News From the College

Register for two new Panel Sessions at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) 2013 Clinical Congress, October 6-10, in Washington, DC, that will explore proper emergency responses that boost the possibility of human survival during mass-casualty events. Panel speakers at these sessions will share first-hand experiences and provide lessons learned, in addition to practical strategies on how to coordinate with federal and local agencies when responding to crisis situations.

PS331: Lessons Learned from the Boston Marathon Bombing

Wednesday, October 9

8:00 – 9:30 am

Moderator: Michael J. Zinner, MD, FACS, ACS Regent

Co-Moderator: Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, Chair, ACS Committee on Trauma

Participants will discuss the lessons learned from the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing, a civilian mass-casualty event. The exercises that preceded the event and the ACS Committee on Trauma’s certification of five adult level-one trauma centers in Boston helped save the lives of all the victims who were transported to hospitals.

PS310: Mass-Casualty Shootings: Saving the Patients

Wednesday, October 9

9:45 – 11:15 am

Moderator: Lenworth M. Jacobs, MD, FACS

Participants will discuss saving victims’ lives during mass-casualty events, such as those at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT, and the Boston Marathon. The ACS has partnered with numerous organizations, including the FBI, police, fire, and emergency prehospital management, in preparing a document that will encourage cooperation among all agencies involved in managing these events. A panel of representatives from these groups will provide practical strategies for attendees to apply in their communities.

Admission to Panel Sessions is included with each paid Clinical Congress registration. For more information about the Panel Sessions or other Clinical Congress information, please visit the Clinical Congress website at http://www.facs.org/clincon2013/index.html.

Register for two new Panel Sessions at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) 2013 Clinical Congress, October 6-10, in Washington, DC, that will explore proper emergency responses that boost the possibility of human survival during mass-casualty events. Panel speakers at these sessions will share first-hand experiences and provide lessons learned, in addition to practical strategies on how to coordinate with federal and local agencies when responding to crisis situations.

PS331: Lessons Learned from the Boston Marathon Bombing

Wednesday, October 9

8:00 – 9:30 am

Moderator: Michael J. Zinner, MD, FACS, ACS Regent

Co-Moderator: Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, Chair, ACS Committee on Trauma

Participants will discuss the lessons learned from the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing, a civilian mass-casualty event. The exercises that preceded the event and the ACS Committee on Trauma’s certification of five adult level-one trauma centers in Boston helped save the lives of all the victims who were transported to hospitals.

PS310: Mass-Casualty Shootings: Saving the Patients

Wednesday, October 9

9:45 – 11:15 am

Moderator: Lenworth M. Jacobs, MD, FACS

Participants will discuss saving victims’ lives during mass-casualty events, such as those at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT, and the Boston Marathon. The ACS has partnered with numerous organizations, including the FBI, police, fire, and emergency prehospital management, in preparing a document that will encourage cooperation among all agencies involved in managing these events. A panel of representatives from these groups will provide practical strategies for attendees to apply in their communities.

Admission to Panel Sessions is included with each paid Clinical Congress registration. For more information about the Panel Sessions or other Clinical Congress information, please visit the Clinical Congress website at http://www.facs.org/clincon2013/index.html.

Register for two new Panel Sessions at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) 2013 Clinical Congress, October 6-10, in Washington, DC, that will explore proper emergency responses that boost the possibility of human survival during mass-casualty events. Panel speakers at these sessions will share first-hand experiences and provide lessons learned, in addition to practical strategies on how to coordinate with federal and local agencies when responding to crisis situations.

PS331: Lessons Learned from the Boston Marathon Bombing

Wednesday, October 9

8:00 – 9:30 am

Moderator: Michael J. Zinner, MD, FACS, ACS Regent

Co-Moderator: Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, Chair, ACS Committee on Trauma

Participants will discuss the lessons learned from the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing, a civilian mass-casualty event. The exercises that preceded the event and the ACS Committee on Trauma’s certification of five adult level-one trauma centers in Boston helped save the lives of all the victims who were transported to hospitals.

PS310: Mass-Casualty Shootings: Saving the Patients

Wednesday, October 9

9:45 – 11:15 am

Moderator: Lenworth M. Jacobs, MD, FACS

Participants will discuss saving victims’ lives during mass-casualty events, such as those at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT, and the Boston Marathon. The ACS has partnered with numerous organizations, including the FBI, police, fire, and emergency prehospital management, in preparing a document that will encourage cooperation among all agencies involved in managing these events. A panel of representatives from these groups will provide practical strategies for attendees to apply in their communities.

Admission to Panel Sessions is included with each paid Clinical Congress registration. For more information about the Panel Sessions or other Clinical Congress information, please visit the Clinical Congress website at http://www.facs.org/clincon2013/index.html.

"The goal of this portion of the meeting is to renew our pledge to each other as leaders," said David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in his opening remarks at the second annual Leadership Conference, April 13-14, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

The 2013 Leadership Conference—held in conjunction with the Advocacy Summit—drew 308 attendees from all levels of ACS leadership, including Regents, Governors, Advisory Council members, and Chapter leaders.

A "recommitment to ACS leadership goals" was a central message of this year’s conference, according to Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Member Services. Part of this re-energized focus included the unveiling of a new and expanded list of ACS Board of Governors (B/G) duties presented by Lena M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, Chair of the B/G. These new expectations, including mandatory attendance at future Leadership Conference and Advocacy Summit meetings, are intended to enhance "bi-directional communication between the Board of Governors and their constituents," explained Dr. Napolitano.

A new interactive component of the meeting fostered relationship-building among colleagues, as participants convened by geographic location to identify areas for synergy and unity in addressing common challenges. A representative from each breakout session presented the findings to the group-at-large. Common themes to emerge from these breakout sessions included a need for increased communication among chapter members, enhanced member engagement, and a desire for professional development training.

Roles and responsibilities

Other conference sessions covered a spectrum of topics tethered to the meeting’s leadership theme. A session on Roles and Responsibilities focused on the functions of ACS Regents, Governors, Chapters, and Advisory Council Chairs.

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Regents, outlined the "Top 10 Things a Regent Should Do," including "attend Regents’ meetings, prepare for and talk at Regent meetings, and communicate to your group about the ACS."

Dr. Napolitano summarized the enhanced duties of the B/G. "The Governors act as a liaison between the Board of Regents and the Fellows and as a clearinghouse for the Regents on general assigned subjects and on local problems," she said, quoting the College Bylaws.

"Our mission is to bring the voice of the Fellows forward so that the Regents can make important decisions," explained Dr. Napolitano.

John P. Rioux, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Governors National Chapter Workgroup, outlined the key duties of the Chapter Officers, and underscored the importance of developing a strategic plan. "Develop an operational plan, assign tasks with established timelines, and develop measures of success necessary to fully implement the strategic plan," he advised.

Finally, E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for General Surgery, and Chair, Advisory Council Chairs presented an overview of the ACS Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. "Since the founding of the College, surgical specialties have been closely integrated into all College activities," observed Dr. Ellison, noting that ACS Advisory Councils for Surgical Specialties:

• Serve as a liaison between the surgical societies and the Regents

• Advise the Regents on policy matters relating to their specialties

• Nominate Fellows from the surgical specialties to serve on College committees

• Provide specialty input on the development of general and specialty sessions for the Clinical Congress

Review of ACS Infrastructure

The Leadership Conference’s second block of meetings featured presentations by ACS staff members and others on key areas of the College. "This next section of the agenda is a review of the infrastructure of the American College of Surgeons and highlights the offerings of each division," explained Dr. Turner.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education, underscored the division’s "special focus on the two ends of residency training—the transition from medical school to surgery residency and the transition from training to independent surgical practice." The College publication titled Successfully Navigating the First Year of Surgical Residency lists the critical cognitive, clinical, and technical skills needed for the first year of residency training.

In an effort to assist residents who are concerned about moving into independent surgical practice, the Division of Education has introduced the new ACS Transition to Practice Program in General Surgery initiative.

The program is taking place in several underserved regions and is designed to help residents:

Obtain more autonomous experience in general surgery, increase their clinical competence, learn about practice management, connect with mentors, and participate in experiential learning.

Dr. Sachdeva also unveiled the ACS Division of Education’s new tagline, "Blended Surgical Education and Training for Life," which describes the department’s ongoing mission of promoting "excellence and expertise in surgery through innovative education, training, verification, validation, and accreditation."

Dr. Turner noted the Member Services Division is responsible for processing applications; facilitating member recruitment and retention; providing staff support to the Board of Governors, the Advisory Councils, the Young Fellows Association, the Residents and Associates Society, Operation Giving Back, and several ACS committees All of these areas, provide an opportunity for enhanced member engagement, added Dr. Turner.

Dr. Turner urged conference attendees—and their constituents—to complete their member profiles. Dr. Turner strives to implement "substantive use of existing member data to drive marketing and increase value to our Fellows." Thousands of patients use the College’s ‘find-a-surgeon’ feature on the website," she added in a post-conference interview.

Christian Shalgian, Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, outlined the College’s priority legislative and regulatory issues, including: Medicare physician payment, quality care initiatives, graduate medical education and workforce challenges, and medical liability reform.

Mr. Shalgian said the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which is used to calculate physician payment, could be replaced with the Value-Based Update, a proposal developed by the ACS that better reflects accurate health care costs and would factor in the quality of care physicians deliver based on measures that are meaningful to both patients and surgeons.

The ACS has developed the framework for this proposal, and now we need to add data and modeling," he said. To this end, the College has partnered with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Mr. Shalgian highlighted strategies for effective advocacy and unveiled a new grassroots Advocacy and Health Policy initiative titled "ACS—SurgeonsVoice," which he described as an "ongoing, organized program of recruiting, educating, and motivating members to use their political power to advocate and influence."

"Dr. Dr. Hoyt outlined four "guiding principles of continuous quality improvement": standards (validated by research and data, nationally benchmarked); infrastructure (including proper staffing levels, checklists, and information technology); rigorous data (including post-discharge tracking and continuously updated, real-time measurement); and verification (external peer-review).

He also noted the release of a limited edition book titled Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, which summarizes the 18-month effort to generate a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums.

"My message to you today is that we are at a critical time right now when it comes to advocating for the right kind of quality improvement," he said.

Dr. Napolitano provided an overview of the B/G committee reorganization, summarizing the goals of the board’s five pillars—Member Services, Education, Advocacy/Health Policy, Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care, and Communication— modeled after the Divisions of the College.

B/G "Leads" for each pillar are as follows:

• Member Services Pillar: Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS

• Education Pillar: Lorrie Langdale, MD, FACS

• Advocacy and Health Policy Pillar: Jim Denneny, MD, FACS

• Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care Pillar: Sherry Wren, MD, FACS

• Communication Pillar: Gary Timmerman, MD, FACS

Challenges in leadership

Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS, Vice-Chair, Board of Regents; Dr. Timmerman, Vice-Chair Board of Governors; and Mary E. Fallat, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery, presented at the Challenges in Leadership session.

"The core purpose of the ACS is to maintain the professional core of surgery in North America," said Dr. Weissler. "Surgery is increasingly subspecialized and if we want to remain the umbrella organization and maintain membership, we must remain inclusive and cater to a variety of needs."

Dr. Timmerman outlined the qualities of a strong leader. "The best leaders are the best listeners, are humble servants, and [engage in] volunteerism," said Dr. Timmerman.

Dr. Fallat described challenges surgeons typically face, particularly those in leadership positions, including "volume of information, time constraints, ability to absorb content, and ability to extract what is important for all surgeons, as well as what is important for the specialty."

Improving involvement

The final session of the conference focused on enhancing member engagement.

S. Rob Todd, MD, FACS, Chair, Member Services Workgroup, Young Fellows Association, described the advantages of College membership for young Fellows and ACS leaders, particularly in leadership development.

Steven L. Chen, MD, FACS, Chair, Education Workgroup, Young Fellows Association encouraged attendees to apply to become either a mentor or mentee, as both roles can lead to increased involvement with the College.

David W. Dexter, MD, FACS, member, ACS Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter, offered strategies for stimulating chapter growth and member engagement "Successful chapters, he said, "sustain membership, involve and recruit young surgeons, are marked by member enthusiasm, feature strong administrative leadership, and promote ACS programs," Dr. Dexter said.

Several factors affect Chapters’ financial sustainability, added Dr. Dexter, including an aging membership, decreases in enrollment, increasing costs, decreasing vendor support, mergers, and consolidation of vendors. He urged attendees to "take financial control of your chapter."

Breakout sessions

Attendees were organized into specific groups by state or region to discuss issues of mutual concern.

Questions raised at the breakout sessions included:

What one ACS initiative or event can be planned in your area over the next 12 months that will support or enhance the practice, patient care, financial well-being, or engagement of your local surgeons?

Of what accomplishment by your local community of surgeons are you most proud?

What topics would you like to see covered at the Leadership Conference next year?

Several common goals emerged, including:

• Increased communication among chapter members

• More member engagement

• Professional development training

• Leadership skills training

• Bringing Quality Forum tour to states that have not hosted a forum up to this point

Member Services staff are compiling the information presented in the Breakout Session reports and will provide a summary later this year.

Mr. Peregrin is the Senior Editor of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

"The goal of this portion of the meeting is to renew our pledge to each other as leaders," said David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in his opening remarks at the second annual Leadership Conference, April 13-14, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

The 2013 Leadership Conference—held in conjunction with the Advocacy Summit—drew 308 attendees from all levels of ACS leadership, including Regents, Governors, Advisory Council members, and Chapter leaders.

A "recommitment to ACS leadership goals" was a central message of this year’s conference, according to Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Member Services. Part of this re-energized focus included the unveiling of a new and expanded list of ACS Board of Governors (B/G) duties presented by Lena M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, Chair of the B/G. These new expectations, including mandatory attendance at future Leadership Conference and Advocacy Summit meetings, are intended to enhance "bi-directional communication between the Board of Governors and their constituents," explained Dr. Napolitano.

A new interactive component of the meeting fostered relationship-building among colleagues, as participants convened by geographic location to identify areas for synergy and unity in addressing common challenges. A representative from each breakout session presented the findings to the group-at-large. Common themes to emerge from these breakout sessions included a need for increased communication among chapter members, enhanced member engagement, and a desire for professional development training.

Roles and responsibilities

Other conference sessions covered a spectrum of topics tethered to the meeting’s leadership theme. A session on Roles and Responsibilities focused on the functions of ACS Regents, Governors, Chapters, and Advisory Council Chairs.

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Regents, outlined the "Top 10 Things a Regent Should Do," including "attend Regents’ meetings, prepare for and talk at Regent meetings, and communicate to your group about the ACS."

Dr. Napolitano summarized the enhanced duties of the B/G. "The Governors act as a liaison between the Board of Regents and the Fellows and as a clearinghouse for the Regents on general assigned subjects and on local problems," she said, quoting the College Bylaws.

"Our mission is to bring the voice of the Fellows forward so that the Regents can make important decisions," explained Dr. Napolitano.

John P. Rioux, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Governors National Chapter Workgroup, outlined the key duties of the Chapter Officers, and underscored the importance of developing a strategic plan. "Develop an operational plan, assign tasks with established timelines, and develop measures of success necessary to fully implement the strategic plan," he advised.

Finally, E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for General Surgery, and Chair, Advisory Council Chairs presented an overview of the ACS Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. "Since the founding of the College, surgical specialties have been closely integrated into all College activities," observed Dr. Ellison, noting that ACS Advisory Councils for Surgical Specialties:

• Serve as a liaison between the surgical societies and the Regents

• Advise the Regents on policy matters relating to their specialties

• Nominate Fellows from the surgical specialties to serve on College committees

• Provide specialty input on the development of general and specialty sessions for the Clinical Congress

Review of ACS Infrastructure

The Leadership Conference’s second block of meetings featured presentations by ACS staff members and others on key areas of the College. "This next section of the agenda is a review of the infrastructure of the American College of Surgeons and highlights the offerings of each division," explained Dr. Turner.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education, underscored the division’s "special focus on the two ends of residency training—the transition from medical school to surgery residency and the transition from training to independent surgical practice." The College publication titled Successfully Navigating the First Year of Surgical Residency lists the critical cognitive, clinical, and technical skills needed for the first year of residency training.

In an effort to assist residents who are concerned about moving into independent surgical practice, the Division of Education has introduced the new ACS Transition to Practice Program in General Surgery initiative.

The program is taking place in several underserved regions and is designed to help residents:

Obtain more autonomous experience in general surgery, increase their clinical competence, learn about practice management, connect with mentors, and participate in experiential learning.

Dr. Sachdeva also unveiled the ACS Division of Education’s new tagline, "Blended Surgical Education and Training for Life," which describes the department’s ongoing mission of promoting "excellence and expertise in surgery through innovative education, training, verification, validation, and accreditation."

Dr. Turner noted the Member Services Division is responsible for processing applications; facilitating member recruitment and retention; providing staff support to the Board of Governors, the Advisory Councils, the Young Fellows Association, the Residents and Associates Society, Operation Giving Back, and several ACS committees All of these areas, provide an opportunity for enhanced member engagement, added Dr. Turner.

Dr. Turner urged conference attendees—and their constituents—to complete their member profiles. Dr. Turner strives to implement "substantive use of existing member data to drive marketing and increase value to our Fellows." Thousands of patients use the College’s ‘find-a-surgeon’ feature on the website," she added in a post-conference interview.

Christian Shalgian, Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, outlined the College’s priority legislative and regulatory issues, including: Medicare physician payment, quality care initiatives, graduate medical education and workforce challenges, and medical liability reform.

Mr. Shalgian said the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which is used to calculate physician payment, could be replaced with the Value-Based Update, a proposal developed by the ACS that better reflects accurate health care costs and would factor in the quality of care physicians deliver based on measures that are meaningful to both patients and surgeons.

The ACS has developed the framework for this proposal, and now we need to add data and modeling," he said. To this end, the College has partnered with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Mr. Shalgian highlighted strategies for effective advocacy and unveiled a new grassroots Advocacy and Health Policy initiative titled "ACS—SurgeonsVoice," which he described as an "ongoing, organized program of recruiting, educating, and motivating members to use their political power to advocate and influence."

"Dr. Dr. Hoyt outlined four "guiding principles of continuous quality improvement": standards (validated by research and data, nationally benchmarked); infrastructure (including proper staffing levels, checklists, and information technology); rigorous data (including post-discharge tracking and continuously updated, real-time measurement); and verification (external peer-review).

He also noted the release of a limited edition book titled Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, which summarizes the 18-month effort to generate a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums.

"My message to you today is that we are at a critical time right now when it comes to advocating for the right kind of quality improvement," he said.

Dr. Napolitano provided an overview of the B/G committee reorganization, summarizing the goals of the board’s five pillars—Member Services, Education, Advocacy/Health Policy, Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care, and Communication— modeled after the Divisions of the College.

B/G "Leads" for each pillar are as follows:

• Member Services Pillar: Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS

• Education Pillar: Lorrie Langdale, MD, FACS

• Advocacy and Health Policy Pillar: Jim Denneny, MD, FACS

• Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care Pillar: Sherry Wren, MD, FACS

• Communication Pillar: Gary Timmerman, MD, FACS

Challenges in leadership

Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS, Vice-Chair, Board of Regents; Dr. Timmerman, Vice-Chair Board of Governors; and Mary E. Fallat, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery, presented at the Challenges in Leadership session.

"The core purpose of the ACS is to maintain the professional core of surgery in North America," said Dr. Weissler. "Surgery is increasingly subspecialized and if we want to remain the umbrella organization and maintain membership, we must remain inclusive and cater to a variety of needs."

Dr. Timmerman outlined the qualities of a strong leader. "The best leaders are the best listeners, are humble servants, and [engage in] volunteerism," said Dr. Timmerman.

Dr. Fallat described challenges surgeons typically face, particularly those in leadership positions, including "volume of information, time constraints, ability to absorb content, and ability to extract what is important for all surgeons, as well as what is important for the specialty."

Improving involvement

The final session of the conference focused on enhancing member engagement.

S. Rob Todd, MD, FACS, Chair, Member Services Workgroup, Young Fellows Association, described the advantages of College membership for young Fellows and ACS leaders, particularly in leadership development.

Steven L. Chen, MD, FACS, Chair, Education Workgroup, Young Fellows Association encouraged attendees to apply to become either a mentor or mentee, as both roles can lead to increased involvement with the College.

David W. Dexter, MD, FACS, member, ACS Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter, offered strategies for stimulating chapter growth and member engagement "Successful chapters, he said, "sustain membership, involve and recruit young surgeons, are marked by member enthusiasm, feature strong administrative leadership, and promote ACS programs," Dr. Dexter said.

Several factors affect Chapters’ financial sustainability, added Dr. Dexter, including an aging membership, decreases in enrollment, increasing costs, decreasing vendor support, mergers, and consolidation of vendors. He urged attendees to "take financial control of your chapter."

Breakout sessions

Attendees were organized into specific groups by state or region to discuss issues of mutual concern.

Questions raised at the breakout sessions included:

What one ACS initiative or event can be planned in your area over the next 12 months that will support or enhance the practice, patient care, financial well-being, or engagement of your local surgeons?

Of what accomplishment by your local community of surgeons are you most proud?

What topics would you like to see covered at the Leadership Conference next year?

Several common goals emerged, including:

• Increased communication among chapter members

• More member engagement

• Professional development training

• Leadership skills training

• Bringing Quality Forum tour to states that have not hosted a forum up to this point

Member Services staff are compiling the information presented in the Breakout Session reports and will provide a summary later this year.

Mr. Peregrin is the Senior Editor of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

"The goal of this portion of the meeting is to renew our pledge to each other as leaders," said David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in his opening remarks at the second annual Leadership Conference, April 13-14, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

The 2013 Leadership Conference—held in conjunction with the Advocacy Summit—drew 308 attendees from all levels of ACS leadership, including Regents, Governors, Advisory Council members, and Chapter leaders.

A "recommitment to ACS leadership goals" was a central message of this year’s conference, according to Patricia L. Turner, MD, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Member Services. Part of this re-energized focus included the unveiling of a new and expanded list of ACS Board of Governors (B/G) duties presented by Lena M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, Chair of the B/G. These new expectations, including mandatory attendance at future Leadership Conference and Advocacy Summit meetings, are intended to enhance "bi-directional communication between the Board of Governors and their constituents," explained Dr. Napolitano.

A new interactive component of the meeting fostered relationship-building among colleagues, as participants convened by geographic location to identify areas for synergy and unity in addressing common challenges. A representative from each breakout session presented the findings to the group-at-large. Common themes to emerge from these breakout sessions included a need for increased communication among chapter members, enhanced member engagement, and a desire for professional development training.

Roles and responsibilities

Other conference sessions covered a spectrum of topics tethered to the meeting’s leadership theme. A session on Roles and Responsibilities focused on the functions of ACS Regents, Governors, Chapters, and Advisory Council Chairs.

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Regents, outlined the "Top 10 Things a Regent Should Do," including "attend Regents’ meetings, prepare for and talk at Regent meetings, and communicate to your group about the ACS."

Dr. Napolitano summarized the enhanced duties of the B/G. "The Governors act as a liaison between the Board of Regents and the Fellows and as a clearinghouse for the Regents on general assigned subjects and on local problems," she said, quoting the College Bylaws.

"Our mission is to bring the voice of the Fellows forward so that the Regents can make important decisions," explained Dr. Napolitano.

John P. Rioux, MD, FACS, Chair of the Board of Governors National Chapter Workgroup, outlined the key duties of the Chapter Officers, and underscored the importance of developing a strategic plan. "Develop an operational plan, assign tasks with established timelines, and develop measures of success necessary to fully implement the strategic plan," he advised.

Finally, E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for General Surgery, and Chair, Advisory Council Chairs presented an overview of the ACS Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. "Since the founding of the College, surgical specialties have been closely integrated into all College activities," observed Dr. Ellison, noting that ACS Advisory Councils for Surgical Specialties:

• Serve as a liaison between the surgical societies and the Regents

• Advise the Regents on policy matters relating to their specialties

• Nominate Fellows from the surgical specialties to serve on College committees

• Provide specialty input on the development of general and specialty sessions for the Clinical Congress

Review of ACS Infrastructure

The Leadership Conference’s second block of meetings featured presentations by ACS staff members and others on key areas of the College. "This next section of the agenda is a review of the infrastructure of the American College of Surgeons and highlights the offerings of each division," explained Dr. Turner.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education, underscored the division’s "special focus on the two ends of residency training—the transition from medical school to surgery residency and the transition from training to independent surgical practice." The College publication titled Successfully Navigating the First Year of Surgical Residency lists the critical cognitive, clinical, and technical skills needed for the first year of residency training.

In an effort to assist residents who are concerned about moving into independent surgical practice, the Division of Education has introduced the new ACS Transition to Practice Program in General Surgery initiative.

The program is taking place in several underserved regions and is designed to help residents:

Obtain more autonomous experience in general surgery, increase their clinical competence, learn about practice management, connect with mentors, and participate in experiential learning.

Dr. Sachdeva also unveiled the ACS Division of Education’s new tagline, "Blended Surgical Education and Training for Life," which describes the department’s ongoing mission of promoting "excellence and expertise in surgery through innovative education, training, verification, validation, and accreditation."

Dr. Turner noted the Member Services Division is responsible for processing applications; facilitating member recruitment and retention; providing staff support to the Board of Governors, the Advisory Councils, the Young Fellows Association, the Residents and Associates Society, Operation Giving Back, and several ACS committees All of these areas, provide an opportunity for enhanced member engagement, added Dr. Turner.

Dr. Turner urged conference attendees—and their constituents—to complete their member profiles. Dr. Turner strives to implement "substantive use of existing member data to drive marketing and increase value to our Fellows." Thousands of patients use the College’s ‘find-a-surgeon’ feature on the website," she added in a post-conference interview.

Christian Shalgian, Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, outlined the College’s priority legislative and regulatory issues, including: Medicare physician payment, quality care initiatives, graduate medical education and workforce challenges, and medical liability reform.

Mr. Shalgian said the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which is used to calculate physician payment, could be replaced with the Value-Based Update, a proposal developed by the ACS that better reflects accurate health care costs and would factor in the quality of care physicians deliver based on measures that are meaningful to both patients and surgeons.

The ACS has developed the framework for this proposal, and now we need to add data and modeling," he said. To this end, the College has partnered with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Mr. Shalgian highlighted strategies for effective advocacy and unveiled a new grassroots Advocacy and Health Policy initiative titled "ACS—SurgeonsVoice," which he described as an "ongoing, organized program of recruiting, educating, and motivating members to use their political power to advocate and influence."

"Dr. Dr. Hoyt outlined four "guiding principles of continuous quality improvement": standards (validated by research and data, nationally benchmarked); infrastructure (including proper staffing levels, checklists, and information technology); rigorous data (including post-discharge tracking and continuously updated, real-time measurement); and verification (external peer-review).

He also noted the release of a limited edition book titled Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, which summarizes the 18-month effort to generate a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums.

"My message to you today is that we are at a critical time right now when it comes to advocating for the right kind of quality improvement," he said.

Dr. Napolitano provided an overview of the B/G committee reorganization, summarizing the goals of the board’s five pillars—Member Services, Education, Advocacy/Health Policy, Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care, and Communication— modeled after the Divisions of the College.

B/G "Leads" for each pillar are as follows:

• Member Services Pillar: Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS

• Education Pillar: Lorrie Langdale, MD, FACS

• Advocacy and Health Policy Pillar: Jim Denneny, MD, FACS

• Quality-Research/Optimal Patient Care Pillar: Sherry Wren, MD, FACS

• Communication Pillar: Gary Timmerman, MD, FACS

Challenges in leadership

Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS, Vice-Chair, Board of Regents; Dr. Timmerman, Vice-Chair Board of Governors; and Mary E. Fallat, MD, FACS, Chair, Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery, presented at the Challenges in Leadership session.

"The core purpose of the ACS is to maintain the professional core of surgery in North America," said Dr. Weissler. "Surgery is increasingly subspecialized and if we want to remain the umbrella organization and maintain membership, we must remain inclusive and cater to a variety of needs."

Dr. Timmerman outlined the qualities of a strong leader. "The best leaders are the best listeners, are humble servants, and [engage in] volunteerism," said Dr. Timmerman.

Dr. Fallat described challenges surgeons typically face, particularly those in leadership positions, including "volume of information, time constraints, ability to absorb content, and ability to extract what is important for all surgeons, as well as what is important for the specialty."

Improving involvement

The final session of the conference focused on enhancing member engagement.

S. Rob Todd, MD, FACS, Chair, Member Services Workgroup, Young Fellows Association, described the advantages of College membership for young Fellows and ACS leaders, particularly in leadership development.

Steven L. Chen, MD, FACS, Chair, Education Workgroup, Young Fellows Association encouraged attendees to apply to become either a mentor or mentee, as both roles can lead to increased involvement with the College.

David W. Dexter, MD, FACS, member, ACS Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter, offered strategies for stimulating chapter growth and member engagement "Successful chapters, he said, "sustain membership, involve and recruit young surgeons, are marked by member enthusiasm, feature strong administrative leadership, and promote ACS programs," Dr. Dexter said.

Several factors affect Chapters’ financial sustainability, added Dr. Dexter, including an aging membership, decreases in enrollment, increasing costs, decreasing vendor support, mergers, and consolidation of vendors. He urged attendees to "take financial control of your chapter."

Breakout sessions

Attendees were organized into specific groups by state or region to discuss issues of mutual concern.

Questions raised at the breakout sessions included:

What one ACS initiative or event can be planned in your area over the next 12 months that will support or enhance the practice, patient care, financial well-being, or engagement of your local surgeons?

Of what accomplishment by your local community of surgeons are you most proud?

What topics would you like to see covered at the Leadership Conference next year?

Several common goals emerged, including:

• Increased communication among chapter members

• More member engagement

• Professional development training

• Leadership skills training

• Bringing Quality Forum tour to states that have not hosted a forum up to this point

Member Services staff are compiling the information presented in the Breakout Session reports and will provide a summary later this year.

Mr. Peregrin is the Senior Editor of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

The second annual American College of Surgeons Advocacy Summit took place April 14-16, in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the ACS Leadership Conference. The event rallies surgery’s collective grassroots advocacy voice, with more than 200 surgeon attendees learning about such topics as reforming the Medicare physician payment system, protecting the surgical workforce, and funding graduate medical education (GME) before spending a day on Capitol Hill meeting with their representatives and senators and congressional staff.

Understanding the issues

Health care costs continue to rise, particularly as baby boomers age and increase the demand services. The ACS Young Fellows Association (YFA) sponsored a panel at the Summit on the future of health care. Moderated by Scott Coates, MD, FACS, Vice-Co-Chair, the YFA Member Services Work Group, speakers included Gail Wilensky, PhD, senior fellow, Project Hope; Harold Miller, executive director, Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform; and Frank G. Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy.

Dr. Wilensky discussed physician payments, the cost of health care, and spending—topics that have recently gained traction. She expressed skepticism about whether programs such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) – designed to provide more coordinated, high quality care to Medicare patients – are the answer to physician payment woes. However, she said bundled payments,¹ which encourage efficiency by offering a single payment to multiple providers of services delivered during a single episode of care or over a specific period of time, could result in lower costs.

Advocacy Summit participants

Dr. Miller, however, said that some accountable care arrangements may benefit surgeons and patients while reducing Medicare spending. Under the model he suggested, health care professionals would participate in a flexible, alternative payment and delivery system that best fits their practices and that delivers high-quality, efficient care.

The College has offered another option—the Value-Based Update (VBU), ² noted Dr. Opelka. The VBU calls for replacing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula used to calculate physician payment with a system that improves outcomes, quality, safety and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. Dr. Opelka noted that the VBU would combine the College’s century of experience in quality measurement to improve patient care and reduce costs,

Atul Grover, MD, chief public policy officer, Association of American Medical Colleges; Doug Henley, MD, chief executive officer, and executive vice president, American Academy of Family Physicians; and Samuel Finlayson, MD, MPH, Kessler Director, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, offered distinct viewpoints on physician workforce issues. Dr. Grover discussed specialty choice among physicians and practice locations, deficit reduction plans, and incentives for surgical practice in rural areas. Dr. Henley provided data on what he believes are probable causes of the current workforce shortage and suggested possible solutions, including appropriately valuing and compensating primary care physicians to address the income gap between primary care and other specialties and reforming GME. Dr. Finlayson believes that increasing the number of surgeons is an "unwise response to the workforce crisis" and that "addressing geographic and specialty distribution is the main challenge."

Maria Ghazal, vice president and counsel of the Business Roundtable, which represents the interests of many of the nation’s largest companies, invited the College to collaborate on many issues, including the development of state insurance exchanges. Greg Gierer, vice president of policy, America’s Health Insurance Plans, agreed that collaboration can effectively address health care reform, particularly cost-containment. Mr. Gierer discussed health care cost and how insurers are leading changes in the marketplace through collaboration with providers and possible means of providing care to vulnerable populations through public-private cooperation. Harlan F. Weisman, MD, chairman and chief executive officer of Coronado Biosciences, Inc., talked about regaining the country’s status as the world leader in the development of pharmaceutical research and advancement.

The price of politics

Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Washington Post and author of The Price of Politics, opened the Summit on Sunday evening as the keynote dinner speaker. He focused many of his comments on political investigative reporting, providing examples of events that have had a profound impact on today’s political climate, including President Bill Clinton’s impeachment and Vice-President Al Gore’s unsuccessful run for president. Mr. Woodward discussed his disappointment with the today’s media’s fact-finding methods, asking, "Why isn’t the media doing more?"

Technology-driven campaigns

Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico and author of the Politico Playbook was the featured speaker at the Summit’s political luncheon. His talk centered on Barack Obama’s second presidential election bid and how the president’s reelection campaign effectively used technology-driven communications.

An election campaign must be broad and optimistically open to change, explained Mr. Allen.

Training to be an effective advocate

Christopher Kush, grassroots expert and CEO of Soapbox Consulting, helped participants navigate their day on Capitol Hill.

"Hook, line, and sinker" is a three-phase method Mr. Kush suggests advocates use when meeting with a member of Congress. He says ultimately an advocate has three minutes for introductions (hook), five minutes to tell the story(line), and five minutes to make the request and discuss it (sinker).

In preparation for Lobby Day, participants received individualized legislative meeting schedules, educational literature, and a pocket card that listed the critical health care talking points, or "Congressional Asks."

A limited-edition book, Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, was released in conjunction with the Summit, summarizing the College’s 18-month effort to create a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums. Participants received a personal copy of the book, as well as one to present to policymakers on Lobby Day. The book can be accessed at facs.org/quality/lessonslearned.html.

Grassroots and the ACSPA-SurgeonsPACS

In advance of Lobby Day, several members of Congress provided insight into issues in need of bipartisan solutions, such as medical liability reform and reimbursement. Legislators who spoke included: Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chair, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee; Larry Bucshon, MD, FACS (R-IN); and Ami Bera, MD (D-CA).

"Get involved and stay involved," was the common message among many presenters. Jeff Carroll, Chief of Staff for Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), presented Winning in Advocacy: Why Grassroots and Messaging Matter, emphasizing political action committees (PACs), such as the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACSPA)-SurgeonsPAC. "Access comes through PAC donations," said Mr. Carroll. "It’s important to encourage members to give to the PAC. PAC donations help build trust and get you in the door to create effective relationships."

Mr. Carroll also discussed the importance of grassroots efforts, and which methods work best, pointing out that "a lot of members of Congress pay attention to social media-and the College should, too."

PAC contributors participated in a wine-tasting fundraiser and reception hosted by the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC at the National Museum for Women in the Arts and attended by 11 lawmakers , including Rep. Dan Benishek, MD, FACS (R-MI), Rep. Diane Black, RN (R-TN), Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX), Rep. Lois Capps, RN (D-CA), Rep. Phil Gingrey, MD (R-GA), Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD), Rep. Joe Heck, MD (R-NV), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rep. Phil Roe, MD (R-TN), and Rep. Tom Price, MD, FACS (R-GA).

The 2014 Advocacy Summit will take place March 29-April 1 in Washington, DC.

Ms. Moye is Communications Manager, Division of Integrated Communications, Washington, DC.

The second annual American College of Surgeons Advocacy Summit took place April 14-16, in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the ACS Leadership Conference. The event rallies surgery’s collective grassroots advocacy voice, with more than 200 surgeon attendees learning about such topics as reforming the Medicare physician payment system, protecting the surgical workforce, and funding graduate medical education (GME) before spending a day on Capitol Hill meeting with their representatives and senators and congressional staff.

Understanding the issues

Health care costs continue to rise, particularly as baby boomers age and increase the demand services. The ACS Young Fellows Association (YFA) sponsored a panel at the Summit on the future of health care. Moderated by Scott Coates, MD, FACS, Vice-Co-Chair, the YFA Member Services Work Group, speakers included Gail Wilensky, PhD, senior fellow, Project Hope; Harold Miller, executive director, Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform; and Frank G. Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy.

Dr. Wilensky discussed physician payments, the cost of health care, and spending—topics that have recently gained traction. She expressed skepticism about whether programs such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) – designed to provide more coordinated, high quality care to Medicare patients – are the answer to physician payment woes. However, she said bundled payments,¹ which encourage efficiency by offering a single payment to multiple providers of services delivered during a single episode of care or over a specific period of time, could result in lower costs.

Advocacy Summit participants

Dr. Miller, however, said that some accountable care arrangements may benefit surgeons and patients while reducing Medicare spending. Under the model he suggested, health care professionals would participate in a flexible, alternative payment and delivery system that best fits their practices and that delivers high-quality, efficient care.

The College has offered another option—the Value-Based Update (VBU), ² noted Dr. Opelka. The VBU calls for replacing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula used to calculate physician payment with a system that improves outcomes, quality, safety and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. Dr. Opelka noted that the VBU would combine the College’s century of experience in quality measurement to improve patient care and reduce costs,

Atul Grover, MD, chief public policy officer, Association of American Medical Colleges; Doug Henley, MD, chief executive officer, and executive vice president, American Academy of Family Physicians; and Samuel Finlayson, MD, MPH, Kessler Director, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, offered distinct viewpoints on physician workforce issues. Dr. Grover discussed specialty choice among physicians and practice locations, deficit reduction plans, and incentives for surgical practice in rural areas. Dr. Henley provided data on what he believes are probable causes of the current workforce shortage and suggested possible solutions, including appropriately valuing and compensating primary care physicians to address the income gap between primary care and other specialties and reforming GME. Dr. Finlayson believes that increasing the number of surgeons is an "unwise response to the workforce crisis" and that "addressing geographic and specialty distribution is the main challenge."

Maria Ghazal, vice president and counsel of the Business Roundtable, which represents the interests of many of the nation’s largest companies, invited the College to collaborate on many issues, including the development of state insurance exchanges. Greg Gierer, vice president of policy, America’s Health Insurance Plans, agreed that collaboration can effectively address health care reform, particularly cost-containment. Mr. Gierer discussed health care cost and how insurers are leading changes in the marketplace through collaboration with providers and possible means of providing care to vulnerable populations through public-private cooperation. Harlan F. Weisman, MD, chairman and chief executive officer of Coronado Biosciences, Inc., talked about regaining the country’s status as the world leader in the development of pharmaceutical research and advancement.

The price of politics

Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Washington Post and author of The Price of Politics, opened the Summit on Sunday evening as the keynote dinner speaker. He focused many of his comments on political investigative reporting, providing examples of events that have had a profound impact on today’s political climate, including President Bill Clinton’s impeachment and Vice-President Al Gore’s unsuccessful run for president. Mr. Woodward discussed his disappointment with the today’s media’s fact-finding methods, asking, "Why isn’t the media doing more?"

Technology-driven campaigns

Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico and author of the Politico Playbook was the featured speaker at the Summit’s political luncheon. His talk centered on Barack Obama’s second presidential election bid and how the president’s reelection campaign effectively used technology-driven communications.

An election campaign must be broad and optimistically open to change, explained Mr. Allen.

Training to be an effective advocate

Christopher Kush, grassroots expert and CEO of Soapbox Consulting, helped participants navigate their day on Capitol Hill.

"Hook, line, and sinker" is a three-phase method Mr. Kush suggests advocates use when meeting with a member of Congress. He says ultimately an advocate has three minutes for introductions (hook), five minutes to tell the story(line), and five minutes to make the request and discuss it (sinker).

In preparation for Lobby Day, participants received individualized legislative meeting schedules, educational literature, and a pocket card that listed the critical health care talking points, or "Congressional Asks."

A limited-edition book, Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, was released in conjunction with the Summit, summarizing the College’s 18-month effort to create a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums. Participants received a personal copy of the book, as well as one to present to policymakers on Lobby Day. The book can be accessed at facs.org/quality/lessonslearned.html.

Grassroots and the ACSPA-SurgeonsPACS

In advance of Lobby Day, several members of Congress provided insight into issues in need of bipartisan solutions, such as medical liability reform and reimbursement. Legislators who spoke included: Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chair, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee; Larry Bucshon, MD, FACS (R-IN); and Ami Bera, MD (D-CA).

"Get involved and stay involved," was the common message among many presenters. Jeff Carroll, Chief of Staff for Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), presented Winning in Advocacy: Why Grassroots and Messaging Matter, emphasizing political action committees (PACs), such as the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACSPA)-SurgeonsPAC. "Access comes through PAC donations," said Mr. Carroll. "It’s important to encourage members to give to the PAC. PAC donations help build trust and get you in the door to create effective relationships."

Mr. Carroll also discussed the importance of grassroots efforts, and which methods work best, pointing out that "a lot of members of Congress pay attention to social media-and the College should, too."

PAC contributors participated in a wine-tasting fundraiser and reception hosted by the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC at the National Museum for Women in the Arts and attended by 11 lawmakers , including Rep. Dan Benishek, MD, FACS (R-MI), Rep. Diane Black, RN (R-TN), Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX), Rep. Lois Capps, RN (D-CA), Rep. Phil Gingrey, MD (R-GA), Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD), Rep. Joe Heck, MD (R-NV), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rep. Phil Roe, MD (R-TN), and Rep. Tom Price, MD, FACS (R-GA).

The 2014 Advocacy Summit will take place March 29-April 1 in Washington, DC.

Ms. Moye is Communications Manager, Division of Integrated Communications, Washington, DC.

The second annual American College of Surgeons Advocacy Summit took place April 14-16, in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the ACS Leadership Conference. The event rallies surgery’s collective grassroots advocacy voice, with more than 200 surgeon attendees learning about such topics as reforming the Medicare physician payment system, protecting the surgical workforce, and funding graduate medical education (GME) before spending a day on Capitol Hill meeting with their representatives and senators and congressional staff.

Understanding the issues

Health care costs continue to rise, particularly as baby boomers age and increase the demand services. The ACS Young Fellows Association (YFA) sponsored a panel at the Summit on the future of health care. Moderated by Scott Coates, MD, FACS, Vice-Co-Chair, the YFA Member Services Work Group, speakers included Gail Wilensky, PhD, senior fellow, Project Hope; Harold Miller, executive director, Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform; and Frank G. Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director, ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy.

Dr. Wilensky discussed physician payments, the cost of health care, and spending—topics that have recently gained traction. She expressed skepticism about whether programs such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) – designed to provide more coordinated, high quality care to Medicare patients – are the answer to physician payment woes. However, she said bundled payments,¹ which encourage efficiency by offering a single payment to multiple providers of services delivered during a single episode of care or over a specific period of time, could result in lower costs.

Advocacy Summit participants

Dr. Miller, however, said that some accountable care arrangements may benefit surgeons and patients while reducing Medicare spending. Under the model he suggested, health care professionals would participate in a flexible, alternative payment and delivery system that best fits their practices and that delivers high-quality, efficient care.

The College has offered another option—the Value-Based Update (VBU), ² noted Dr. Opelka. The VBU calls for replacing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula used to calculate physician payment with a system that improves outcomes, quality, safety and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. Dr. Opelka noted that the VBU would combine the College’s century of experience in quality measurement to improve patient care and reduce costs,

Atul Grover, MD, chief public policy officer, Association of American Medical Colleges; Doug Henley, MD, chief executive officer, and executive vice president, American Academy of Family Physicians; and Samuel Finlayson, MD, MPH, Kessler Director, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, offered distinct viewpoints on physician workforce issues. Dr. Grover discussed specialty choice among physicians and practice locations, deficit reduction plans, and incentives for surgical practice in rural areas. Dr. Henley provided data on what he believes are probable causes of the current workforce shortage and suggested possible solutions, including appropriately valuing and compensating primary care physicians to address the income gap between primary care and other specialties and reforming GME. Dr. Finlayson believes that increasing the number of surgeons is an "unwise response to the workforce crisis" and that "addressing geographic and specialty distribution is the main challenge."

Maria Ghazal, vice president and counsel of the Business Roundtable, which represents the interests of many of the nation’s largest companies, invited the College to collaborate on many issues, including the development of state insurance exchanges. Greg Gierer, vice president of policy, America’s Health Insurance Plans, agreed that collaboration can effectively address health care reform, particularly cost-containment. Mr. Gierer discussed health care cost and how insurers are leading changes in the marketplace through collaboration with providers and possible means of providing care to vulnerable populations through public-private cooperation. Harlan F. Weisman, MD, chairman and chief executive officer of Coronado Biosciences, Inc., talked about regaining the country’s status as the world leader in the development of pharmaceutical research and advancement.

The price of politics

Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Washington Post and author of The Price of Politics, opened the Summit on Sunday evening as the keynote dinner speaker. He focused many of his comments on political investigative reporting, providing examples of events that have had a profound impact on today’s political climate, including President Bill Clinton’s impeachment and Vice-President Al Gore’s unsuccessful run for president. Mr. Woodward discussed his disappointment with the today’s media’s fact-finding methods, asking, "Why isn’t the media doing more?"

Technology-driven campaigns

Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico and author of the Politico Playbook was the featured speaker at the Summit’s political luncheon. His talk centered on Barack Obama’s second presidential election bid and how the president’s reelection campaign effectively used technology-driven communications.

An election campaign must be broad and optimistically open to change, explained Mr. Allen.

Training to be an effective advocate

Christopher Kush, grassroots expert and CEO of Soapbox Consulting, helped participants navigate their day on Capitol Hill.

"Hook, line, and sinker" is a three-phase method Mr. Kush suggests advocates use when meeting with a member of Congress. He says ultimately an advocate has three minutes for introductions (hook), five minutes to tell the story(line), and five minutes to make the request and discuss it (sinker).

In preparation for Lobby Day, participants received individualized legislative meeting schedules, educational literature, and a pocket card that listed the critical health care talking points, or "Congressional Asks."

A limited-edition book, Inspiring Quality Tour: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Quality Surgical Health Care, was released in conjunction with the Summit, summarizing the College’s 18-month effort to create a national dialogue about surgical quality and patient safety through a series of ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forums. Participants received a personal copy of the book, as well as one to present to policymakers on Lobby Day. The book can be accessed at facs.org/quality/lessonslearned.html.

Grassroots and the ACSPA-SurgeonsPACS

In advance of Lobby Day, several members of Congress provided insight into issues in need of bipartisan solutions, such as medical liability reform and reimbursement. Legislators who spoke included: Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chair, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee; Larry Bucshon, MD, FACS (R-IN); and Ami Bera, MD (D-CA).

"Get involved and stay involved," was the common message among many presenters. Jeff Carroll, Chief of Staff for Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), presented Winning in Advocacy: Why Grassroots and Messaging Matter, emphasizing political action committees (PACs), such as the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACSPA)-SurgeonsPAC. "Access comes through PAC donations," said Mr. Carroll. "It’s important to encourage members to give to the PAC. PAC donations help build trust and get you in the door to create effective relationships."

Mr. Carroll also discussed the importance of grassroots efforts, and which methods work best, pointing out that "a lot of members of Congress pay attention to social media-and the College should, too."

PAC contributors participated in a wine-tasting fundraiser and reception hosted by the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC at the National Museum for Women in the Arts and attended by 11 lawmakers , including Rep. Dan Benishek, MD, FACS (R-MI), Rep. Diane Black, RN (R-TN), Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX), Rep. Lois Capps, RN (D-CA), Rep. Phil Gingrey, MD (R-GA), Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD), Rep. Joe Heck, MD (R-NV), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rep. Phil Roe, MD (R-TN), and Rep. Tom Price, MD, FACS (R-GA).

The 2014 Advocacy Summit will take place March 29-April 1 in Washington, DC.

Ms. Moye is Communications Manager, Division of Integrated Communications, Washington, DC.

Lewis M. Flint, MD, FACS, Editor-in-Chief of Selected Readings in General Surgery of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and adjunct professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, received the H. Biemann Othersen, Jr., M.D., Distinguished Alumnus Award on April 25. This award is the highest alumni honor bestowed by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) department of surgery, Charleston. The Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, a member organization that recognizes the achievements of MUSC alumni who have enhanced the surgical profession through education, research, and clinical practice, presented the award to Dr. Flint.

Dr. Flint earned his medical degree and completed his surgical internship at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, in 1966. He was surgery chief resident at MUSC from 1973 to 1974. Dr. Flint has served as president of several surgical societies, including the Society of University Surgeons, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Halsted Society, and the Southern Surgical Association. He was recognized by the American Board of Surgery as director and senior examiner and was on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Grant Review Committee. He also provides his expertise to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Surgery and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

For more information on the Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, view the brochure at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/surgery/alumni/ArtzBrochure%206%2013%2012.pdf.

Lewis M. Flint, MD, FACS, Editor-in-Chief of Selected Readings in General Surgery of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and adjunct professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, received the H. Biemann Othersen, Jr., M.D., Distinguished Alumnus Award on April 25. This award is the highest alumni honor bestowed by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) department of surgery, Charleston. The Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, a member organization that recognizes the achievements of MUSC alumni who have enhanced the surgical profession through education, research, and clinical practice, presented the award to Dr. Flint.

Dr. Flint earned his medical degree and completed his surgical internship at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, in 1966. He was surgery chief resident at MUSC from 1973 to 1974. Dr. Flint has served as president of several surgical societies, including the Society of University Surgeons, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Halsted Society, and the Southern Surgical Association. He was recognized by the American Board of Surgery as director and senior examiner and was on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Grant Review Committee. He also provides his expertise to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Surgery and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

For more information on the Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, view the brochure at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/surgery/alumni/ArtzBrochure%206%2013%2012.pdf.

Lewis M. Flint, MD, FACS, Editor-in-Chief of Selected Readings in General Surgery of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and adjunct professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, received the H. Biemann Othersen, Jr., M.D., Distinguished Alumnus Award on April 25. This award is the highest alumni honor bestowed by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) department of surgery, Charleston. The Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, a member organization that recognizes the achievements of MUSC alumni who have enhanced the surgical profession through education, research, and clinical practice, presented the award to Dr. Flint.

Dr. Flint earned his medical degree and completed his surgical internship at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, in 1966. He was surgery chief resident at MUSC from 1973 to 1974. Dr. Flint has served as president of several surgical societies, including the Society of University Surgeons, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Halsted Society, and the Southern Surgical Association. He was recognized by the American Board of Surgery as director and senior examiner and was on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Grant Review Committee. He also provides his expertise to the editorial boards of the American Journal of Surgery and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

For more information on the Curtis P. Artz MUSC Surgical Society, view the brochure at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/surgery/alumni/ArtzBrochure%206%2013%2012.pdf.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) on April 25 introduced the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act (H.R. 1733) – legislation that would ensure that health professionals who want to provide voluntary care in response to a federally declared disaster are able to do so without worries about potential liability. Rapid medical response in a disaster can greatly decrease loss of life and improve outcomes for patients who desperately need care. However, when a disaster strikes, the needs of victims often overwhelm the services that are available locally. The medical profession has a long history of stepping forward to assist disaster victims; however, the current Volunteer Protection Act, which was enacted specifically to encourage such actions, fails to address the issue of liability protections for health care providers who cross state lines to aid disaster victims. H.R. 1733 attends to this shortcoming. For more information, contact the American College of Surgeons advocacy staff at [email protected].

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) on April 25 introduced the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act (H.R. 1733) – legislation that would ensure that health professionals who want to provide voluntary care in response to a federally declared disaster are able to do so without worries about potential liability. Rapid medical response in a disaster can greatly decrease loss of life and improve outcomes for patients who desperately need care. However, when a disaster strikes, the needs of victims often overwhelm the services that are available locally. The medical profession has a long history of stepping forward to assist disaster victims; however, the current Volunteer Protection Act, which was enacted specifically to encourage such actions, fails to address the issue of liability protections for health care providers who cross state lines to aid disaster victims. H.R. 1733 attends to this shortcoming. For more information, contact the American College of Surgeons advocacy staff at [email protected].

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) on April 25 introduced the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act (H.R. 1733) – legislation that would ensure that health professionals who want to provide voluntary care in response to a federally declared disaster are able to do so without worries about potential liability. Rapid medical response in a disaster can greatly decrease loss of life and improve outcomes for patients who desperately need care. However, when a disaster strikes, the needs of victims often overwhelm the services that are available locally. The medical profession has a long history of stepping forward to assist disaster victims; however, the current Volunteer Protection Act, which was enacted specifically to encourage such actions, fails to address the issue of liability protections for health care providers who cross state lines to aid disaster victims. H.R. 1733 attends to this shortcoming. For more information, contact the American College of Surgeons advocacy staff at [email protected].

Eric R. Frykberg, M.D., FACS, an American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, died March 25 at the age of 62. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Frykberg was chief of the division of general surgery at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center and professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville.

Dr. Frykberg had an intense interest in many aspects of general surgery and was particularly dedicated to trauma care and disaster preparedness. He served on the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) from 1999 to 2005 and in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks chaired the COT’s Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster and Mass Casualty Management. He also served on the COT’s Committee on Injury Prevention and Control (1999-2005). In addition, he was member of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors (2011-2012) and the Board of Governors’ Committee on Physician Competency and Health (2011-2012).

His foresight saved many lives and his insights forged systems of care that will save many more. He is missed by all who had the privilege to know and work with him.

Dr. Frykberg is survived by his wife of 39 years, Patti; daughter Erica Glass, D.O.; son Brett Frykberg, M.D.; daughter Jessica Vogel; and five grandchildren.

Eric R. Frykberg, M.D., FACS, an American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, died March 25 at the age of 62. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Frykberg was chief of the division of general surgery at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center and professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville.

Dr. Frykberg had an intense interest in many aspects of general surgery and was particularly dedicated to trauma care and disaster preparedness. He served on the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) from 1999 to 2005 and in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks chaired the COT’s Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster and Mass Casualty Management. He also served on the COT’s Committee on Injury Prevention and Control (1999-2005). In addition, he was member of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors (2011-2012) and the Board of Governors’ Committee on Physician Competency and Health (2011-2012).

His foresight saved many lives and his insights forged systems of care that will save many more. He is missed by all who had the privilege to know and work with him.

Dr. Frykberg is survived by his wife of 39 years, Patti; daughter Erica Glass, D.O.; son Brett Frykberg, M.D.; daughter Jessica Vogel; and five grandchildren.

Eric R. Frykberg, M.D., FACS, an American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, died March 25 at the age of 62. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Frykberg was chief of the division of general surgery at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center and professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville.

Dr. Frykberg had an intense interest in many aspects of general surgery and was particularly dedicated to trauma care and disaster preparedness. He served on the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) from 1999 to 2005 and in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks chaired the COT’s Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster and Mass Casualty Management. He also served on the COT’s Committee on Injury Prevention and Control (1999-2005). In addition, he was member of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors (2011-2012) and the Board of Governors’ Committee on Physician Competency and Health (2011-2012).

His foresight saved many lives and his insights forged systems of care that will save many more. He is missed by all who had the privilege to know and work with him.

Dr. Frykberg is survived by his wife of 39 years, Patti; daughter Erica Glass, D.O.; son Brett Frykberg, M.D.; daughter Jessica Vogel; and five grandchildren.

David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and representatives of other physicians’ organizations provided testimony, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/hoyt.513.html during a May 7 House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing. The hearing centered on a joint proposal that the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees have developed to reform the Medicare physician payment system. There is widespread agreement in Congress that repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula is a necessary first step toward reforming the current system.

"We need to repeal the SGR so that seniors continue to have access to their local doctors," Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chair of the subcommittee, said in his opening remarks. "In our communities, we are witnessing first-hand how the current broken system is forcing doctors to rethink their future with Medicare, consider closing their private practices or joining up with a hospital. The SGR is a major contributor to an unhealthy system—and it needs to change this year."

The College expressed appreciation for the committees’ acknowledgment that the current Medicare physician payment system and the SGR are fundamentally flawed and for the joint proposal’s elimination of the SGR during the first phase of implementation. The College also supported efforts to find more innovative models of physician payment and asserted that any new payment system should be based on the complementary objectives of improving outcomes, quality, safety, and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. The College offered its Value Based Update (VBU), proposal which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/news/2013/may.html, as a way to accomplish these goals. Dr. Hoyt answered several questions regarding the VBU and the College’s work on quality measurement, including the use of national registries and databases to compile data and facilitate the exchange of information among health care providers. More information on the College’s perspective on the joint proposal can be found in the February response letter, available at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.2.13.pdf, and the April response, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.4.13.pdf.

David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and representatives of other physicians’ organizations provided testimony, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/hoyt.513.html during a May 7 House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing. The hearing centered on a joint proposal that the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees have developed to reform the Medicare physician payment system. There is widespread agreement in Congress that repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula is a necessary first step toward reforming the current system.

"We need to repeal the SGR so that seniors continue to have access to their local doctors," Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chair of the subcommittee, said in his opening remarks. "In our communities, we are witnessing first-hand how the current broken system is forcing doctors to rethink their future with Medicare, consider closing their private practices or joining up with a hospital. The SGR is a major contributor to an unhealthy system—and it needs to change this year."

The College expressed appreciation for the committees’ acknowledgment that the current Medicare physician payment system and the SGR are fundamentally flawed and for the joint proposal’s elimination of the SGR during the first phase of implementation. The College also supported efforts to find more innovative models of physician payment and asserted that any new payment system should be based on the complementary objectives of improving outcomes, quality, safety, and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. The College offered its Value Based Update (VBU), proposal which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/news/2013/may.html, as a way to accomplish these goals. Dr. Hoyt answered several questions regarding the VBU and the College’s work on quality measurement, including the use of national registries and databases to compile data and facilitate the exchange of information among health care providers. More information on the College’s perspective on the joint proposal can be found in the February response letter, available at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.2.13.pdf, and the April response, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.4.13.pdf.

David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and representatives of other physicians’ organizations provided testimony, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/hoyt.513.html during a May 7 House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing. The hearing centered on a joint proposal that the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees have developed to reform the Medicare physician payment system. There is widespread agreement in Congress that repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula is a necessary first step toward reforming the current system.

"We need to repeal the SGR so that seniors continue to have access to their local doctors," Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chair of the subcommittee, said in his opening remarks. "In our communities, we are witnessing first-hand how the current broken system is forcing doctors to rethink their future with Medicare, consider closing their private practices or joining up with a hospital. The SGR is a major contributor to an unhealthy system—and it needs to change this year."

The College expressed appreciation for the committees’ acknowledgment that the current Medicare physician payment system and the SGR are fundamentally flawed and for the joint proposal’s elimination of the SGR during the first phase of implementation. The College also supported efforts to find more innovative models of physician payment and asserted that any new payment system should be based on the complementary objectives of improving outcomes, quality, safety, and efficiency while reducing the growth in health care spending. The College offered its Value Based Update (VBU), proposal which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/news/2013/may.html, as a way to accomplish these goals. Dr. Hoyt answered several questions regarding the VBU and the College’s work on quality measurement, including the use of national registries and databases to compile data and facilitate the exchange of information among health care providers. More information on the College’s perspective on the joint proposal can be found in the February response letter, available at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.2.13.pdf, and the April response, which can be viewed at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/response-ec-wm.4.13.pdf.

The Executive Committee of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has named Mahul B. Amin, MD, FCAP, Editor-in-Chief of the upcoming eighth edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Dr. Amin is chairman and professor of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. He is a national and international expert and consultant on tumors of the genitourinary tract, including the prostate, urinary bladder, kidney, and testis, and served on the Executive Committee of the AJCC from 2003 to 2011. Programs of the AJCC, founded in 1959, are administered by the American College of Surgeons.

Physicians and health care professionals worldwide use the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual to facilitate the uniform description of neoplastic diseases. The manual contains evidence-based criteria for the staging of cancer for a number of anatomic disease sites, which includes the rationale and rules for staging; the definitions of tumor, lymph node involvement, and metastasis; stage groupings; and histologic grade.

The eighth edition of the Cancer Staging Manual—which is expected to be published in late 2015 for patients diagnosed with cancer after January 2016—will incorporate advances made in cancer research, staging, diagnosis, and treatment since the seventh edition was published in October 2009. For more information, view the press release. At http://www.facs.org/news/2013/ajcc-editor-amin0513.html.

The Executive Committee of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has named Mahul B. Amin, MD, FCAP, Editor-in-Chief of the upcoming eighth edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Dr. Amin is chairman and professor of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. He is a national and international expert and consultant on tumors of the genitourinary tract, including the prostate, urinary bladder, kidney, and testis, and served on the Executive Committee of the AJCC from 2003 to 2011. Programs of the AJCC, founded in 1959, are administered by the American College of Surgeons.

Physicians and health care professionals worldwide use the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual to facilitate the uniform description of neoplastic diseases. The manual contains evidence-based criteria for the staging of cancer for a number of anatomic disease sites, which includes the rationale and rules for staging; the definitions of tumor, lymph node involvement, and metastasis; stage groupings; and histologic grade.

The eighth edition of the Cancer Staging Manual—which is expected to be published in late 2015 for patients diagnosed with cancer after January 2016—will incorporate advances made in cancer research, staging, diagnosis, and treatment since the seventh edition was published in October 2009. For more information, view the press release. At http://www.facs.org/news/2013/ajcc-editor-amin0513.html.

The Executive Committee of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has named Mahul B. Amin, MD, FCAP, Editor-in-Chief of the upcoming eighth edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Dr. Amin is chairman and professor of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. He is a national and international expert and consultant on tumors of the genitourinary tract, including the prostate, urinary bladder, kidney, and testis, and served on the Executive Committee of the AJCC from 2003 to 2011. Programs of the AJCC, founded in 1959, are administered by the American College of Surgeons.

Physicians and health care professionals worldwide use the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual to facilitate the uniform description of neoplastic diseases. The manual contains evidence-based criteria for the staging of cancer for a number of anatomic disease sites, which includes the rationale and rules for staging; the definitions of tumor, lymph node involvement, and metastasis; stage groupings; and histologic grade.

The eighth edition of the Cancer Staging Manual—which is expected to be published in late 2015 for patients diagnosed with cancer after January 2016—will incorporate advances made in cancer research, staging, diagnosis, and treatment since the seventh edition was published in October 2009. For more information, view the press release. At http://www.facs.org/news/2013/ajcc-editor-amin0513.html.

Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, chairman of the department of surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and chief of surgery at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC, on July 1 will assume the role of chief executive officer of the 1,000-physician University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (NY).

In this new assignment, Dr. Rotondo will also serve as senior associate dean of clinical affairs, professor of surgery, and vice president for administration at Strong Memorial Hospital. Dr. Rotondo, a former American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, is currently Chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma and Liaison for the ACS Program Committee. He is a trauma and general surgeon who graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine. View the press release announcing Dr. Rotondo’s appointment at http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=3786.

Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, chairman of the department of surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and chief of surgery at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC, on July 1 will assume the role of chief executive officer of the 1,000-physician University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (NY).

In this new assignment, Dr. Rotondo will also serve as senior associate dean of clinical affairs, professor of surgery, and vice president for administration at Strong Memorial Hospital. Dr. Rotondo, a former American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, is currently Chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma and Liaison for the ACS Program Committee. He is a trauma and general surgeon who graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine. View the press release announcing Dr. Rotondo’s appointment at http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=3786.

Michael F. Rotondo, MD, FACS, chairman of the department of surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and chief of surgery at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC, on July 1 will assume the role of chief executive officer of the 1,000-physician University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (NY).

In this new assignment, Dr. Rotondo will also serve as senior associate dean of clinical affairs, professor of surgery, and vice president for administration at Strong Memorial Hospital. Dr. Rotondo, a former American College of Surgeons (ACS) Governor, is currently Chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma and Liaison for the ACS Program Committee. He is a trauma and general surgeon who graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine. View the press release announcing Dr. Rotondo’s appointment at http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=3786.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted the ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forum Connecticut on April 26, in partnership with the ACS Connecticut Chapter and the Connecticut State Medical Society. In this 13th forum, surgeons, hospitals, health plans, physicians, and government leaders shared best practices for improving patient care, achieving better outcomes, and curbing rising health care costs.

The Connecticut Forum highlighted the efforts of the Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), a statewide group of 20 hospitals that meets regularly to share quality outcomes including successes and best practices.

The CtSQC announced that six more hospitals are joining this effort, including: Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain and Southington; Windham Hospital, Willimantic; MidState Medical Center, Meriden; Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Pawcatuck; and John Dempsey Hospital at the UConn Health Center, Farmington. Many CtSQC hospitals also use the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) to improve outcomes in key areas of surgical care and provide the best possible value to patients, hospitals, and health plans.

"Our collaborative is a unique forum to get hospitals at the table, not as competitors, but as health care providers with a common goal to improve patient care," said forum host Scott J. Ellner, DO, MPH, FACS, director of surgical quality, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, assistant professor of surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and Co-chair, ACS Connecticut Chapter Committee on Patient Safety. "We now have more than two-thirds of the hospitals in the state participating, sharing practical and candid information with each other, and that’s something we all can be really proud of. As a result of this effort, patients will get better care and our health care system will improve—everyone wins."

"Connecticut is the perfect example of what the College aspires to drive forward with these forums and the Inspiring Quality initiative—encouraging collaboration to share tangible examples of quality improvement and therefore provide a platform for action," said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.

The Connecticut forum featured diverse opinions on high-quality health care and the impact of health care reform, including:

• Kevin J. Counihan, chief executive officer, Access Health CT

"Premium rate increases are among the greatest threats to the sustainability of health reform and enhanced access to health insurance"

• Andrew Baskin, MD, national medical director, quality and provider performance, Aetna

"Quality improvement is more than just one single event or provider—it requires partnerships throughout the spectrum of care. "

• Colleen Desai, MSN, RN, CEN, trauma program manager, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; president-elect, Connecticut Emergency Nurses Association

"At Saint Francis, we rely on quality programs like ACS NSQIP and the ACS Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) to tell us exactly how we’re doing in key areas so we know what we need to improve on."

• Alison L. Hong, MD, director, quality and patient safety, Connecticut Hospital Association

"Connecticut hospitals are recognized as leaders by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for their participation in Partnership for Patients, an initiative to prevent harm and reduce readmissions."

• Kathleen LaVorgna, MD, FACS, private practice surgeon, Norwalk Hospital; president, ACS Connecticut Chapter

"Participation in the state collaborative allows us to compare our quality issues with other hospitals in our state, and by sharing our experiences, we learn from each other and the quality movement becomes not just a concept to discuss, but a real collaborative project based on science and clinical results."

• Kevin P. Lembo, Comptroller, State of Connecticut

"Through the Health Enhancement Program, we are bringing patients closer to primary care—proving that quality care and management results in better outcomes for both the patient and the plan.

• Rocco Orlando III, MD, FACS, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Hartford HealthCare

Our leaders drive our culture by linking our values to our performance. Across our health system, we set goals collectively and collaboratively—building dashboards and objective metrics to assess our progress."

• Donna Laliberte O’Shea, MD, MBA, CPE, market medical director, Connecticut, UnitedHealthcare

"Transparency will continue to play a larger role as we examine both how to define quality and how to provide higher-quality care"

To view the archived Connecticut forum video and follow additional updates, visit InspiringQuality.facs.org or the College’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/AmCollegeofSurgeons.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted the ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forum Connecticut on April 26, in partnership with the ACS Connecticut Chapter and the Connecticut State Medical Society. In this 13th forum, surgeons, hospitals, health plans, physicians, and government leaders shared best practices for improving patient care, achieving better outcomes, and curbing rising health care costs.

The Connecticut Forum highlighted the efforts of the Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), a statewide group of 20 hospitals that meets regularly to share quality outcomes including successes and best practices.

The CtSQC announced that six more hospitals are joining this effort, including: Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain and Southington; Windham Hospital, Willimantic; MidState Medical Center, Meriden; Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Pawcatuck; and John Dempsey Hospital at the UConn Health Center, Farmington. Many CtSQC hospitals also use the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) to improve outcomes in key areas of surgical care and provide the best possible value to patients, hospitals, and health plans.

"Our collaborative is a unique forum to get hospitals at the table, not as competitors, but as health care providers with a common goal to improve patient care," said forum host Scott J. Ellner, DO, MPH, FACS, director of surgical quality, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, assistant professor of surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and Co-chair, ACS Connecticut Chapter Committee on Patient Safety. "We now have more than two-thirds of the hospitals in the state participating, sharing practical and candid information with each other, and that’s something we all can be really proud of. As a result of this effort, patients will get better care and our health care system will improve—everyone wins."

"Connecticut is the perfect example of what the College aspires to drive forward with these forums and the Inspiring Quality initiative—encouraging collaboration to share tangible examples of quality improvement and therefore provide a platform for action," said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.

The Connecticut forum featured diverse opinions on high-quality health care and the impact of health care reform, including:

• Kevin J. Counihan, chief executive officer, Access Health CT

"Premium rate increases are among the greatest threats to the sustainability of health reform and enhanced access to health insurance"

• Andrew Baskin, MD, national medical director, quality and provider performance, Aetna

"Quality improvement is more than just one single event or provider—it requires partnerships throughout the spectrum of care. "

• Colleen Desai, MSN, RN, CEN, trauma program manager, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; president-elect, Connecticut Emergency Nurses Association

"At Saint Francis, we rely on quality programs like ACS NSQIP and the ACS Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) to tell us exactly how we’re doing in key areas so we know what we need to improve on."

• Alison L. Hong, MD, director, quality and patient safety, Connecticut Hospital Association

"Connecticut hospitals are recognized as leaders by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for their participation in Partnership for Patients, an initiative to prevent harm and reduce readmissions."

• Kathleen LaVorgna, MD, FACS, private practice surgeon, Norwalk Hospital; president, ACS Connecticut Chapter

"Participation in the state collaborative allows us to compare our quality issues with other hospitals in our state, and by sharing our experiences, we learn from each other and the quality movement becomes not just a concept to discuss, but a real collaborative project based on science and clinical results."

• Kevin P. Lembo, Comptroller, State of Connecticut

"Through the Health Enhancement Program, we are bringing patients closer to primary care—proving that quality care and management results in better outcomes for both the patient and the plan.

• Rocco Orlando III, MD, FACS, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Hartford HealthCare

Our leaders drive our culture by linking our values to our performance. Across our health system, we set goals collectively and collaboratively—building dashboards and objective metrics to assess our progress."

• Donna Laliberte O’Shea, MD, MBA, CPE, market medical director, Connecticut, UnitedHealthcare

"Transparency will continue to play a larger role as we examine both how to define quality and how to provide higher-quality care"

To view the archived Connecticut forum video and follow additional updates, visit InspiringQuality.facs.org or the College’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/AmCollegeofSurgeons.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) hosted the ACS Surgical Health Care Quality Forum Connecticut on April 26, in partnership with the ACS Connecticut Chapter and the Connecticut State Medical Society. In this 13th forum, surgeons, hospitals, health plans, physicians, and government leaders shared best practices for improving patient care, achieving better outcomes, and curbing rising health care costs.

The Connecticut Forum highlighted the efforts of the Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), a statewide group of 20 hospitals that meets regularly to share quality outcomes including successes and best practices.

The CtSQC announced that six more hospitals are joining this effort, including: Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain and Southington; Windham Hospital, Willimantic; MidState Medical Center, Meriden; Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Pawcatuck; and John Dempsey Hospital at the UConn Health Center, Farmington. Many CtSQC hospitals also use the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) to improve outcomes in key areas of surgical care and provide the best possible value to patients, hospitals, and health plans.

"Our collaborative is a unique forum to get hospitals at the table, not as competitors, but as health care providers with a common goal to improve patient care," said forum host Scott J. Ellner, DO, MPH, FACS, director of surgical quality, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, assistant professor of surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and Co-chair, ACS Connecticut Chapter Committee on Patient Safety. "We now have more than two-thirds of the hospitals in the state participating, sharing practical and candid information with each other, and that’s something we all can be really proud of. As a result of this effort, patients will get better care and our health care system will improve—everyone wins."

"Connecticut is the perfect example of what the College aspires to drive forward with these forums and the Inspiring Quality initiative—encouraging collaboration to share tangible examples of quality improvement and therefore provide a platform for action," said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.

The Connecticut forum featured diverse opinions on high-quality health care and the impact of health care reform, including:

• Kevin J. Counihan, chief executive officer, Access Health CT

"Premium rate increases are among the greatest threats to the sustainability of health reform and enhanced access to health insurance"

• Andrew Baskin, MD, national medical director, quality and provider performance, Aetna

"Quality improvement is more than just one single event or provider—it requires partnerships throughout the spectrum of care. "

• Colleen Desai, MSN, RN, CEN, trauma program manager, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; president-elect, Connecticut Emergency Nurses Association

"At Saint Francis, we rely on quality programs like ACS NSQIP and the ACS Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) to tell us exactly how we’re doing in key areas so we know what we need to improve on."

• Alison L. Hong, MD, director, quality and patient safety, Connecticut Hospital Association

"Connecticut hospitals are recognized as leaders by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for their participation in Partnership for Patients, an initiative to prevent harm and reduce readmissions."

• Kathleen LaVorgna, MD, FACS, private practice surgeon, Norwalk Hospital; president, ACS Connecticut Chapter

"Participation in the state collaborative allows us to compare our quality issues with other hospitals in our state, and by sharing our experiences, we learn from each other and the quality movement becomes not just a concept to discuss, but a real collaborative project based on science and clinical results."

• Kevin P. Lembo, Comptroller, State of Connecticut

"Through the Health Enhancement Program, we are bringing patients closer to primary care—proving that quality care and management results in better outcomes for both the patient and the plan.

• Rocco Orlando III, MD, FACS, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Hartford HealthCare

Our leaders drive our culture by linking our values to our performance. Across our health system, we set goals collectively and collaboratively—building dashboards and objective metrics to assess our progress."

• Donna Laliberte O’Shea, MD, MBA, CPE, market medical director, Connecticut, UnitedHealthcare

"Transparency will continue to play a larger role as we examine both how to define quality and how to provide higher-quality care"

To view the archived Connecticut forum video and follow additional updates, visit InspiringQuality.facs.org or the College’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/AmCollegeofSurgeons.