News From the College

One of the primary goals of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) is to provide surgeons with knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality of patient care. The guidelines and statements developed by the ACS are intended to inform and guide Fellows in the care of their patients and to educate their patients and their institutions on best practices in those situations that may warrant specific guidance and direction.

Guidelines

Over the last decade, the College has participated in the development of guidelines and “point of care” modules that address those diagnoses most relevant to general surgeons. The Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) are clinical guideline summaries that provide recommendations based on the latest practice guidelines in an easy-to-use, widely accessible format, including mobile devices and tablets. Module development involves a rigorous multi-step process, including contributions from experts on the ACS Board of Governors and the ACS Advisory Council for General Surgery. It is important to note that EBDS is not intended to reflect standards of care as defined by the ACS, but rather to serve as educational resources that practicing surgeons can use within the context of their respective practices. These guidelines should be used when appropriate based on the surgical condition and the surgeon’s experience, as well as the patient’s needs and preferences.

EBDS now comprises more than 70 point of care modules covering the following categories—bariatric surgery, biliary tract and pancreas, breast disease, colon, rectum and anus, critical care, endocrine, gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics and palliative care, miscellaneous surgical conditions, perioperative care, surgical oncology, and vascular.

The complete list of guidelines is available at ebds.facs.org/topics, and new modules are released regularly. To access individual guidelines, members are required to log in. Contact ms@facs.org for member log-in information, and go to facs.org/ebds for more information about the program.

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP^®) generates the ACS TQIP Best Practice Guidelines to provide recommendations for managing patient populations or injury types. The TQIP Best Practices Project Team and a panel of guest experts from appropriate specialties work together over the course of the year to create each guideline. The guidelines are created from evidence-based literature when available and the consensus of the group when evidence is lacking. To date, the following guidelines have been created for use by trauma centers and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/tqip/best-practice:

• Geriatric Trauma Management

• Massive Transfusion in Trauma

• Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

• Management of Orthopaedic Trauma

• Palliative Care

The College’s National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and the American Geriatrics Society’s Geriatrics for Specialists Initiative have developed two best practice guidelines that address management of older patients: Optimal Preoperative Assessment of the Geriatric Surgical Patient and Optimal Perioperative Management of the Geriatric Patient. These consensus-based recommendations were developed with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/acs-nsqip/geriatric-periop-guideline.



Statements

Founded to provide opportunities for the continuing education of surgeons, the ACS has had a deep concern for the improvement of patient care and for the ethical practice of medicine. These values are reflected in the ACS Statements on Principles, which serve as the guidepost resource for all ACS Fellows. In addition to the Fellowship Pledge and Code of Professional Conduct, the Statements on Principles address the qualifications of the responsible surgeon, the surgeon-patient relationship, interprofessional relations, medical education, and surgeons and society. Fellows are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the contents of the Statements on Principles, which can be accessed at facs.org/about-acs/statements/stonprin.

In addition to the Statements on Principles, the ACS has issued more than 90 statements that have been adopted by the Board of Regents and address topics of importance to surgeons and the surgical profession. These statements have been developed by a range of volunteer committees and workgroups within the College, including the ACS Board of Governors, the ACS Advisory Councils, and various ACS standing committees. Statements are reviewed and updated annually, and new statements are created as appropriate. Statements are generally communicated to the membership via the Bulletin and are posted to the ACS website. Thus far in 2018, the Board of Regents has approved seven new statements and two revised statements. To review the complete list of ACS statements, go to facs.org/about-acs/statements and share those of interest with your colleagues and your institution.



Ms. Bura is Associate Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

One of the primary goals of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) is to provide surgeons with knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality of patient care. The guidelines and statements developed by the ACS are intended to inform and guide Fellows in the care of their patients and to educate their patients and their institutions on best practices in those situations that may warrant specific guidance and direction.

Guidelines

Over the last decade, the College has participated in the development of guidelines and “point of care” modules that address those diagnoses most relevant to general surgeons. The Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) are clinical guideline summaries that provide recommendations based on the latest practice guidelines in an easy-to-use, widely accessible format, including mobile devices and tablets. Module development involves a rigorous multi-step process, including contributions from experts on the ACS Board of Governors and the ACS Advisory Council for General Surgery. It is important to note that EBDS is not intended to reflect standards of care as defined by the ACS, but rather to serve as educational resources that practicing surgeons can use within the context of their respective practices. These guidelines should be used when appropriate based on the surgical condition and the surgeon’s experience, as well as the patient’s needs and preferences.

EBDS now comprises more than 70 point of care modules covering the following categories—bariatric surgery, biliary tract and pancreas, breast disease, colon, rectum and anus, critical care, endocrine, gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics and palliative care, miscellaneous surgical conditions, perioperative care, surgical oncology, and vascular.

The complete list of guidelines is available at ebds.facs.org/topics, and new modules are released regularly. To access individual guidelines, members are required to log in. Contact ms@facs.org for member log-in information, and go to facs.org/ebds for more information about the program.

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP^®) generates the ACS TQIP Best Practice Guidelines to provide recommendations for managing patient populations or injury types. The TQIP Best Practices Project Team and a panel of guest experts from appropriate specialties work together over the course of the year to create each guideline. The guidelines are created from evidence-based literature when available and the consensus of the group when evidence is lacking. To date, the following guidelines have been created for use by trauma centers and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/tqip/best-practice:

• Geriatric Trauma Management

• Massive Transfusion in Trauma

• Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

• Management of Orthopaedic Trauma

• Palliative Care

The College’s National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and the American Geriatrics Society’s Geriatrics for Specialists Initiative have developed two best practice guidelines that address management of older patients: Optimal Preoperative Assessment of the Geriatric Surgical Patient and Optimal Perioperative Management of the Geriatric Patient. These consensus-based recommendations were developed with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/acs-nsqip/geriatric-periop-guideline.



Statements

Founded to provide opportunities for the continuing education of surgeons, the ACS has had a deep concern for the improvement of patient care and for the ethical practice of medicine. These values are reflected in the ACS Statements on Principles, which serve as the guidepost resource for all ACS Fellows. In addition to the Fellowship Pledge and Code of Professional Conduct, the Statements on Principles address the qualifications of the responsible surgeon, the surgeon-patient relationship, interprofessional relations, medical education, and surgeons and society. Fellows are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the contents of the Statements on Principles, which can be accessed at facs.org/about-acs/statements/stonprin.

In addition to the Statements on Principles, the ACS has issued more than 90 statements that have been adopted by the Board of Regents and address topics of importance to surgeons and the surgical profession. These statements have been developed by a range of volunteer committees and workgroups within the College, including the ACS Board of Governors, the ACS Advisory Councils, and various ACS standing committees. Statements are reviewed and updated annually, and new statements are created as appropriate. Statements are generally communicated to the membership via the Bulletin and are posted to the ACS website. Thus far in 2018, the Board of Regents has approved seven new statements and two revised statements. To review the complete list of ACS statements, go to facs.org/about-acs/statements and share those of interest with your colleagues and your institution.



Ms. Bura is Associate Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

One of the primary goals of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) is to provide surgeons with knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality of patient care. The guidelines and statements developed by the ACS are intended to inform and guide Fellows in the care of their patients and to educate their patients and their institutions on best practices in those situations that may warrant specific guidance and direction.

Guidelines

Over the last decade, the College has participated in the development of guidelines and “point of care” modules that address those diagnoses most relevant to general surgeons. The Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) are clinical guideline summaries that provide recommendations based on the latest practice guidelines in an easy-to-use, widely accessible format, including mobile devices and tablets. Module development involves a rigorous multi-step process, including contributions from experts on the ACS Board of Governors and the ACS Advisory Council for General Surgery. It is important to note that EBDS is not intended to reflect standards of care as defined by the ACS, but rather to serve as educational resources that practicing surgeons can use within the context of their respective practices. These guidelines should be used when appropriate based on the surgical condition and the surgeon’s experience, as well as the patient’s needs and preferences.

EBDS now comprises more than 70 point of care modules covering the following categories—bariatric surgery, biliary tract and pancreas, breast disease, colon, rectum and anus, critical care, endocrine, gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics and palliative care, miscellaneous surgical conditions, perioperative care, surgical oncology, and vascular.

The complete list of guidelines is available at ebds.facs.org/topics, and new modules are released regularly. To access individual guidelines, members are required to log in. Contact ms@facs.org for member log-in information, and go to facs.org/ebds for more information about the program.

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP^®) generates the ACS TQIP Best Practice Guidelines to provide recommendations for managing patient populations or injury types. The TQIP Best Practices Project Team and a panel of guest experts from appropriate specialties work together over the course of the year to create each guideline. The guidelines are created from evidence-based literature when available and the consensus of the group when evidence is lacking. To date, the following guidelines have been created for use by trauma centers and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/tqip/best-practice:

• Geriatric Trauma Management

• Massive Transfusion in Trauma

• Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

• Management of Orthopaedic Trauma

• Palliative Care

The College’s National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and the American Geriatrics Society’s Geriatrics for Specialists Initiative have developed two best practice guidelines that address management of older patients: Optimal Preoperative Assessment of the Geriatric Surgical Patient and Optimal Perioperative Management of the Geriatric Patient. These consensus-based recommendations were developed with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation and are available for download at facs.org/quality-programs/acs-nsqip/geriatric-periop-guideline.



Statements

Founded to provide opportunities for the continuing education of surgeons, the ACS has had a deep concern for the improvement of patient care and for the ethical practice of medicine. These values are reflected in the ACS Statements on Principles, which serve as the guidepost resource for all ACS Fellows. In addition to the Fellowship Pledge and Code of Professional Conduct, the Statements on Principles address the qualifications of the responsible surgeon, the surgeon-patient relationship, interprofessional relations, medical education, and surgeons and society. Fellows are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the contents of the Statements on Principles, which can be accessed at facs.org/about-acs/statements/stonprin.

In addition to the Statements on Principles, the ACS has issued more than 90 statements that have been adopted by the Board of Regents and address topics of importance to surgeons and the surgical profession. These statements have been developed by a range of volunteer committees and workgroups within the College, including the ACS Board of Governors, the ACS Advisory Councils, and various ACS standing committees. Statements are reviewed and updated annually, and new statements are created as appropriate. Statements are generally communicated to the membership via the Bulletin and are posted to the ACS website. Thus far in 2018, the Board of Regents has approved seven new statements and two revised statements. To review the complete list of ACS statements, go to facs.org/about-acs/statements and share those of interest with your colleagues and your institution.



Ms. Bura is Associate Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

Make the most of your American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress experience by visiting ACS Central in the Exhibit Hall. Open 9:00 am–4:30 pm Monday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 24, ACS Central is the place to meet with staff, learn about ACS products and programs, purchase ACS-branded items and publications, and relax during the meeting. Other select ACS programs will have a presence in the main lobby of the center, including ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC, Wi-fi and Clinical Congress App Support, Become a Member/Member Services, MyCME, SESAP^® (Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program), and Webcast Sales.

Featured areas in ACS Central include the following:

• ACS Foundation

• ACS Store

• Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs

• Education

• Manage Your Profile (receive a free professional photo)

• Member Engagement

• My Specialty and Quality Programs

• Publications and Online Resources

• Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR)



ACS Central also features the ACS Theatre. The following programs will take place during the lunch hour, so grab a bite to eat and stop by to listen.



Monday, October 22: 1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Life Skills for the Surgeon: Savings Advice for Retirement
Mark Aeder, MD, FACS, will provide advice on how to handle your debt, how to find the right financial advisor, and how to protect your family and your income?

Special Considerations for a Successful Simulation Program
Rick Feins, MD, FACS, will explain why surgical simulation is an important pathway for achieving competency in surgical resident performance and adoption of new technology by established surgeons.

Tuesday, October 23: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Efforts to Reduce Administrative Burdens and Regulations and State Level Advocacy
Come listen to how the ACS is addressing the increasing administrative burdens and regulations that are frustrating our Fellows across the country with Vinita Ollapally, JD, ACS Manager of Regulatory Affairs.

Wednesday, October 24: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in the Surgical Community: Is there a need?
ACS President Barbara Lee Bass, MD, FACS, formed an ACS Task Force earlier this year to begin to consider what the ACS should do to address and prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) within the surgical community. Dr. Bass will address the work of the task force and the resources that have been developed to address this issue.

Make the most of your American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress experience by visiting ACS Central in the Exhibit Hall. Open 9:00 am–4:30 pm Monday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 24, ACS Central is the place to meet with staff, learn about ACS products and programs, purchase ACS-branded items and publications, and relax during the meeting. Other select ACS programs will have a presence in the main lobby of the center, including ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC, Wi-fi and Clinical Congress App Support, Become a Member/Member Services, MyCME, SESAP^® (Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program), and Webcast Sales.

Featured areas in ACS Central include the following:

• ACS Foundation

• ACS Store

• Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs

• Education

• Manage Your Profile (receive a free professional photo)

• Member Engagement

• My Specialty and Quality Programs

• Publications and Online Resources

• Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR)



ACS Central also features the ACS Theatre. The following programs will take place during the lunch hour, so grab a bite to eat and stop by to listen.



Monday, October 22: 1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Life Skills for the Surgeon: Savings Advice for Retirement
Mark Aeder, MD, FACS, will provide advice on how to handle your debt, how to find the right financial advisor, and how to protect your family and your income?

Special Considerations for a Successful Simulation Program
Rick Feins, MD, FACS, will explain why surgical simulation is an important pathway for achieving competency in surgical resident performance and adoption of new technology by established surgeons.

Tuesday, October 23: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Efforts to Reduce Administrative Burdens and Regulations and State Level Advocacy
Come listen to how the ACS is addressing the increasing administrative burdens and regulations that are frustrating our Fellows across the country with Vinita Ollapally, JD, ACS Manager of Regulatory Affairs.

Wednesday, October 24: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in the Surgical Community: Is there a need?
ACS President Barbara Lee Bass, MD, FACS, formed an ACS Task Force earlier this year to begin to consider what the ACS should do to address and prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) within the surgical community. Dr. Bass will address the work of the task force and the resources that have been developed to address this issue.

Make the most of your American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress experience by visiting ACS Central in the Exhibit Hall. Open 9:00 am–4:30 pm Monday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 24, ACS Central is the place to meet with staff, learn about ACS products and programs, purchase ACS-branded items and publications, and relax during the meeting. Other select ACS programs will have a presence in the main lobby of the center, including ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC, Wi-fi and Clinical Congress App Support, Become a Member/Member Services, MyCME, SESAP^® (Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program), and Webcast Sales.

Featured areas in ACS Central include the following:

• ACS Foundation

• ACS Store

• Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs

• Education

• Manage Your Profile (receive a free professional photo)

• Member Engagement

• My Specialty and Quality Programs

• Publications and Online Resources

• Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR)



ACS Central also features the ACS Theatre. The following programs will take place during the lunch hour, so grab a bite to eat and stop by to listen.



Monday, October 22: 1:15 pm–2:15 pm
Life Skills for the Surgeon: Savings Advice for Retirement
Mark Aeder, MD, FACS, will provide advice on how to handle your debt, how to find the right financial advisor, and how to protect your family and your income?

Special Considerations for a Successful Simulation Program
Rick Feins, MD, FACS, will explain why surgical simulation is an important pathway for achieving competency in surgical resident performance and adoption of new technology by established surgeons.

Tuesday, October 23: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Efforts to Reduce Administrative Burdens and Regulations and State Level Advocacy
Come listen to how the ACS is addressing the increasing administrative burdens and regulations that are frustrating our Fellows across the country with Vinita Ollapally, JD, ACS Manager of Regulatory Affairs.

Wednesday, October 24: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in the Surgical Community: Is there a need?
ACS President Barbara Lee Bass, MD, FACS, formed an ACS Task Force earlier this year to begin to consider what the ACS should do to address and prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) within the surgical community. Dr. Bass will address the work of the task force and the resources that have been developed to address this issue.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, a collaborative manual from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, is now available for print and electronic purchase. This second volume focuses on thyroid cancer, gastric cancer, rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and melanoma. The goal of the manual is to recommend the steps that need to occur in the operating room, from skin incision to skin closure, that ensure the best oncological outcomes for patients. Recommendations from the first two volumes serve as an initial point of discussion as the ACS Commission on Cancer (CoC) works to revise its accreditation manual and requirements. Preliminary work is being done to incorporate a portion of the recommendations into the new CoC standards for implementation by 2020.

The recommendations in the manual are part of a shift in the way surgeons perform cancer operations to ensure the procedures are guided by the strongest available evidence, according to the leadership of the Alliance/ACS Clinical Research Program (ACS CRP) Cancer Care Standards Development Committee, which led development of both volumes.

Similar to the first volume of the manual, which covered cancer of the breast, colon, lung, and pancreas, this volume breaks down the major cancer operations for each of the five disease sites into the critical steps that teams of experts and stakeholders around the country have identified as having the most significant influence on outcomes.

“We hope that the recommendations become actively used and achieve greater legitimacy,” said Committee Chair Mathew H. G. Katz, MD, FACS.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, is available for purchase on the Wolters Kluwer website at bit.ly/2PCHUCn. For more information, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, a collaborative manual from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, is now available for print and electronic purchase. This second volume focuses on thyroid cancer, gastric cancer, rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and melanoma. The goal of the manual is to recommend the steps that need to occur in the operating room, from skin incision to skin closure, that ensure the best oncological outcomes for patients. Recommendations from the first two volumes serve as an initial point of discussion as the ACS Commission on Cancer (CoC) works to revise its accreditation manual and requirements. Preliminary work is being done to incorporate a portion of the recommendations into the new CoC standards for implementation by 2020.

The recommendations in the manual are part of a shift in the way surgeons perform cancer operations to ensure the procedures are guided by the strongest available evidence, according to the leadership of the Alliance/ACS Clinical Research Program (ACS CRP) Cancer Care Standards Development Committee, which led development of both volumes.

Similar to the first volume of the manual, which covered cancer of the breast, colon, lung, and pancreas, this volume breaks down the major cancer operations for each of the five disease sites into the critical steps that teams of experts and stakeholders around the country have identified as having the most significant influence on outcomes.

“We hope that the recommendations become actively used and achieve greater legitimacy,” said Committee Chair Mathew H. G. Katz, MD, FACS.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, is available for purchase on the Wolters Kluwer website at bit.ly/2PCHUCn. For more information, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, a collaborative manual from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, is now available for print and electronic purchase. This second volume focuses on thyroid cancer, gastric cancer, rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and melanoma. The goal of the manual is to recommend the steps that need to occur in the operating room, from skin incision to skin closure, that ensure the best oncological outcomes for patients. Recommendations from the first two volumes serve as an initial point of discussion as the ACS Commission on Cancer (CoC) works to revise its accreditation manual and requirements. Preliminary work is being done to incorporate a portion of the recommendations into the new CoC standards for implementation by 2020.

The recommendations in the manual are part of a shift in the way surgeons perform cancer operations to ensure the procedures are guided by the strongest available evidence, according to the leadership of the Alliance/ACS Clinical Research Program (ACS CRP) Cancer Care Standards Development Committee, which led development of both volumes.

Similar to the first volume of the manual, which covered cancer of the breast, colon, lung, and pancreas, this volume breaks down the major cancer operations for each of the five disease sites into the critical steps that teams of experts and stakeholders around the country have identified as having the most significant influence on outcomes.

“We hope that the recommendations become actively used and achieve greater legitimacy,” said Committee Chair Mathew H. G. Katz, MD, FACS.

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2, is available for purchase on the Wolters Kluwer website at bit.ly/2PCHUCn. For more information, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

The Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress has evolved since the concept was first introduced as the Surgical Forum in 1951. This year’s Scientific Forum will build on these transformations and will offer attendees greater exposure to the surgical research conducted by the ACS community.

Background

The Surgical Forum was established in 1951 to provide a supportive venue for trainees and junior faculty to present and discuss their research. Presenting at the Forum has always been a rite of passage for aspiring academic surgeon-scientists. In 1993, the Surgical Forum was renamed to honor the program founder, Owen H. Wangensteen, MD, PhD, FACS, past-chair, department of surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

As surgical science evolved, the Program Committee developed a separate Scientific Papers session for established investigators and Fellows who were not early in their career. As these two programs evolved, it became increasingly clear that there was substantial overlap. In 2014, the Surgical Forum and Scientific Papers merged into a single entity under the oversight of the existing Surgical Forum Committee.

The merged program was renamed the Scientific Forum to reflect the contributions of the Surgical Forum and the Scientific Papers, and the committee was renamed the Scientific Forum Committee. Because of the increase in scientific abstracts resulting from this merger, the committee expanded its membership to reflect the type of scientific abstracts in the broader program. The basic and translational research focus of the Surgical Forum was expanded to include clinical research in health services, education, global surgery, ethics, and other evolving areas of surgical science.

These changes have revitalized the scientific effort. The number and quality of the abstracts submitted to the Scientific Forum has grown significantly—more than 2,000 abstracts were submitted for review for Clinical Congress 2018.

The spirit of the Surgical Forum has been maintained in the new Scientific Forum, continuing with the clustering of focused areas of research to encourage discussion and collaboration among the attendees. The Program Committee continues to place great emphasis on highlighting the work of young investigators while incorporating the expertise of senior investigators into the sessions.
 

Changes at Clinical Congress 2017

Quick Shots and e-Posters were introduced at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. Quick Shots are three-minute oral abstract presentations, which were incorporated into the Scientific Forum sessions. This addition, which allowed for more presenters in a session, was met with a positive reception.

The poster sessions were restructured to an electronic format. The e-Posters were placed in a central, dedicated location among the Scientific Forum sessions rather than the Exhibit Hall. The modern e-Poster sessions brought greater visibility to the poster presentations and energized the format. In the e-Poster room, special sessions were scheduled to highlight the exceptional research efforts of the surgical trainees through the Excellence in Research Awards and the Posters of Exceptional Merit. In addition, the Scientific Forum is dedicated to a senior surgeon-scientist who has demonstrated a career-long commitment to training surgeon-scientists and the academic mission.

To further promote and support surgical research, the Scientific Forum Committee partnered with the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) to solicit the highest-rated abstracts for publication in JACS. In the first year, the top 5 percent of abstracts in the clinical sciences were solicited for manuscript submissions. More than half of those authors submitted a manuscript for review. All accepted manuscripts will be electronically published concurrently with the ACS Clinical Congress 2018 to provide greater visibility to the high-quality research being generated by the ACS community.
 

Clinical trials session added in 2018

The Scientific Forum Committee strongly believes the Clinical Congress is the premier venue to present practice-changing research. New for 2018, a call for late-breaking clinical trials abstracts was issued, and the committee selected six clinical trials that have the potential to change practice and improve patient care. This new clinical trials session will be presented at Clinical Congress 2018 Monday, October 22, at 9:45 am.

The ACS Clinical Congress is the largest surgical meeting in the U.S. The vision of the Scientific Forum Committee is for leaders of surgical trials to view the Clinical Congress as the premier venue to present their results. These exciting and transformative changes to the Scientific Forum will bring greater exposure to the leading-edge research in clinical care, while continuing to support and encourage young surgeon-scientists—the future of the study and practice of surgery—in their work. ♦
 

Note

The authors of this article are part of the Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Committee—Mary T. Hawn, MD, FACS; Edith Tzeng, MD, FACS; and Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, are members, and M. Jane Burns, MJHL; Richard V. King, PhD; and Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, are ACS staff.



Dr. Hawn is professor of surgery and chair, department of surgery, Stanford University, CA. She is Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Tzeng is professor of surgery, University of Pittsburgh, and chief, vascular surgery, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive Campus, PA. She is Vice-Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Rusch is vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College. She is a consultant for the ACS Program Committee.

Ms. Burns is Senior Manager, Clinical Congress Program, ACS Division of Education, Chicago.

Mr. King is Assistant Director, Clinical Congress Program and Skills Courses, ACS Division of Education.

Dr. Sachdeva is Director, ACS Division of Education.






 

The Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress has evolved since the concept was first introduced as the Surgical Forum in 1951. This year’s Scientific Forum will build on these transformations and will offer attendees greater exposure to the surgical research conducted by the ACS community.

Background

The Surgical Forum was established in 1951 to provide a supportive venue for trainees and junior faculty to present and discuss their research. Presenting at the Forum has always been a rite of passage for aspiring academic surgeon-scientists. In 1993, the Surgical Forum was renamed to honor the program founder, Owen H. Wangensteen, MD, PhD, FACS, past-chair, department of surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

As surgical science evolved, the Program Committee developed a separate Scientific Papers session for established investigators and Fellows who were not early in their career. As these two programs evolved, it became increasingly clear that there was substantial overlap. In 2014, the Surgical Forum and Scientific Papers merged into a single entity under the oversight of the existing Surgical Forum Committee.

The merged program was renamed the Scientific Forum to reflect the contributions of the Surgical Forum and the Scientific Papers, and the committee was renamed the Scientific Forum Committee. Because of the increase in scientific abstracts resulting from this merger, the committee expanded its membership to reflect the type of scientific abstracts in the broader program. The basic and translational research focus of the Surgical Forum was expanded to include clinical research in health services, education, global surgery, ethics, and other evolving areas of surgical science.

These changes have revitalized the scientific effort. The number and quality of the abstracts submitted to the Scientific Forum has grown significantly—more than 2,000 abstracts were submitted for review for Clinical Congress 2018.

The spirit of the Surgical Forum has been maintained in the new Scientific Forum, continuing with the clustering of focused areas of research to encourage discussion and collaboration among the attendees. The Program Committee continues to place great emphasis on highlighting the work of young investigators while incorporating the expertise of senior investigators into the sessions.
 

Changes at Clinical Congress 2017

Quick Shots and e-Posters were introduced at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. Quick Shots are three-minute oral abstract presentations, which were incorporated into the Scientific Forum sessions. This addition, which allowed for more presenters in a session, was met with a positive reception.

The poster sessions were restructured to an electronic format. The e-Posters were placed in a central, dedicated location among the Scientific Forum sessions rather than the Exhibit Hall. The modern e-Poster sessions brought greater visibility to the poster presentations and energized the format. In the e-Poster room, special sessions were scheduled to highlight the exceptional research efforts of the surgical trainees through the Excellence in Research Awards and the Posters of Exceptional Merit. In addition, the Scientific Forum is dedicated to a senior surgeon-scientist who has demonstrated a career-long commitment to training surgeon-scientists and the academic mission.

To further promote and support surgical research, the Scientific Forum Committee partnered with the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) to solicit the highest-rated abstracts for publication in JACS. In the first year, the top 5 percent of abstracts in the clinical sciences were solicited for manuscript submissions. More than half of those authors submitted a manuscript for review. All accepted manuscripts will be electronically published concurrently with the ACS Clinical Congress 2018 to provide greater visibility to the high-quality research being generated by the ACS community.
 

Clinical trials session added in 2018

The Scientific Forum Committee strongly believes the Clinical Congress is the premier venue to present practice-changing research. New for 2018, a call for late-breaking clinical trials abstracts was issued, and the committee selected six clinical trials that have the potential to change practice and improve patient care. This new clinical trials session will be presented at Clinical Congress 2018 Monday, October 22, at 9:45 am.

The ACS Clinical Congress is the largest surgical meeting in the U.S. The vision of the Scientific Forum Committee is for leaders of surgical trials to view the Clinical Congress as the premier venue to present their results. These exciting and transformative changes to the Scientific Forum will bring greater exposure to the leading-edge research in clinical care, while continuing to support and encourage young surgeon-scientists—the future of the study and practice of surgery—in their work. ♦
 

Note

The authors of this article are part of the Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Committee—Mary T. Hawn, MD, FACS; Edith Tzeng, MD, FACS; and Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, are members, and M. Jane Burns, MJHL; Richard V. King, PhD; and Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, are ACS staff.



Dr. Hawn is professor of surgery and chair, department of surgery, Stanford University, CA. She is Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Tzeng is professor of surgery, University of Pittsburgh, and chief, vascular surgery, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive Campus, PA. She is Vice-Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Rusch is vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College. She is a consultant for the ACS Program Committee.

Ms. Burns is Senior Manager, Clinical Congress Program, ACS Division of Education, Chicago.

Mr. King is Assistant Director, Clinical Congress Program and Skills Courses, ACS Division of Education.

Dr. Sachdeva is Director, ACS Division of Education.






 

The Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress has evolved since the concept was first introduced as the Surgical Forum in 1951. This year’s Scientific Forum will build on these transformations and will offer attendees greater exposure to the surgical research conducted by the ACS community.

Background

The Surgical Forum was established in 1951 to provide a supportive venue for trainees and junior faculty to present and discuss their research. Presenting at the Forum has always been a rite of passage for aspiring academic surgeon-scientists. In 1993, the Surgical Forum was renamed to honor the program founder, Owen H. Wangensteen, MD, PhD, FACS, past-chair, department of surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

As surgical science evolved, the Program Committee developed a separate Scientific Papers session for established investigators and Fellows who were not early in their career. As these two programs evolved, it became increasingly clear that there was substantial overlap. In 2014, the Surgical Forum and Scientific Papers merged into a single entity under the oversight of the existing Surgical Forum Committee.

The merged program was renamed the Scientific Forum to reflect the contributions of the Surgical Forum and the Scientific Papers, and the committee was renamed the Scientific Forum Committee. Because of the increase in scientific abstracts resulting from this merger, the committee expanded its membership to reflect the type of scientific abstracts in the broader program. The basic and translational research focus of the Surgical Forum was expanded to include clinical research in health services, education, global surgery, ethics, and other evolving areas of surgical science.

These changes have revitalized the scientific effort. The number and quality of the abstracts submitted to the Scientific Forum has grown significantly—more than 2,000 abstracts were submitted for review for Clinical Congress 2018.

The spirit of the Surgical Forum has been maintained in the new Scientific Forum, continuing with the clustering of focused areas of research to encourage discussion and collaboration among the attendees. The Program Committee continues to place great emphasis on highlighting the work of young investigators while incorporating the expertise of senior investigators into the sessions.
 

Changes at Clinical Congress 2017

Quick Shots and e-Posters were introduced at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. Quick Shots are three-minute oral abstract presentations, which were incorporated into the Scientific Forum sessions. This addition, which allowed for more presenters in a session, was met with a positive reception.

The poster sessions were restructured to an electronic format. The e-Posters were placed in a central, dedicated location among the Scientific Forum sessions rather than the Exhibit Hall. The modern e-Poster sessions brought greater visibility to the poster presentations and energized the format. In the e-Poster room, special sessions were scheduled to highlight the exceptional research efforts of the surgical trainees through the Excellence in Research Awards and the Posters of Exceptional Merit. In addition, the Scientific Forum is dedicated to a senior surgeon-scientist who has demonstrated a career-long commitment to training surgeon-scientists and the academic mission.

To further promote and support surgical research, the Scientific Forum Committee partnered with the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) to solicit the highest-rated abstracts for publication in JACS. In the first year, the top 5 percent of abstracts in the clinical sciences were solicited for manuscript submissions. More than half of those authors submitted a manuscript for review. All accepted manuscripts will be electronically published concurrently with the ACS Clinical Congress 2018 to provide greater visibility to the high-quality research being generated by the ACS community.
 

Clinical trials session added in 2018

The Scientific Forum Committee strongly believes the Clinical Congress is the premier venue to present practice-changing research. New for 2018, a call for late-breaking clinical trials abstracts was issued, and the committee selected six clinical trials that have the potential to change practice and improve patient care. This new clinical trials session will be presented at Clinical Congress 2018 Monday, October 22, at 9:45 am.

The ACS Clinical Congress is the largest surgical meeting in the U.S. The vision of the Scientific Forum Committee is for leaders of surgical trials to view the Clinical Congress as the premier venue to present their results. These exciting and transformative changes to the Scientific Forum will bring greater exposure to the leading-edge research in clinical care, while continuing to support and encourage young surgeon-scientists—the future of the study and practice of surgery—in their work. ♦
 

Note

The authors of this article are part of the Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Committee—Mary T. Hawn, MD, FACS; Edith Tzeng, MD, FACS; and Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, are members, and M. Jane Burns, MJHL; Richard V. King, PhD; and Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, are ACS staff.



Dr. Hawn is professor of surgery and chair, department of surgery, Stanford University, CA. She is Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Tzeng is professor of surgery, University of Pittsburgh, and chief, vascular surgery, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive Campus, PA. She is Vice-Chair, ACS Scientific Forum Committee.

Dr. Rusch is vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College. She is a consultant for the ACS Program Committee.

Ms. Burns is Senior Manager, Clinical Congress Program, ACS Division of Education, Chicago.

Mr. King is Assistant Director, Clinical Congress Program and Skills Courses, ACS Division of Education.

Dr. Sachdeva is Director, ACS Division of Education.






 

The Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has selected Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, an esteemed thoracic surgeon in New York, NY, as the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Service Award (DSA)--the College's highest honor. The Board of Regents will present the award to Dr. Rusch, vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, at the Convocation ceremony at 6:00 pm October 21 at the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA. 

The Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has selected Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, an esteemed thoracic surgeon in New York, NY, as the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Service Award (DSA)--the College's highest honor. The Board of Regents will present the award to Dr. Rusch, vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, at the Convocation ceremony at 6:00 pm October 21 at the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA. 

The Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has selected Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, an esteemed thoracic surgeon in New York, NY, as the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Service Award (DSA)--the College's highest honor. The Board of Regents will present the award to Dr. Rusch, vice-chair, clinical research, department of surgery; Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers; attending surgeon, thoracic service, department of surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and professor of surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, at the Convocation ceremony at 6:00 pm October 21 at the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA. 

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing July 23 featuring a panel of experts on military surgical care—John H. Armstrong, MD, FACS; Arthur Kellerman, MD, MPH; CAPT Eric Elster, MD, FACS, USN; and COL Frederick Lough, MD, FACS, USA. The panelists focused on themes from the recent publication, Out of the Crucible: How the U.S. Military Transformed Combat Casualty Care in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the role military-civilian trauma partnerships play in maintaining trauma care readiness.

Attendees learned that the prolonged conflicts in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom saw an unprecedented improvement in military combat casualty care and the creation of the Joint Trauma System (JTS), allowing for the development and dissemination of best trauma practices across the Department of Defense. Preserving the JTS and establishing a fully integrated military-civilian trauma system are among the primary efforts of the Military Health System Strategic Partnership American College of Surgeons.

For more information about this briefing, contact Carrie Zlatos, ACS Senior Congressional Lobbyist, at czlatos@facs.org or 202-672-1508.
 

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing July 23 featuring a panel of experts on military surgical care—John H. Armstrong, MD, FACS; Arthur Kellerman, MD, MPH; CAPT Eric Elster, MD, FACS, USN; and COL Frederick Lough, MD, FACS, USA. The panelists focused on themes from the recent publication, Out of the Crucible: How the U.S. Military Transformed Combat Casualty Care in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the role military-civilian trauma partnerships play in maintaining trauma care readiness.

Attendees learned that the prolonged conflicts in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom saw an unprecedented improvement in military combat casualty care and the creation of the Joint Trauma System (JTS), allowing for the development and dissemination of best trauma practices across the Department of Defense. Preserving the JTS and establishing a fully integrated military-civilian trauma system are among the primary efforts of the Military Health System Strategic Partnership American College of Surgeons.

For more information about this briefing, contact Carrie Zlatos, ACS Senior Congressional Lobbyist, at czlatos@facs.org or 202-672-1508.
 

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing July 23 featuring a panel of experts on military surgical care—John H. Armstrong, MD, FACS; Arthur Kellerman, MD, MPH; CAPT Eric Elster, MD, FACS, USN; and COL Frederick Lough, MD, FACS, USA. The panelists focused on themes from the recent publication, Out of the Crucible: How the U.S. Military Transformed Combat Casualty Care in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the role military-civilian trauma partnerships play in maintaining trauma care readiness.

Attendees learned that the prolonged conflicts in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom saw an unprecedented improvement in military combat casualty care and the creation of the Joint Trauma System (JTS), allowing for the development and dissemination of best trauma practices across the Department of Defense. Preserving the JTS and establishing a fully integrated military-civilian trauma system are among the primary efforts of the Military Health System Strategic Partnership American College of Surgeons.

For more information about this briefing, contact Carrie Zlatos, ACS Senior Congressional Lobbyist, at czlatos@facs.org or 202-672-1508.
 

If you are not already a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) or you know an interested non-member colleague who is attending the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA, visit the Become a Member booth to apply for ACS membership. The membership application fee will be waived for individuals who apply at the meeting.

The Become a Member booth will be located in the Registration Area of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and will be open the same hours as registration, which are as follows:



• Sunday, October 21: 7:00 am–6:00 pm

• Monday, October 22: 6:30 am–5:00 pm

• Tuesday, October 23: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Wednesday, October 24: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Thursday, October 25: 7:00–10:00 am



Plan ahead to apply at the meeting for one of the following membership categories and have access to the documents listed to support and speed up your application process:



• Fellows (U.S. and Canada): Copy of board certification document, current curriculum vitae (CV), and names of five ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the domestic application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VUqvveNYf8&.

• International Fellows: Copy of medical license, board/country certification document, current CV, and names of three ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the international application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=djoMUAUTA4I.

• Associate Fellows: Copy of residency completion document or an official board/country certification document.

• Residents: Letter verifying training status.

• Medical Students: Letter verifying educational status.

• Affiliate Members: The name of a Fellow as a reference.



Familiarize yourself with the ACS Member Benefits (facs.org/member-services/benefits) and make time to apply for membership while at the meeting. For additional information, contact Member Services at ms@facs.org or 800-621-4111. We look forward to assisting you.

If you are not already a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) or you know an interested non-member colleague who is attending the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA, visit the Become a Member booth to apply for ACS membership. The membership application fee will be waived for individuals who apply at the meeting.

The Become a Member booth will be located in the Registration Area of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and will be open the same hours as registration, which are as follows:



• Sunday, October 21: 7:00 am–6:00 pm

• Monday, October 22: 6:30 am–5:00 pm

• Tuesday, October 23: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Wednesday, October 24: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Thursday, October 25: 7:00–10:00 am



Plan ahead to apply at the meeting for one of the following membership categories and have access to the documents listed to support and speed up your application process:



• Fellows (U.S. and Canada): Copy of board certification document, current curriculum vitae (CV), and names of five ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the domestic application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VUqvveNYf8&.

• International Fellows: Copy of medical license, board/country certification document, current CV, and names of three ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the international application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=djoMUAUTA4I.

• Associate Fellows: Copy of residency completion document or an official board/country certification document.

• Residents: Letter verifying training status.

• Medical Students: Letter verifying educational status.

• Affiliate Members: The name of a Fellow as a reference.



Familiarize yourself with the ACS Member Benefits (facs.org/member-services/benefits) and make time to apply for membership while at the meeting. For additional information, contact Member Services at ms@facs.org or 800-621-4111. We look forward to assisting you.

If you are not already a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) or you know an interested non-member colleague who is attending the Clinical Congress 2018 in Boston, MA, visit the Become a Member booth to apply for ACS membership. The membership application fee will be waived for individuals who apply at the meeting.

The Become a Member booth will be located in the Registration Area of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and will be open the same hours as registration, which are as follows:



• Sunday, October 21: 7:00 am–6:00 pm

• Monday, October 22: 6:30 am–5:00 pm

• Tuesday, October 23: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Wednesday, October 24: 7:00 am–4:00 pm

• Thursday, October 25: 7:00–10:00 am



Plan ahead to apply at the meeting for one of the following membership categories and have access to the documents listed to support and speed up your application process:



• Fellows (U.S. and Canada): Copy of board certification document, current curriculum vitae (CV), and names of five ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the domestic application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VUqvveNYf8&.

• International Fellows: Copy of medical license, board/country certification document, current CV, and names of three ACS Fellows to serve as references. Watch the video about the international application process at www.youtube.com/watch?v=djoMUAUTA4I.

• Associate Fellows: Copy of residency completion document or an official board/country certification document.

• Residents: Letter verifying training status.

• Medical Students: Letter verifying educational status.

• Affiliate Members: The name of a Fellow as a reference.



Familiarize yourself with the ACS Member Benefits (facs.org/member-services/benefits) and make time to apply for membership while at the meeting. For additional information, contact Member Services at ms@facs.org or 800-621-4111. We look forward to assisting you.

The American Medical Association (AMA) Annual House of Delegates (HOD) meeting took place June 9–13 in Chicago, IL. Approximately 600 delegates representing state medical societies, national specialty societies, and national medical societies gathered to discuss a variety of policies and issues that affect patients and physicians.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) sent a six-member delegation to the meeting (see sidebar, page 84). In addition to serving on the College’s delegation, some of the ACS delegates serve in other capacities in the HOD, on the AMA Council on Medical Education, in the AMA Young Physicians Section, and in the AMA Resident and Fellow Section. All three of these entities convene during the broader HOD meeting, providing further opportunities to influence the adoption of health care policy.

Issue highlights

During the HOD meeting, delegates discuss and adopt policies as presented in reports and resolutions. The HOD considered more than 64 reports and 200 resolutions at the June meeting, including the following:

• Colorectal cancer screening: A joint report of the Council on Medical Service and the Council on Science and Public Health focused on policy updates related to coverage for colorectal cancer screening. As adopted, this report directs the AMA to seek to eliminate cost-sharing in all health care plans for the full range of colorectal cancer screening and all associated costs, including colonoscopies that include a diagnostic intervention (such as the removal of a polyp or biopsy of a mass), as defined by Medicare. In addition, the AMA now recognizes colon cancer as a leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and encourages appropriate screening programs to detect colorectal cancer.

• Obesity treatment: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 201, Barriers to Obesity Treatment, which the HOD adopted. It directs the AMA to work with appropriate stakeholders to remove out-of-date restrictions at the state and federal level that prohibit health care providers from providing the accepted standard of care to patients affected by obesity.

• Kidney transplantation: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 219, which asked the AMA to work with professional and patient-centered organizations to advance patient- and physician-directed coordinated care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and to actively oppose the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, and Treatment Services (PATIENTS) Demonstration Act of 2017. The College and other organizations opposed this federal legislation as introduced, partly due to infringement on the patient-physician relationship and the disruption of care by prohibiting nephrologists who are not part of preferred networks from caring for their patients receiving care in units owned by an ESRD integrated care organization participating in the model. The resolution was referred to the AMA Board of Trustees.

The HOD also amended AMA policy regarding living organ donation. The amended policy supports removing financial barriers to living organ donation, such as provisions for expenses incurred after the donation as a consequence of donation, and prohibiting the use of living donor status to limit disability and long-term care coverage. In addition, the AMA will advocate that live organ donation operations be classified as a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

• Firearms: After extensive debate, the HOD adopted a new policy regarding firearms. The new policy supports a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition from licensed and unlicensed dealers to those younger than 21 years old (excluding certain categories of individuals, such as military and law enforcement personnel); opposes “concealed carry reciprocity” federal legislation; and supports a ban on the sale and ownership of all assault-type weapons, bump stocks and related devices, high-capacity magazines, and armor-piercing bullets.

• Prostate cancer screening: Resolution 226 proposed that the AMA develop model state legislation for screening asymptomatic men ages 55–69 for prostate cancer after informed discussion between patients and their physician without annual deductible or copayment. Testimony both for and against this resolution was offered, and the HOD referred the resolution so that the various facets of the issue can be studied.

• Maintenance of Certification: The AMA Council on Medical Education submitted its annual report on Maintenance of Certification (MOC), detailing the status of revisions by specialty boards to the MOC process and discussing council interactions with the boards and the American Board of Medical Specialties. The HOD adopted this report.



Two additional MOC-related resolutions were introduced. Resolution 320 asked the AMA to support young physician involvement in MOC, and Resolution 316 asked the AMA to oppose the Part 4 Improvement in Medical Practice requirement for MOC. The HOD adopted Resolution 320 and referred Resolution 316.
 

AMA elections

During the annual meeting of the HOD, officers and councils are elected. Patrice Harris, MD, a psychiatrist from Atlanta, GA, was elected president-elect, and Russell Kridel, MD, FACS, a facial plastic surgeon from Houston, TX, who was endorsed by the ACS, was reelected to the Board of Trustees. Following the conclusion of the HOD, Dr. Kridel also was elected to serve as Secretary of the Board. For a summary of the AMA election results, go to the AMA Wire article at wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/patrice-harris-md-wins-office-ama-president-elect.
 

Surgical Caucus

Founded almost 30 years ago, the Surgical Caucus gives surgeon delegates and alternates the opportunity to meet to discuss HOD business from the surgical perspective. Part of the regular business of the caucus involves sponsoring an educational session. Titled Ready or Not, Here We Come: Transitioning to Practice in a Modern Healthcare System, this program focused on the transition from surgical residency to practice and how the profession can enhance this process, as well as the effects of current training program requirements on preparedness for independent practice.

Future meeting

The Interim Meeting of the HOD will take place November 10–13 at National Harbor, MD, and the ACS delegation will be well-prepared to represent surgical perspectives. Surgeons with thoughts about potential resolutions or questions about the HOD may contact jsutton@facs.org or visit the HOD web page at www.ama-assn.org/hod-annual-overview.
 

ACS Delegation at the AMA HOD

• Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS (Delegation Chair), general surgery, Chicago, IL; Director, ACS Division of Member Services; member and immediate past-chair, AMA Council on Medical Education

• David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, general surgery, Chicago, IL; ACS Executive Director

• Brian J. Gavitt, MD, MPH (also Young Physicians Section delegate), general surgery, Cincinnati, OH

• Jacob Moalem, MD, FACS, general surgery, Rochester, NY

• Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, Tucson, AZ; Chair, ACS Board of Regents

• Naveen F. Sangji, MD (also Resident and Fellow Section delegate), general surgery resident, Boston, MA



Dr. Turner is Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

Mr. Sutton is Manager, State Affairs, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, Washington, DC.
 

The American Medical Association (AMA) Annual House of Delegates (HOD) meeting took place June 9–13 in Chicago, IL. Approximately 600 delegates representing state medical societies, national specialty societies, and national medical societies gathered to discuss a variety of policies and issues that affect patients and physicians.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) sent a six-member delegation to the meeting (see sidebar, page 84). In addition to serving on the College’s delegation, some of the ACS delegates serve in other capacities in the HOD, on the AMA Council on Medical Education, in the AMA Young Physicians Section, and in the AMA Resident and Fellow Section. All three of these entities convene during the broader HOD meeting, providing further opportunities to influence the adoption of health care policy.

Issue highlights

During the HOD meeting, delegates discuss and adopt policies as presented in reports and resolutions. The HOD considered more than 64 reports and 200 resolutions at the June meeting, including the following:

• Colorectal cancer screening: A joint report of the Council on Medical Service and the Council on Science and Public Health focused on policy updates related to coverage for colorectal cancer screening. As adopted, this report directs the AMA to seek to eliminate cost-sharing in all health care plans for the full range of colorectal cancer screening and all associated costs, including colonoscopies that include a diagnostic intervention (such as the removal of a polyp or biopsy of a mass), as defined by Medicare. In addition, the AMA now recognizes colon cancer as a leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and encourages appropriate screening programs to detect colorectal cancer.

• Obesity treatment: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 201, Barriers to Obesity Treatment, which the HOD adopted. It directs the AMA to work with appropriate stakeholders to remove out-of-date restrictions at the state and federal level that prohibit health care providers from providing the accepted standard of care to patients affected by obesity.

• Kidney transplantation: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 219, which asked the AMA to work with professional and patient-centered organizations to advance patient- and physician-directed coordinated care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and to actively oppose the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, and Treatment Services (PATIENTS) Demonstration Act of 2017. The College and other organizations opposed this federal legislation as introduced, partly due to infringement on the patient-physician relationship and the disruption of care by prohibiting nephrologists who are not part of preferred networks from caring for their patients receiving care in units owned by an ESRD integrated care organization participating in the model. The resolution was referred to the AMA Board of Trustees.

The HOD also amended AMA policy regarding living organ donation. The amended policy supports removing financial barriers to living organ donation, such as provisions for expenses incurred after the donation as a consequence of donation, and prohibiting the use of living donor status to limit disability and long-term care coverage. In addition, the AMA will advocate that live organ donation operations be classified as a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

• Firearms: After extensive debate, the HOD adopted a new policy regarding firearms. The new policy supports a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition from licensed and unlicensed dealers to those younger than 21 years old (excluding certain categories of individuals, such as military and law enforcement personnel); opposes “concealed carry reciprocity” federal legislation; and supports a ban on the sale and ownership of all assault-type weapons, bump stocks and related devices, high-capacity magazines, and armor-piercing bullets.

• Prostate cancer screening: Resolution 226 proposed that the AMA develop model state legislation for screening asymptomatic men ages 55–69 for prostate cancer after informed discussion between patients and their physician without annual deductible or copayment. Testimony both for and against this resolution was offered, and the HOD referred the resolution so that the various facets of the issue can be studied.

• Maintenance of Certification: The AMA Council on Medical Education submitted its annual report on Maintenance of Certification (MOC), detailing the status of revisions by specialty boards to the MOC process and discussing council interactions with the boards and the American Board of Medical Specialties. The HOD adopted this report.



Two additional MOC-related resolutions were introduced. Resolution 320 asked the AMA to support young physician involvement in MOC, and Resolution 316 asked the AMA to oppose the Part 4 Improvement in Medical Practice requirement for MOC. The HOD adopted Resolution 320 and referred Resolution 316.
 

AMA elections

During the annual meeting of the HOD, officers and councils are elected. Patrice Harris, MD, a psychiatrist from Atlanta, GA, was elected president-elect, and Russell Kridel, MD, FACS, a facial plastic surgeon from Houston, TX, who was endorsed by the ACS, was reelected to the Board of Trustees. Following the conclusion of the HOD, Dr. Kridel also was elected to serve as Secretary of the Board. For a summary of the AMA election results, go to the AMA Wire article at wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/patrice-harris-md-wins-office-ama-president-elect.
 

Surgical Caucus

Founded almost 30 years ago, the Surgical Caucus gives surgeon delegates and alternates the opportunity to meet to discuss HOD business from the surgical perspective. Part of the regular business of the caucus involves sponsoring an educational session. Titled Ready or Not, Here We Come: Transitioning to Practice in a Modern Healthcare System, this program focused on the transition from surgical residency to practice and how the profession can enhance this process, as well as the effects of current training program requirements on preparedness for independent practice.

Future meeting

The Interim Meeting of the HOD will take place November 10–13 at National Harbor, MD, and the ACS delegation will be well-prepared to represent surgical perspectives. Surgeons with thoughts about potential resolutions or questions about the HOD may contact jsutton@facs.org or visit the HOD web page at www.ama-assn.org/hod-annual-overview.
 

ACS Delegation at the AMA HOD

• Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS (Delegation Chair), general surgery, Chicago, IL; Director, ACS Division of Member Services; member and immediate past-chair, AMA Council on Medical Education

• David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, general surgery, Chicago, IL; ACS Executive Director

• Brian J. Gavitt, MD, MPH (also Young Physicians Section delegate), general surgery, Cincinnati, OH

• Jacob Moalem, MD, FACS, general surgery, Rochester, NY

• Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, Tucson, AZ; Chair, ACS Board of Regents

• Naveen F. Sangji, MD (also Resident and Fellow Section delegate), general surgery resident, Boston, MA



Dr. Turner is Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

Mr. Sutton is Manager, State Affairs, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, Washington, DC.
 

The American Medical Association (AMA) Annual House of Delegates (HOD) meeting took place June 9–13 in Chicago, IL. Approximately 600 delegates representing state medical societies, national specialty societies, and national medical societies gathered to discuss a variety of policies and issues that affect patients and physicians.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) sent a six-member delegation to the meeting (see sidebar, page 84). In addition to serving on the College’s delegation, some of the ACS delegates serve in other capacities in the HOD, on the AMA Council on Medical Education, in the AMA Young Physicians Section, and in the AMA Resident and Fellow Section. All three of these entities convene during the broader HOD meeting, providing further opportunities to influence the adoption of health care policy.

Issue highlights

During the HOD meeting, delegates discuss and adopt policies as presented in reports and resolutions. The HOD considered more than 64 reports and 200 resolutions at the June meeting, including the following:

• Colorectal cancer screening: A joint report of the Council on Medical Service and the Council on Science and Public Health focused on policy updates related to coverage for colorectal cancer screening. As adopted, this report directs the AMA to seek to eliminate cost-sharing in all health care plans for the full range of colorectal cancer screening and all associated costs, including colonoscopies that include a diagnostic intervention (such as the removal of a polyp or biopsy of a mass), as defined by Medicare. In addition, the AMA now recognizes colon cancer as a leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and encourages appropriate screening programs to detect colorectal cancer.

• Obesity treatment: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 201, Barriers to Obesity Treatment, which the HOD adopted. It directs the AMA to work with appropriate stakeholders to remove out-of-date restrictions at the state and federal level that prohibit health care providers from providing the accepted standard of care to patients affected by obesity.

• Kidney transplantation: The ACS cosponsored Resolution 219, which asked the AMA to work with professional and patient-centered organizations to advance patient- and physician-directed coordinated care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and to actively oppose the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, and Treatment Services (PATIENTS) Demonstration Act of 2017. The College and other organizations opposed this federal legislation as introduced, partly due to infringement on the patient-physician relationship and the disruption of care by prohibiting nephrologists who are not part of preferred networks from caring for their patients receiving care in units owned by an ESRD integrated care organization participating in the model. The resolution was referred to the AMA Board of Trustees.

The HOD also amended AMA policy regarding living organ donation. The amended policy supports removing financial barriers to living organ donation, such as provisions for expenses incurred after the donation as a consequence of donation, and prohibiting the use of living donor status to limit disability and long-term care coverage. In addition, the AMA will advocate that live organ donation operations be classified as a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

• Firearms: After extensive debate, the HOD adopted a new policy regarding firearms. The new policy supports a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition from licensed and unlicensed dealers to those younger than 21 years old (excluding certain categories of individuals, such as military and law enforcement personnel); opposes “concealed carry reciprocity” federal legislation; and supports a ban on the sale and ownership of all assault-type weapons, bump stocks and related devices, high-capacity magazines, and armor-piercing bullets.

• Prostate cancer screening: Resolution 226 proposed that the AMA develop model state legislation for screening asymptomatic men ages 55–69 for prostate cancer after informed discussion between patients and their physician without annual deductible or copayment. Testimony both for and against this resolution was offered, and the HOD referred the resolution so that the various facets of the issue can be studied.

• Maintenance of Certification: The AMA Council on Medical Education submitted its annual report on Maintenance of Certification (MOC), detailing the status of revisions by specialty boards to the MOC process and discussing council interactions with the boards and the American Board of Medical Specialties. The HOD adopted this report.



Two additional MOC-related resolutions were introduced. Resolution 320 asked the AMA to support young physician involvement in MOC, and Resolution 316 asked the AMA to oppose the Part 4 Improvement in Medical Practice requirement for MOC. The HOD adopted Resolution 320 and referred Resolution 316.
 

AMA elections

During the annual meeting of the HOD, officers and councils are elected. Patrice Harris, MD, a psychiatrist from Atlanta, GA, was elected president-elect, and Russell Kridel, MD, FACS, a facial plastic surgeon from Houston, TX, who was endorsed by the ACS, was reelected to the Board of Trustees. Following the conclusion of the HOD, Dr. Kridel also was elected to serve as Secretary of the Board. For a summary of the AMA election results, go to the AMA Wire article at wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/patrice-harris-md-wins-office-ama-president-elect.
 

Surgical Caucus

Founded almost 30 years ago, the Surgical Caucus gives surgeon delegates and alternates the opportunity to meet to discuss HOD business from the surgical perspective. Part of the regular business of the caucus involves sponsoring an educational session. Titled Ready or Not, Here We Come: Transitioning to Practice in a Modern Healthcare System, this program focused on the transition from surgical residency to practice and how the profession can enhance this process, as well as the effects of current training program requirements on preparedness for independent practice.

Future meeting

The Interim Meeting of the HOD will take place November 10–13 at National Harbor, MD, and the ACS delegation will be well-prepared to represent surgical perspectives. Surgeons with thoughts about potential resolutions or questions about the HOD may contact jsutton@facs.org or visit the HOD web page at www.ama-assn.org/hod-annual-overview.
 

ACS Delegation at the AMA HOD

• Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS (Delegation Chair), general surgery, Chicago, IL; Director, ACS Division of Member Services; member and immediate past-chair, AMA Council on Medical Education

• David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, general surgery, Chicago, IL; ACS Executive Director

• Brian J. Gavitt, MD, MPH (also Young Physicians Section delegate), general surgery, Cincinnati, OH

• Jacob Moalem, MD, FACS, general surgery, Rochester, NY

• Leigh A. Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, Tucson, AZ; Chair, ACS Board of Regents

• Naveen F. Sangji, MD (also Resident and Fellow Section delegate), general surgery resident, Boston, MA



Dr. Turner is Director, ACS Division of Member Services, Chicago, IL.

Mr. Sutton is Manager, State Affairs, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, Washington, DC.
 

The International Relations Committee of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) sponsors three academic surgeon exchange programs to send a talented young U.S. or Canadian Fellow to the annual surgical meeting of each participating country. Afterwards, the Fellows tour several sites tailored to their specific research interests. In exchange, the College accepts fine young academic surgeon-scholars from the participating societies to attend the annual ACS Clinical Congress. This exchange is with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with the ACS Australia-New Zealand Chapter, the Japan Surgical Society with the ACS Japan Chapter, and the German Surgical Society with the ACS Germany Chapter.

The 2018 ANZ Exchange Fellow is Yiu Ming Ho, MB, BS, MS, FRACS, a general and colorectal surgeon University of Sydney, Australia. His recent research has been on examining personalized radiation therapy for low-risk early breast cancer. His U.S. counterpart, Mayur B. Patel, MD, MPH, FACS, is associate professor of surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, TN, specializing in neurotrauma and traumatic brain injury. He attended the Annual Scientific Congress of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons held in Sydney, Australia, in May.

The International Relations Committee of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) sponsors three academic surgeon exchange programs to send a talented young U.S. or Canadian Fellow to the annual surgical meeting of each participating country. Afterwards, the Fellows tour several sites tailored to their specific research interests. In exchange, the College accepts fine young academic surgeon-scholars from the participating societies to attend the annual ACS Clinical Congress. This exchange is with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with the ACS Australia-New Zealand Chapter, the Japan Surgical Society with the ACS Japan Chapter, and the German Surgical Society with the ACS Germany Chapter.

The 2018 ANZ Exchange Fellow is Yiu Ming Ho, MB, BS, MS, FRACS, a general and colorectal surgeon University of Sydney, Australia. His recent research has been on examining personalized radiation therapy for low-risk early breast cancer. His U.S. counterpart, Mayur B. Patel, MD, MPH, FACS, is associate professor of surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, TN, specializing in neurotrauma and traumatic brain injury. He attended the Annual Scientific Congress of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons held in Sydney, Australia, in May.

The International Relations Committee of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) sponsors three academic surgeon exchange programs to send a talented young U.S. or Canadian Fellow to the annual surgical meeting of each participating country. Afterwards, the Fellows tour several sites tailored to their specific research interests. In exchange, the College accepts fine young academic surgeon-scholars from the participating societies to attend the annual ACS Clinical Congress. This exchange is with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with the ACS Australia-New Zealand Chapter, the Japan Surgical Society with the ACS Japan Chapter, and the German Surgical Society with the ACS Germany Chapter.

The 2018 ANZ Exchange Fellow is Yiu Ming Ho, MB, BS, MS, FRACS, a general and colorectal surgeon University of Sydney, Australia. His recent research has been on examining personalized radiation therapy for low-risk early breast cancer. His U.S. counterpart, Mayur B. Patel, MD, MPH, FACS, is associate professor of surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, TN, specializing in neurotrauma and traumatic brain injury. He attended the Annual Scientific Congress of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons held in Sydney, Australia, in May.

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted its year-end 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award to a select group of 16 accredited cancer programs throughout the U.S. Award criteria were based on qualitative and quantitative surveys of cancer programs conducted in the second half of 2017.

The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to accomplish the following:

• Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care

• Facilitate a dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices

• Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs

The 16 award-winning cancer care programs represent approximately 7 percent of programs surveyed by the CoC July 1–December 31, 2017. “These cancer programs currently represent the best of the best when it comes to cancer care,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, FACP, Chair of the CoC. “Each of these facilities is not just meeting nationally recognized standards for the delivery of quality cancer care, they are exceeding them.”

Visit the ACS website for a list of these award-winning cancer programs at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc/info/outstanding/2017-part-2.

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted its year-end 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award to a select group of 16 accredited cancer programs throughout the U.S. Award criteria were based on qualitative and quantitative surveys of cancer programs conducted in the second half of 2017.

The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to accomplish the following:

• Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care

• Facilitate a dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices

• Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs

The 16 award-winning cancer care programs represent approximately 7 percent of programs surveyed by the CoC July 1–December 31, 2017. “These cancer programs currently represent the best of the best when it comes to cancer care,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, FACP, Chair of the CoC. “Each of these facilities is not just meeting nationally recognized standards for the delivery of quality cancer care, they are exceeding them.”

Visit the ACS website for a list of these award-winning cancer programs at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc/info/outstanding/2017-part-2.

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted its year-end 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award to a select group of 16 accredited cancer programs throughout the U.S. Award criteria were based on qualitative and quantitative surveys of cancer programs conducted in the second half of 2017.

The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to accomplish the following:

• Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care

• Facilitate a dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices

• Encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs

The 16 award-winning cancer care programs represent approximately 7 percent of programs surveyed by the CoC July 1–December 31, 2017. “These cancer programs currently represent the best of the best when it comes to cancer care,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, FACP, Chair of the CoC. “Each of these facilities is not just meeting nationally recognized standards for the delivery of quality cancer care, they are exceeding them.”

Visit the ACS website for a list of these award-winning cancer programs at facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc/info/outstanding/2017-part-2.