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Key Health Policy Issues Slated for Discussion at Clinical Congress

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Key Health Policy Issues Slated for Discussion at Clinical Congress

Stay informed on a wide range of health policy issues – from considerations pertaining to the Affordable Care Act to payment and surgical outcomes and workforce issues – by checking out the sessions in the health policy track that will be available at the 2012 ACS Clinical Congress, September 30 to October 4, in Chicago, IL. Click here to view the track of health policy sessions.

The following is a sampling of ACS Clinical Congress Panel Sessions and Town Hall topics:

• The Ever-Changing World of Payment Methodologies

• What Is New in Washington and the Impact on Surgical Practice

• Bundle Care and the Future of Surgical Healthcare: Delivery and Outcomes

• National and International Trends in Surgical Practice

• How Washington is Affecting Your Practice and Your Patients

Click here to view the 2012 Clinical Congress track schedule for all sessions.

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Stay informed on a wide range of health policy issues – from considerations pertaining to the Affordable Care Act to payment and surgical outcomes and workforce issues – by checking out the sessions in the health policy track that will be available at the 2012 ACS Clinical Congress, September 30 to October 4, in Chicago, IL. Click here to view the track of health policy sessions.

The following is a sampling of ACS Clinical Congress Panel Sessions and Town Hall topics:

• The Ever-Changing World of Payment Methodologies

• What Is New in Washington and the Impact on Surgical Practice

• Bundle Care and the Future of Surgical Healthcare: Delivery and Outcomes

• National and International Trends in Surgical Practice

• How Washington is Affecting Your Practice and Your Patients

Click here to view the 2012 Clinical Congress track schedule for all sessions.

Stay informed on a wide range of health policy issues – from considerations pertaining to the Affordable Care Act to payment and surgical outcomes and workforce issues – by checking out the sessions in the health policy track that will be available at the 2012 ACS Clinical Congress, September 30 to October 4, in Chicago, IL. Click here to view the track of health policy sessions.

The following is a sampling of ACS Clinical Congress Panel Sessions and Town Hall topics:

• The Ever-Changing World of Payment Methodologies

• What Is New in Washington and the Impact on Surgical Practice

• Bundle Care and the Future of Surgical Healthcare: Delivery and Outcomes

• National and International Trends in Surgical Practice

• How Washington is Affecting Your Practice and Your Patients

Click here to view the 2012 Clinical Congress track schedule for all sessions.

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ACS Testifies Before Congress on Medicare

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David Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the ACS, spoke on Medicare payment reform during a July 18 House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. The goal of the hearing was to explore possible options for replacing the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that is used to calculate Medicare reimbursement. Largely because of the SGR, a 27.5 percent cut in Medicare physician payments is scheduled to take effect January 1.

Witnesses and members of Congress at the hearing strongly agreed that the SGR should be replaced. Dr. Hoyt shared the College’s experience with quality programs and discussed the framework of the College’s draft SGR replacement proposal, the Value Based Update. Click here to view his statement.

On July 11, Frank Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director of the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, represented the College at a Senate Finance Committee Roundtable on this same issue.

The meeting, titled "Medicare Physician Payments: Perspectives from Physicians," gave members of Congress a chance to hear the physician community’s suggestions for reforming the Medicare physician payment system, while encouraging health care providers to deliver high-quality, high-value health care.

Representatives from the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Cardiology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology also participated in the meeting, which was the third in a series devoted to the Medicare physician payment system. Click here to learn more about what ACS is doing to help Congress fix the broken Medicare reimbursement system. Click here to view Dr. Opelka’s statement.

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David Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the ACS, spoke on Medicare payment reform during a July 18 House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. The goal of the hearing was to explore possible options for replacing the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that is used to calculate Medicare reimbursement. Largely because of the SGR, a 27.5 percent cut in Medicare physician payments is scheduled to take effect January 1.

Witnesses and members of Congress at the hearing strongly agreed that the SGR should be replaced. Dr. Hoyt shared the College’s experience with quality programs and discussed the framework of the College’s draft SGR replacement proposal, the Value Based Update. Click here to view his statement.

On July 11, Frank Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director of the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, represented the College at a Senate Finance Committee Roundtable on this same issue.

The meeting, titled "Medicare Physician Payments: Perspectives from Physicians," gave members of Congress a chance to hear the physician community’s suggestions for reforming the Medicare physician payment system, while encouraging health care providers to deliver high-quality, high-value health care.

Representatives from the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Cardiology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology also participated in the meeting, which was the third in a series devoted to the Medicare physician payment system. Click here to learn more about what ACS is doing to help Congress fix the broken Medicare reimbursement system. Click here to view Dr. Opelka’s statement.

David Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the ACS, spoke on Medicare payment reform during a July 18 House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. The goal of the hearing was to explore possible options for replacing the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that is used to calculate Medicare reimbursement. Largely because of the SGR, a 27.5 percent cut in Medicare physician payments is scheduled to take effect January 1.

Witnesses and members of Congress at the hearing strongly agreed that the SGR should be replaced. Dr. Hoyt shared the College’s experience with quality programs and discussed the framework of the College’s draft SGR replacement proposal, the Value Based Update. Click here to view his statement.

On July 11, Frank Opelka, MD, FACS, Associate Medical Director of the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy, represented the College at a Senate Finance Committee Roundtable on this same issue.

The meeting, titled "Medicare Physician Payments: Perspectives from Physicians," gave members of Congress a chance to hear the physician community’s suggestions for reforming the Medicare physician payment system, while encouraging health care providers to deliver high-quality, high-value health care.

Representatives from the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Cardiology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology also participated in the meeting, which was the third in a series devoted to the Medicare physician payment system. Click here to learn more about what ACS is doing to help Congress fix the broken Medicare reimbursement system. Click here to view Dr. Opelka’s statement.

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Renal Cell Carcinoma Research Ongoing

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Renal Cell Carcinoma Research Ongoing

Many renal cancers can now be managed in a minimally invasive fashion with either laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery. Potentially of greatest importance is the elucidation of the biological basis of sporadic as well as hereditary forms of renal carcinomas.

Most renal tumors arise from loss of function of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and activation of the hypoxic response, including upregulation of hypoxia inducible factor leading to vascular endothelial growth factor induction and ultimately angiogenesis. In addition to the VHL syndrome, other hereditary forms include hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, Birt-Hogg-Dubé, and hereditary leiomyomatosis-renal cell cancer.

Surgical resection of localized renal cell carcinoma can be curative for lower-stage disease, but patients with advanced or metastatic disease are rarely cured by surgery alone. Traditional chemotherapy has had poor response rates and systemic options have been focused on immunotherapy with cytokines, such as interleukin-2 and interferon alfa. Hence, new targeted agents being tested in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings have created some excitement.

Seven novel targeted agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration are available for patients with metastatic disease: the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, and axitinib; mTOR inhibitors temsirolimus and everolimus; and VEGF-inhibiting monoclonal antibody bevacizumab. The role of these therapies in either the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting is being investigated.

The Adjuvant Sorafenib or Sunitinib in Unfavorable Renal Cell Carcinoma (ASSURE; ECOG 2805) trial has enrolled 1,865 patients randomized to one year of sunitinib, sorafenib, or placebo therapy after surgical excision of the primary tumor. The current standard of care, even for patients with high-risk pathologic features, is surveillance after surgical procedures when no evidence of residual disease can be found. Thus, the study is designed to determine whether adjuvant targeted therapy improves cancer-specific survival and to demonstrate a 25 percent reduction in the hazard rate of disease-free survival events.

The EVErolimus for Renal Cancer Ensuing Surgical Therapy (EVEREST) study (SWOG 0931), similar in design to ASSURE, examines the benefit of adjuvant systemic therapy after surgical procedures in patients with intermediate high-risk or very high-risk disease. Although sorafenib, sunitinib, and everolimus are all used clinically, sorafenib and sunitinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, whereas everolimus is an mTOR inhibitor. An estimated 1,218 patients will be randomized to either everolimus or placebo, stratified by pathologic stage, histologic subtype, and performance status.

Similar ongoing adjuvant trials include the Pfizer-sponsored S-TRAC trial (n=720) comparing sunitinib with placebo and the Medical Research Council SORCE trial (n=1,656) comparing sorafenib with placebo. Other agents are also being tested in the adjuvant setting, including pazopanib (PROTECT), as well as those that exploit the purported immunogenicity of renal cell carcinoma.

An accrued phase III trial has tested the antibody girentuximab, which binds specifically to carbonic anhydrase IX (G250 antigen) that is expressed on the cell surface of clear renal cell carcinomas. Future trials may extend the potential role of cell-based immunotherapy from patients with metastatic disease to the adjuvant setting.

Dr. Meng is associate professor of urology, department of urology, University of California, San Francisco, and director of the fellowship in urologic oncology.

Dr. Nelson is Fred C. Andersen Professor of Surgery and chair, division of surgery research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, and Program Director of the Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program.

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Many renal cancers can now be managed in a minimally invasive fashion with either laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery. Potentially of greatest importance is the elucidation of the biological basis of sporadic as well as hereditary forms of renal carcinomas.

Most renal tumors arise from loss of function of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and activation of the hypoxic response, including upregulation of hypoxia inducible factor leading to vascular endothelial growth factor induction and ultimately angiogenesis. In addition to the VHL syndrome, other hereditary forms include hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, Birt-Hogg-Dubé, and hereditary leiomyomatosis-renal cell cancer.

Surgical resection of localized renal cell carcinoma can be curative for lower-stage disease, but patients with advanced or metastatic disease are rarely cured by surgery alone. Traditional chemotherapy has had poor response rates and systemic options have been focused on immunotherapy with cytokines, such as interleukin-2 and interferon alfa. Hence, new targeted agents being tested in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings have created some excitement.

Seven novel targeted agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration are available for patients with metastatic disease: the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, and axitinib; mTOR inhibitors temsirolimus and everolimus; and VEGF-inhibiting monoclonal antibody bevacizumab. The role of these therapies in either the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting is being investigated.

The Adjuvant Sorafenib or Sunitinib in Unfavorable Renal Cell Carcinoma (ASSURE; ECOG 2805) trial has enrolled 1,865 patients randomized to one year of sunitinib, sorafenib, or placebo therapy after surgical excision of the primary tumor. The current standard of care, even for patients with high-risk pathologic features, is surveillance after surgical procedures when no evidence of residual disease can be found. Thus, the study is designed to determine whether adjuvant targeted therapy improves cancer-specific survival and to demonstrate a 25 percent reduction in the hazard rate of disease-free survival events.

The EVErolimus for Renal Cancer Ensuing Surgical Therapy (EVEREST) study (SWOG 0931), similar in design to ASSURE, examines the benefit of adjuvant systemic therapy after surgical procedures in patients with intermediate high-risk or very high-risk disease. Although sorafenib, sunitinib, and everolimus are all used clinically, sorafenib and sunitinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, whereas everolimus is an mTOR inhibitor. An estimated 1,218 patients will be randomized to either everolimus or placebo, stratified by pathologic stage, histologic subtype, and performance status.

Similar ongoing adjuvant trials include the Pfizer-sponsored S-TRAC trial (n=720) comparing sunitinib with placebo and the Medical Research Council SORCE trial (n=1,656) comparing sorafenib with placebo. Other agents are also being tested in the adjuvant setting, including pazopanib (PROTECT), as well as those that exploit the purported immunogenicity of renal cell carcinoma.

An accrued phase III trial has tested the antibody girentuximab, which binds specifically to carbonic anhydrase IX (G250 antigen) that is expressed on the cell surface of clear renal cell carcinomas. Future trials may extend the potential role of cell-based immunotherapy from patients with metastatic disease to the adjuvant setting.

Dr. Meng is associate professor of urology, department of urology, University of California, San Francisco, and director of the fellowship in urologic oncology.

Dr. Nelson is Fred C. Andersen Professor of Surgery and chair, division of surgery research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, and Program Director of the Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program.

Many renal cancers can now be managed in a minimally invasive fashion with either laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery. Potentially of greatest importance is the elucidation of the biological basis of sporadic as well as hereditary forms of renal carcinomas.

Most renal tumors arise from loss of function of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and activation of the hypoxic response, including upregulation of hypoxia inducible factor leading to vascular endothelial growth factor induction and ultimately angiogenesis. In addition to the VHL syndrome, other hereditary forms include hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, Birt-Hogg-Dubé, and hereditary leiomyomatosis-renal cell cancer.

Surgical resection of localized renal cell carcinoma can be curative for lower-stage disease, but patients with advanced or metastatic disease are rarely cured by surgery alone. Traditional chemotherapy has had poor response rates and systemic options have been focused on immunotherapy with cytokines, such as interleukin-2 and interferon alfa. Hence, new targeted agents being tested in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings have created some excitement.

Seven novel targeted agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration are available for patients with metastatic disease: the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, and axitinib; mTOR inhibitors temsirolimus and everolimus; and VEGF-inhibiting monoclonal antibody bevacizumab. The role of these therapies in either the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting is being investigated.

The Adjuvant Sorafenib or Sunitinib in Unfavorable Renal Cell Carcinoma (ASSURE; ECOG 2805) trial has enrolled 1,865 patients randomized to one year of sunitinib, sorafenib, or placebo therapy after surgical excision of the primary tumor. The current standard of care, even for patients with high-risk pathologic features, is surveillance after surgical procedures when no evidence of residual disease can be found. Thus, the study is designed to determine whether adjuvant targeted therapy improves cancer-specific survival and to demonstrate a 25 percent reduction in the hazard rate of disease-free survival events.

The EVErolimus for Renal Cancer Ensuing Surgical Therapy (EVEREST) study (SWOG 0931), similar in design to ASSURE, examines the benefit of adjuvant systemic therapy after surgical procedures in patients with intermediate high-risk or very high-risk disease. Although sorafenib, sunitinib, and everolimus are all used clinically, sorafenib and sunitinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, whereas everolimus is an mTOR inhibitor. An estimated 1,218 patients will be randomized to either everolimus or placebo, stratified by pathologic stage, histologic subtype, and performance status.

Similar ongoing adjuvant trials include the Pfizer-sponsored S-TRAC trial (n=720) comparing sunitinib with placebo and the Medical Research Council SORCE trial (n=1,656) comparing sorafenib with placebo. Other agents are also being tested in the adjuvant setting, including pazopanib (PROTECT), as well as those that exploit the purported immunogenicity of renal cell carcinoma.

An accrued phase III trial has tested the antibody girentuximab, which binds specifically to carbonic anhydrase IX (G250 antigen) that is expressed on the cell surface of clear renal cell carcinomas. Future trials may extend the potential role of cell-based immunotherapy from patients with metastatic disease to the adjuvant setting.

Dr. Meng is associate professor of urology, department of urology, University of California, San Francisco, and director of the fellowship in urologic oncology.

Dr. Nelson is Fred C. Andersen Professor of Surgery and chair, division of surgery research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, and Program Director of the Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program.

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Faculty Research Fellowship Applications Due by Nov. 1

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Thanks to the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College, the ACS is offering 2-year faculty research fellowships, running from 2013 to 2015, to surgeons entering academic careers in surgery or a surgical specialty. The fellowships offer assistance to surgeons in establishing a new and independent research program. Applicants should have demonstrated their potential to work as independent investigators. The fellowship award is $40,000 per year for each of 2 years, to support the research. The closing date for receipt of completed applications and all supporting documents is Nov. 1, 2012, for the following fellowship awards:

The Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship of the ACS honors the founder of the American College of Surgeons.

The C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Trauma and Critical Care is designated for research in trauma and critical care.

The Louis Argenta, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Wound Care is designated for research in wound care.

In addition, there are two unnamed Faculty Research Fellowships that will be offered during this cycle. General policies covering the granting of the ACS Faculty Research Fellowships include the following:

• The fellowship is open to Fellows or Associate Fellows of the College who have: (1) completed the chief residency year or accredited fellowship training within the preceding three years; and (2) received a full-time faculty appointment in a department of surgery or a surgical specialty at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the United States or by the Committee for Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools in Canada. Applicants who directly enter academic surgery following residency or fellowship will receive priority.

• Recipients may use the award to support their research or academic enrichment in any fashion that they deem maximally supportive of their investigations. The fellowship grant supports the recipient’s research and does not diminish or replace the usual, expected compensation or benefits. Neither the recipient nor the recipient’s institution will receive reimbursement for indirect costs.

• Fellowship applications may be submitted even if comparable application has been made to organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or industry sources. A recipient who is offered a scholarship, fellowship, or research career development award from such an agency or organization must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award.

• The College encourages the applicant to leverage the fellowship funds with time and monies provided by the applicant’s department. Formal statements of matching funds and time from the applicant’s department will promote favorable review by the College.

• Applicants must submit supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor supervising the applicant’s research effort.. This approval entails a commitment to continue the academic position and facilities for research. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one fellowship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

• The applicant must submit a research plan and budget for the two-year period of fellowship, even though renewed approval by the Scholarships Committee of the College is required for the second year.

• Fellows must spend a minimum of 50 percent of their time in the research proposed in the application. This percentage may run concurrently with the time requirements of NIH or other accepted funding.

• Martin and Carrico Fellows are expected to attend the ACS 2015 Clinical Congress to present a report to the Surgical Forum and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The Dr. Louis Argenta Faculty Research Fellowship, supported by Kinetic Concepts, Inc., is a one-year award in the amount of $40,000 to help a surgeon establish an independent research program on wound care. All of the same requirements apply as for the Martin and Carrico Fellows, except that the time period is one year. The Argenta Fellow will attend and report at the 2014 Clinical Congress.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website: www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarship Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected].☐

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Thanks to the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College, the ACS is offering 2-year faculty research fellowships, running from 2013 to 2015, to surgeons entering academic careers in surgery or a surgical specialty. The fellowships offer assistance to surgeons in establishing a new and independent research program. Applicants should have demonstrated their potential to work as independent investigators. The fellowship award is $40,000 per year for each of 2 years, to support the research. The closing date for receipt of completed applications and all supporting documents is Nov. 1, 2012, for the following fellowship awards:

The Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship of the ACS honors the founder of the American College of Surgeons.

The C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Trauma and Critical Care is designated for research in trauma and critical care.

The Louis Argenta, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Wound Care is designated for research in wound care.

In addition, there are two unnamed Faculty Research Fellowships that will be offered during this cycle. General policies covering the granting of the ACS Faculty Research Fellowships include the following:

• The fellowship is open to Fellows or Associate Fellows of the College who have: (1) completed the chief residency year or accredited fellowship training within the preceding three years; and (2) received a full-time faculty appointment in a department of surgery or a surgical specialty at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the United States or by the Committee for Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools in Canada. Applicants who directly enter academic surgery following residency or fellowship will receive priority.

• Recipients may use the award to support their research or academic enrichment in any fashion that they deem maximally supportive of their investigations. The fellowship grant supports the recipient’s research and does not diminish or replace the usual, expected compensation or benefits. Neither the recipient nor the recipient’s institution will receive reimbursement for indirect costs.

• Fellowship applications may be submitted even if comparable application has been made to organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or industry sources. A recipient who is offered a scholarship, fellowship, or research career development award from such an agency or organization must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award.

• The College encourages the applicant to leverage the fellowship funds with time and monies provided by the applicant’s department. Formal statements of matching funds and time from the applicant’s department will promote favorable review by the College.

• Applicants must submit supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor supervising the applicant’s research effort.. This approval entails a commitment to continue the academic position and facilities for research. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one fellowship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

• The applicant must submit a research plan and budget for the two-year period of fellowship, even though renewed approval by the Scholarships Committee of the College is required for the second year.

• Fellows must spend a minimum of 50 percent of their time in the research proposed in the application. This percentage may run concurrently with the time requirements of NIH or other accepted funding.

• Martin and Carrico Fellows are expected to attend the ACS 2015 Clinical Congress to present a report to the Surgical Forum and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The Dr. Louis Argenta Faculty Research Fellowship, supported by Kinetic Concepts, Inc., is a one-year award in the amount of $40,000 to help a surgeon establish an independent research program on wound care. All of the same requirements apply as for the Martin and Carrico Fellows, except that the time period is one year. The Argenta Fellow will attend and report at the 2014 Clinical Congress.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website: www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarship Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected].☐

Thanks to the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College, the ACS is offering 2-year faculty research fellowships, running from 2013 to 2015, to surgeons entering academic careers in surgery or a surgical specialty. The fellowships offer assistance to surgeons in establishing a new and independent research program. Applicants should have demonstrated their potential to work as independent investigators. The fellowship award is $40,000 per year for each of 2 years, to support the research. The closing date for receipt of completed applications and all supporting documents is Nov. 1, 2012, for the following fellowship awards:

The Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship of the ACS honors the founder of the American College of Surgeons.

The C. James Carrico, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Trauma and Critical Care is designated for research in trauma and critical care.

The Louis Argenta, MD, FACS, Faculty Research Fellowship for the Study of Wound Care is designated for research in wound care.

In addition, there are two unnamed Faculty Research Fellowships that will be offered during this cycle. General policies covering the granting of the ACS Faculty Research Fellowships include the following:

• The fellowship is open to Fellows or Associate Fellows of the College who have: (1) completed the chief residency year or accredited fellowship training within the preceding three years; and (2) received a full-time faculty appointment in a department of surgery or a surgical specialty at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the United States or by the Committee for Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools in Canada. Applicants who directly enter academic surgery following residency or fellowship will receive priority.

• Recipients may use the award to support their research or academic enrichment in any fashion that they deem maximally supportive of their investigations. The fellowship grant supports the recipient’s research and does not diminish or replace the usual, expected compensation or benefits. Neither the recipient nor the recipient’s institution will receive reimbursement for indirect costs.

• Fellowship applications may be submitted even if comparable application has been made to organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or industry sources. A recipient who is offered a scholarship, fellowship, or research career development award from such an agency or organization must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award.

• The College encourages the applicant to leverage the fellowship funds with time and monies provided by the applicant’s department. Formal statements of matching funds and time from the applicant’s department will promote favorable review by the College.

• Applicants must submit supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor supervising the applicant’s research effort.. This approval entails a commitment to continue the academic position and facilities for research. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one fellowship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

• The applicant must submit a research plan and budget for the two-year period of fellowship, even though renewed approval by the Scholarships Committee of the College is required for the second year.

• Fellows must spend a minimum of 50 percent of their time in the research proposed in the application. This percentage may run concurrently with the time requirements of NIH or other accepted funding.

• Martin and Carrico Fellows are expected to attend the ACS 2015 Clinical Congress to present a report to the Surgical Forum and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The Dr. Louis Argenta Faculty Research Fellowship, supported by Kinetic Concepts, Inc., is a one-year award in the amount of $40,000 to help a surgeon establish an independent research program on wound care. All of the same requirements apply as for the Martin and Carrico Fellows, except that the time period is one year. The Argenta Fellow will attend and report at the 2014 Clinical Congress.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website: www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarship Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected].☐

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Dr. Bahnson Named Chair of ACSPA-Surgeonspac

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Robert R. Bahnson, MD, FACS, chief of staff at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and chairman of the Department of Urology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, was named chair of the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC (the American College of Surgeons Professional Association’s political action committee). The announcement was made during the June 9 meeting of the ACS Board of Regents in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Bahnson has an expansive leadership record with the College. He currently serves as First Vice-President of the ACS and as a consultant to the 2012 Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. In previous years, Dr. Bahnson served as Chair of the ACS Advisory Council for Urology and the Advisory Council Chairs. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors and the Postgraduate Education Committee. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. A detailed article regarding Dr. Bahnson’s appointment will appear in the August issue the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, go to www.facs.org/acspa/index.html.☐

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Robert R. Bahnson, MD, FACS, chief of staff at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and chairman of the Department of Urology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, was named chair of the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC (the American College of Surgeons Professional Association’s political action committee). The announcement was made during the June 9 meeting of the ACS Board of Regents in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Bahnson has an expansive leadership record with the College. He currently serves as First Vice-President of the ACS and as a consultant to the 2012 Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. In previous years, Dr. Bahnson served as Chair of the ACS Advisory Council for Urology and the Advisory Council Chairs. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors and the Postgraduate Education Committee. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. A detailed article regarding Dr. Bahnson’s appointment will appear in the August issue the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, go to www.facs.org/acspa/index.html.☐

Robert R. Bahnson, MD, FACS, chief of staff at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and chairman of the Department of Urology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, was named chair of the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC (the American College of Surgeons Professional Association’s political action committee). The announcement was made during the June 9 meeting of the ACS Board of Regents in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Bahnson has an expansive leadership record with the College. He currently serves as First Vice-President of the ACS and as a consultant to the 2012 Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. In previous years, Dr. Bahnson served as Chair of the ACS Advisory Council for Urology and the Advisory Council Chairs. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors and the Postgraduate Education Committee. He also served as Vice-Chair of the Clinical Congress Program Planning Committee. A detailed article regarding Dr. Bahnson’s appointment will appear in the August issue the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, go to www.facs.org/acspa/index.html.☐

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Drs. Neumayer, Rogers Receive ASE Distinguished Educator Awards

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Drs. Neumayer, Rogers Receive ASE Distinguished Educator Awards

Leigh Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, professor of surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Jon and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor of Cancer Research, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and co-director, integrated breast program, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Salt Lake City; and David Rogers, MD, FACS, associate professor, division of pediatric surgery, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, received the Distinguished Educator Award of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) during the 2012 Surgical Education Week, March 20-24, in San Diego, CA. The Distinguished Educator Award is the most prestigious honor that ASE bestows on surgical education leaders.

Dr. Neumayer has been an ACS volunteer throughout her career. She currently serves on the Board of Regents and is a member of the ACS Finance Committee. From 2002 to 2008, Dr. Neumayer served on the ACS Board of Governors and from 2006 to 2008, on its Executive Committee. Dr. Neumayer was also a member of the ACS Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors from 2003 to 2004 and she served, from 2003 to 2005, on the Advisory Committee of the ACS Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program.

Dr. Rogers pursues ongoing educational research programs by evaluating feedback in medical education and examining conflict in the operating room. Dr. Rogers has also served in a number of educational administrative roles and is currently the course director for the resident readiness senior medical student elective. A recipient of numerous departmental and institutional teaching awards, Dr. Rogers is a past-president of the ASE.

Receiving the Philip J. Wolfson Outstanding Teacher Award at the meeting were Timothy Farrell, MD, FACS; Charles Friel, MD, FACS; and Travis Webb, MD, FACS.

Go to www.surgicaleducation.com/annual-meeting-information for more information on the ASE Surgical Education Week.☐

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Leigh Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, professor of surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Jon and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor of Cancer Research, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and co-director, integrated breast program, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Salt Lake City; and David Rogers, MD, FACS, associate professor, division of pediatric surgery, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, received the Distinguished Educator Award of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) during the 2012 Surgical Education Week, March 20-24, in San Diego, CA. The Distinguished Educator Award is the most prestigious honor that ASE bestows on surgical education leaders.

Dr. Neumayer has been an ACS volunteer throughout her career. She currently serves on the Board of Regents and is a member of the ACS Finance Committee. From 2002 to 2008, Dr. Neumayer served on the ACS Board of Governors and from 2006 to 2008, on its Executive Committee. Dr. Neumayer was also a member of the ACS Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors from 2003 to 2004 and she served, from 2003 to 2005, on the Advisory Committee of the ACS Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program.

Dr. Rogers pursues ongoing educational research programs by evaluating feedback in medical education and examining conflict in the operating room. Dr. Rogers has also served in a number of educational administrative roles and is currently the course director for the resident readiness senior medical student elective. A recipient of numerous departmental and institutional teaching awards, Dr. Rogers is a past-president of the ASE.

Receiving the Philip J. Wolfson Outstanding Teacher Award at the meeting were Timothy Farrell, MD, FACS; Charles Friel, MD, FACS; and Travis Webb, MD, FACS.

Go to www.surgicaleducation.com/annual-meeting-information for more information on the ASE Surgical Education Week.☐

Leigh Neumayer, MD, FACS, general surgery, professor of surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Jon and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor of Cancer Research, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and co-director, integrated breast program, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Salt Lake City; and David Rogers, MD, FACS, associate professor, division of pediatric surgery, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, received the Distinguished Educator Award of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) during the 2012 Surgical Education Week, March 20-24, in San Diego, CA. The Distinguished Educator Award is the most prestigious honor that ASE bestows on surgical education leaders.

Dr. Neumayer has been an ACS volunteer throughout her career. She currently serves on the Board of Regents and is a member of the ACS Finance Committee. From 2002 to 2008, Dr. Neumayer served on the ACS Board of Governors and from 2006 to 2008, on its Executive Committee. Dr. Neumayer was also a member of the ACS Nominating Committee of the Board of Governors from 2003 to 2004 and she served, from 2003 to 2005, on the Advisory Committee of the ACS Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program.

Dr. Rogers pursues ongoing educational research programs by evaluating feedback in medical education and examining conflict in the operating room. Dr. Rogers has also served in a number of educational administrative roles and is currently the course director for the resident readiness senior medical student elective. A recipient of numerous departmental and institutional teaching awards, Dr. Rogers is a past-president of the ASE.

Receiving the Philip J. Wolfson Outstanding Teacher Award at the meeting were Timothy Farrell, MD, FACS; Charles Friel, MD, FACS; and Travis Webb, MD, FACS.

Go to www.surgicaleducation.com/annual-meeting-information for more information on the ASE Surgical Education Week.☐

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HPB Surgery Fellowship Match Opens for 2012-2013

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HPB Surgery Fellowship Match Opens for 2012-2013

The Americas Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Association (AHPBA ) and the Fellowship Council (FC) announce the 2012-2013 Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary (HPB) match. In contrast to the past 2 years, the FC will conduct the entire HPB match search in 2012 via its website. This match will include all HPB fellowships that meet the standards and accreditation processes established by the FC and the AHPBA. Successful completion of an FC-accredited HPB Fellowship will qualify the fellow for a training certificate in HPB surgery granted by the AHPBA education and training committee. This certificate is typically presented at the AHPBA annual meeting.

The Fellowship application process began on May 1. Other deadlines for the 2012-2013 HPB match deadlines are as follows:

• Fellowship application closes: Aug. 1, 2012

• Match rank order list deadline: Oct. 8, 2012

• Fellow match date: Oct. 17, 2012

For more information on the HBP match, go to http://fellowshipcouncil.org/index.php. Go to http://www.ahpba.org/ to access the AHPBA website and fellowship posters (posters will be up in mid- April).

The HPB match will run with the FC main match. All applicants will submit one rank list that will allow them to rank any Fellowship Council program (for example, HPB or MIS) in order of preference. Society of Surgical Oncology–accredited programs are not participating in this match process.

For additional information, e-mail the Fellowship Council Executive Director Yumi Hori at [email protected] mailto:Need or Rohan Jeyarajah, MD, at [email protected].☐

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The Americas Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Association (AHPBA ) and the Fellowship Council (FC) announce the 2012-2013 Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary (HPB) match. In contrast to the past 2 years, the FC will conduct the entire HPB match search in 2012 via its website. This match will include all HPB fellowships that meet the standards and accreditation processes established by the FC and the AHPBA. Successful completion of an FC-accredited HPB Fellowship will qualify the fellow for a training certificate in HPB surgery granted by the AHPBA education and training committee. This certificate is typically presented at the AHPBA annual meeting.

The Fellowship application process began on May 1. Other deadlines for the 2012-2013 HPB match deadlines are as follows:

• Fellowship application closes: Aug. 1, 2012

• Match rank order list deadline: Oct. 8, 2012

• Fellow match date: Oct. 17, 2012

For more information on the HBP match, go to http://fellowshipcouncil.org/index.php. Go to http://www.ahpba.org/ to access the AHPBA website and fellowship posters (posters will be up in mid- April).

The HPB match will run with the FC main match. All applicants will submit one rank list that will allow them to rank any Fellowship Council program (for example, HPB or MIS) in order of preference. Society of Surgical Oncology–accredited programs are not participating in this match process.

For additional information, e-mail the Fellowship Council Executive Director Yumi Hori at [email protected] mailto:Need or Rohan Jeyarajah, MD, at [email protected].☐

The Americas Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Association (AHPBA ) and the Fellowship Council (FC) announce the 2012-2013 Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary (HPB) match. In contrast to the past 2 years, the FC will conduct the entire HPB match search in 2012 via its website. This match will include all HPB fellowships that meet the standards and accreditation processes established by the FC and the AHPBA. Successful completion of an FC-accredited HPB Fellowship will qualify the fellow for a training certificate in HPB surgery granted by the AHPBA education and training committee. This certificate is typically presented at the AHPBA annual meeting.

The Fellowship application process began on May 1. Other deadlines for the 2012-2013 HPB match deadlines are as follows:

• Fellowship application closes: Aug. 1, 2012

• Match rank order list deadline: Oct. 8, 2012

• Fellow match date: Oct. 17, 2012

For more information on the HBP match, go to http://fellowshipcouncil.org/index.php. Go to http://www.ahpba.org/ to access the AHPBA website and fellowship posters (posters will be up in mid- April).

The HPB match will run with the FC main match. All applicants will submit one rank list that will allow them to rank any Fellowship Council program (for example, HPB or MIS) in order of preference. Society of Surgical Oncology–accredited programs are not participating in this match process.

For additional information, e-mail the Fellowship Council Executive Director Yumi Hori at [email protected] mailto:Need or Rohan Jeyarajah, MD, at [email protected].☐

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ACS, CDC Work to Avert Surgical Infections, Other Adverse Outcomes

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ACS, CDC Work to Avert Surgical Infections, Other Adverse Outcomes

The ACS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to work on shared goals of reporting, measuring, and preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and other adverse outcomes among surgical patients. The agreement builds on the initial success of ACS’ and CDC’s joint development of a coordinated SSI measure.

"This partnership will help close gaps that exist between direct patient care and public health," according to CDC’s Daniel Pollock, MD, a medical epidemiologist and the surveillance branch chief in CDC’s division of health care quality promotion. "Bringing clinicians, surveillance experts, and prevention leaders to the same table will help ensure we collect the right data in the right way so that patient safety can be maximized."

More specifically, the ACS and the CDC will continue to develop quality of care measures, fostering greater use of electronic health record systems for quality measurement purposes, exchanging data between ACS and CDC systems, and joint analyses and reports using data collected through the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Go to http://www.facs.org/news/2012/acs-cdc0412.html to view an April 16 press release announcing the partnership. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ for more information on the NHSN, and go to http://site.acsnsqip.org/ to view the ACS NSQIP website.

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The ACS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to work on shared goals of reporting, measuring, and preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and other adverse outcomes among surgical patients. The agreement builds on the initial success of ACS’ and CDC’s joint development of a coordinated SSI measure.

"This partnership will help close gaps that exist between direct patient care and public health," according to CDC’s Daniel Pollock, MD, a medical epidemiologist and the surveillance branch chief in CDC’s division of health care quality promotion. "Bringing clinicians, surveillance experts, and prevention leaders to the same table will help ensure we collect the right data in the right way so that patient safety can be maximized."

More specifically, the ACS and the CDC will continue to develop quality of care measures, fostering greater use of electronic health record systems for quality measurement purposes, exchanging data between ACS and CDC systems, and joint analyses and reports using data collected through the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Go to http://www.facs.org/news/2012/acs-cdc0412.html to view an April 16 press release announcing the partnership. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ for more information on the NHSN, and go to http://site.acsnsqip.org/ to view the ACS NSQIP website.

The ACS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to work on shared goals of reporting, measuring, and preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and other adverse outcomes among surgical patients. The agreement builds on the initial success of ACS’ and CDC’s joint development of a coordinated SSI measure.

"This partnership will help close gaps that exist between direct patient care and public health," according to CDC’s Daniel Pollock, MD, a medical epidemiologist and the surveillance branch chief in CDC’s division of health care quality promotion. "Bringing clinicians, surveillance experts, and prevention leaders to the same table will help ensure we collect the right data in the right way so that patient safety can be maximized."

More specifically, the ACS and the CDC will continue to develop quality of care measures, fostering greater use of electronic health record systems for quality measurement purposes, exchanging data between ACS and CDC systems, and joint analyses and reports using data collected through the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Go to http://www.facs.org/news/2012/acs-cdc0412.html to view an April 16 press release announcing the partnership. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ for more information on the NHSN, and go to http://site.acsnsqip.org/ to view the ACS NSQIP website.

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ACS/SAGES Joint Statement on FLS Completion for General Surgeons Who Perform Laparoscopy

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ACS/SAGES Joint Statement on FLS Completion for General Surgeons Who Perform Laparoscopy

This joint statement was approved by the ACS Board of Regents Executive Committee in February 2012.

The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery tm program (FLS) was developed to ensure that every surgeon practicing laparoscopic surgery has the minimum knowledge, judgment, and technical skills required to perform basic laparoscopic operations. FLS was designed to be independent of specialty area and procedure type. The goal of the curriculum is to provide a strong foundation for practice. Beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, the American Board of Surgery (ABS) required that all general surgery residents successfully complete the FLS exam to be eligible to take the ABS Qualifying Exam in surgery.

The FLS program was modeled after Advanced Trauma Life Support R(ATLSR), with a didactic and hands-on component. One of the unique features of the FLS program is the robust evaluations for boththe didactic and psychomotor skills, consistent with the standards for high-stakes examination.

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) recommend that all surgeons practicing laparoscopic surgery be certified through the FLS program. FLS is the only validated, objective measure of a surgeon’s fundamental knowledge and skills related to laparoscopic surgery. As such, SAGES and the ACS also recommend that institutions credentialing surgeons to perform laparoscopic surgery consider FLS certification a requirement of their credentialing process.☐

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This joint statement was approved by the ACS Board of Regents Executive Committee in February 2012.

The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery tm program (FLS) was developed to ensure that every surgeon practicing laparoscopic surgery has the minimum knowledge, judgment, and technical skills required to perform basic laparoscopic operations. FLS was designed to be independent of specialty area and procedure type. The goal of the curriculum is to provide a strong foundation for practice. Beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, the American Board of Surgery (ABS) required that all general surgery residents successfully complete the FLS exam to be eligible to take the ABS Qualifying Exam in surgery.

The FLS program was modeled after Advanced Trauma Life Support R(ATLSR), with a didactic and hands-on component. One of the unique features of the FLS program is the robust evaluations for boththe didactic and psychomotor skills, consistent with the standards for high-stakes examination.

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) recommend that all surgeons practicing laparoscopic surgery be certified through the FLS program. FLS is the only validated, objective measure of a surgeon’s fundamental knowledge and skills related to laparoscopic surgery. As such, SAGES and the ACS also recommend that institutions credentialing surgeons to perform laparoscopic surgery consider FLS certification a requirement of their credentialing process.☐

This joint statement was approved by the ACS Board of Regents Executive Committee in February 2012.

The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery tm program (FLS) was developed to ensure that every surgeon practicing laparoscopic surgery has the minimum knowledge, judgment, and technical skills required to perform basic laparoscopic operations. FLS was designed to be independent of specialty area and procedure type. The goal of the curriculum is to provide a strong foundation for practice. Beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, the American Board of Surgery (ABS) required that all general surgery residents successfully complete the FLS exam to be eligible to take the ABS Qualifying Exam in surgery.

The FLS program was modeled after Advanced Trauma Life Support R(ATLSR), with a didactic and hands-on component. One of the unique features of the FLS program is the robust evaluations for boththe didactic and psychomotor skills, consistent with the standards for high-stakes examination.

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) recommend that all surgeons practicing laparoscopic surgery be certified through the FLS program. FLS is the only validated, objective measure of a surgeon’s fundamental knowledge and skills related to laparoscopic surgery. As such, SAGES and the ACS also recommend that institutions credentialing surgeons to perform laparoscopic surgery consider FLS certification a requirement of their credentialing process.☐

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