News From the College

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.

George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS, an icon in American surgery and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), passed away Sunday, June 16. Dr. Sheldon was the Zack D. Owens Distinguished Professor of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. His family was with him at the time of his passing.

Dr. Sheldon's contributions to American and international surgery, academic surgery, and the American College of Surgeons, as well as his accomplishments in general, are legendary. He continued to work with the College\'s leadership and staff until even this last week, offering his services in a number of areas. His dedication to the ACS has been recognized through his appointment and election to serve on the Board of Regents as an ACS President, as well as his receipt of the second ACS Lifetime Achievement Award last year.

A more complete reflection on the life and work of Dr. Sheldon will appear in the September issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS, an icon in American surgery and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), passed away Sunday, June 16. Dr. Sheldon was the Zack D. Owens Distinguished Professor of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. His family was with him at the time of his passing.

Dr. Sheldon's contributions to American and international surgery, academic surgery, and the American College of Surgeons, as well as his accomplishments in general, are legendary. He continued to work with the College\'s leadership and staff until even this last week, offering his services in a number of areas. His dedication to the ACS has been recognized through his appointment and election to serve on the Board of Regents as an ACS President, as well as his receipt of the second ACS Lifetime Achievement Award last year.

A more complete reflection on the life and work of Dr. Sheldon will appear in the September issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS, an icon in American surgery and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), passed away Sunday, June 16. Dr. Sheldon was the Zack D. Owens Distinguished Professor of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. His family was with him at the time of his passing.

Dr. Sheldon's contributions to American and international surgery, academic surgery, and the American College of Surgeons, as well as his accomplishments in general, are legendary. He continued to work with the College\'s leadership and staff until even this last week, offering his services in a number of areas. His dedication to the ACS has been recognized through his appointment and election to serve on the Board of Regents as an ACS President, as well as his receipt of the second ACS Lifetime Achievement Award last year.

A more complete reflection on the life and work of Dr. Sheldon will appear in the September issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) announced recently that it has accredited more than 500 breast centers, and the program has widespread distribution in 48 states including Alaska and Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico. This milestone achievement comes after surpassing the 100-accredited-centers mark in 2009, a little more than one year after the NAPBC began the formal process of surveying breast centers for accreditation in September 2008.

Read more about the NAPBC achievement at http://www.newswise.com/articles/national-accreditation-program-for-breast-centers-surpasses-the-500-accredited-centers-mark.

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) announced recently that it has accredited more than 500 breast centers, and the program has widespread distribution in 48 states including Alaska and Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico. This milestone achievement comes after surpassing the 100-accredited-centers mark in 2009, a little more than one year after the NAPBC began the formal process of surveying breast centers for accreditation in September 2008.

Read more about the NAPBC achievement at http://www.newswise.com/articles/national-accreditation-program-for-breast-centers-surpasses-the-500-accredited-centers-mark.

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) announced recently that it has accredited more than 500 breast centers, and the program has widespread distribution in 48 states including Alaska and Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico. This milestone achievement comes after surpassing the 100-accredited-centers mark in 2009, a little more than one year after the NAPBC began the formal process of surveying breast centers for accreditation in September 2008.

Read more about the NAPBC achievement at http://www.newswise.com/articles/national-accreditation-program-for-breast-centers-surpasses-the-500-accredited-centers-mark.