more recent COT initiatives, including development of the Advanced Trauma Operative Management® course and the Hartford ConsensusTM. This panel—composed of trauma care professionals and government officials—developed the Stop the Bleed program—an initiative aimed at enhancing survival from mass casualty and active shooter events.
Another important committee that the College established to ensure surgeons are prepared to do what’s right for the patient is the Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education (CESTE). Launched in 1992 with the late C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, as the inaugural Chair, CESTE was charged with developing processes to evaluate emerging surgical technology for safety and effectiveness, creating standardized education programs, and measuring outcomes. Two of the College’s most important education and quality programs sprang from CESTE—the Accredited Education Institutes, under the leadership of Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Education, and the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, first led by R. Scott Jones, MD, FACS, and now under the purview of Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, FACS.
The future is in your hands
Unquestionably, the ACS and its leaders have a rich history of doing what’s right for the patient. The future, however, belongs to you. I want to encourage you to participate in all the activities of your College at the local, state, and national levels. Establish personal relationships with leaders. Be an advocate for our education and quality programs. I am confident that there are those among you who will become the leaders who will continue the evolution of the College and inspire quality, maintain the highest standards, and ensure better outcomes.
Dr. Townsend is the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery, department of surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston; professor of surgery, department of surgery, professor of physician assistant studies, School of Allied Health Sciences; and graduate faculty in the cell biology program, UTMB. He is the 97th President of the ACS.
The SVS is in the news!
The SVS has been in the news lately, thanks to outreach efforts and assistance from the Public and Professional Outreach Committee -
- Our thanks to Dr. Ali AbuRahma for being the source in our press release for February Heart Month, “’Heart Disease’ Can Also Affect Your Feet, Kidneys and Brain.” It was picked up by several prominent national outlets, including WebMD, HealthDay, MedlinePlus, The HealthCast, Drugs.com, and MedicineNet. Here is an example.
- Thanks to SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling, Dr. Philip P. Goodney and Marie Rossi, RN, president of the Society for Vascular Nursing, for weighing in on quitting smoking before surgery in this press release that was picked up by the AMA Alliance.
The SVS has been in the news lately, thanks to outreach efforts and assistance from the Public and Professional Outreach Committee -
- Our thanks to Dr. Ali AbuRahma for being the source in our press release for February Heart Month, “’Heart Disease’ Can Also Affect Your Feet, Kidneys and Brain.” It was picked up by several prominent national outlets, including WebMD, HealthDay, MedlinePlus, The HealthCast, Drugs.com, and MedicineNet. Here is an example.
- Thanks to SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling, Dr. Philip P. Goodney and Marie Rossi, RN, president of the Society for Vascular Nursing, for weighing in on quitting smoking before surgery in this press release that was picked up by the AMA Alliance.
The SVS has been in the news lately, thanks to outreach efforts and assistance from the Public and Professional Outreach Committee -
- Our thanks to Dr. Ali AbuRahma for being the source in our press release for February Heart Month, “’Heart Disease’ Can Also Affect Your Feet, Kidneys and Brain.” It was picked up by several prominent national outlets, including WebMD, HealthDay, MedlinePlus, The HealthCast, Drugs.com, and MedicineNet. Here is an example.
- Thanks to SVS President-Elect Dr. R. Clement Darling, Dr. Philip P. Goodney and Marie Rossi, RN, president of the Society for Vascular Nursing, for weighing in on quitting smoking before surgery in this press release that was picked up by the AMA Alliance.