News from the SVS

The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU), the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), and Medstreaming-M2S, announce the development of the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) Vascular Ultrasound Registry.  This Registry represents an expansion of the SVS VQI which will combine noninvasive (vascular ultrasound) testing data with vascular treatment and outcomes data, making it possible to analyze the relationships between diagnosis and care provided to patients with vascular disease.

The Vascular Ultrasound Registry’s initial efforts will focus on collection and analysis of data associated with the diagnosis and treatment of carotid artery disease. The development of the registry and ongoing research related activities are being led by a VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry Task Force, chaired by Drs. David Dawson and Gregory Moneta. Groundbreaking in this registry will be the inclusion of actual ultrasound images which will make future machine analysis and learning possible from the collected registry, which currently does not exist.

It is anticipated that the registry will provide the means and an impetus to promote vascular laboratory standardization and thereby improve patient care. “Non-invasive vascular testing has evolved to the point where it is being relied upon heavily to direct patient medical management decisions”, said James Wilkinson, SVU Executive Director. “With the rapid growth and diversification in the number of medical specialties providing testing, there is a lack of standardization in the delivery of testing and the reporting of results. Targeted, yet broad based research will significantly contribute to standardization efforts.”

Fundamental to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the ability to link technical data and images to the clinical data collected from the SVS VQI’s existing registries. “The addition of the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry, to the existing VQI registries, will further aid the VQI’s mission of improving vascular care by enhancing the data we can make available to our members.  We are also pleased that this registry expands the reach of the VQI to include vascular technologists, sonographers and other professionals in the vascular laboratory setting. The VQI has long embraced a team-approach to care with 59% of VQI membership coming from specialties outside of Vascular Surgery, including Cardiology and Radiology,” said Dr. Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, Medical Director of the SVS Patient Safety Organization.

A key to the success of any registry is providing means for efficient data capture. The VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry leverages the infrastructure of the preexisting registry with linkages to ultrasound images from the vascular laboratory. “Medstreaming-M2S’s specialty based workflow solutions, along with its clinical data management system for structured data aggregation can be used for uploading of data and images,” noted Wael Elseaidy, Medstreaming-M2S CEO. Initially, only a select number of current VQI sites will participate, but Vascular Ultrasound Registry participation is expected to be broadly available in the next phase of the program, along with an increase in registry content and scope of projects.

 “Unique to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the inclusion of an imaged based registry component, which will include the actual ultrasound images acquired during patient studies. When combined with powerful analytics and potential for machine learning, we foresee opportunity to normalize ultrasound image data submitted from different sites, develop new benchmarking standards, further explore and promote utilization of all the information embedded in the images, and provide the ultrasound industry with an entirely new platform from which to conduct research and drive product development,” Elseaidy continued.

Ultimately, the Registry will provide opportunity for VQI members to improve quality and conduct additional research regarding vascular ultrasound. “The Registry will provide greater opportunity for members to participate in research, whether through contribution of data pertaining to Society sponsored research projects or their own projects utilizing Registry data, all with the overall objective of quality improvement and better patient care,” Wilkinson concluded.

The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU), the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), and Medstreaming-M2S, announce the development of the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) Vascular Ultrasound Registry.  This Registry represents an expansion of the SVS VQI which will combine noninvasive (vascular ultrasound) testing data with vascular treatment and outcomes data, making it possible to analyze the relationships between diagnosis and care provided to patients with vascular disease.

The Vascular Ultrasound Registry’s initial efforts will focus on collection and analysis of data associated with the diagnosis and treatment of carotid artery disease. The development of the registry and ongoing research related activities are being led by a VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry Task Force, chaired by Drs. David Dawson and Gregory Moneta. Groundbreaking in this registry will be the inclusion of actual ultrasound images which will make future machine analysis and learning possible from the collected registry, which currently does not exist.

It is anticipated that the registry will provide the means and an impetus to promote vascular laboratory standardization and thereby improve patient care. “Non-invasive vascular testing has evolved to the point where it is being relied upon heavily to direct patient medical management decisions”, said James Wilkinson, SVU Executive Director. “With the rapid growth and diversification in the number of medical specialties providing testing, there is a lack of standardization in the delivery of testing and the reporting of results. Targeted, yet broad based research will significantly contribute to standardization efforts.”

Fundamental to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the ability to link technical data and images to the clinical data collected from the SVS VQI’s existing registries. “The addition of the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry, to the existing VQI registries, will further aid the VQI’s mission of improving vascular care by enhancing the data we can make available to our members.  We are also pleased that this registry expands the reach of the VQI to include vascular technologists, sonographers and other professionals in the vascular laboratory setting. The VQI has long embraced a team-approach to care with 59% of VQI membership coming from specialties outside of Vascular Surgery, including Cardiology and Radiology,” said Dr. Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, Medical Director of the SVS Patient Safety Organization.

A key to the success of any registry is providing means for efficient data capture. The VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry leverages the infrastructure of the preexisting registry with linkages to ultrasound images from the vascular laboratory. “Medstreaming-M2S’s specialty based workflow solutions, along with its clinical data management system for structured data aggregation can be used for uploading of data and images,” noted Wael Elseaidy, Medstreaming-M2S CEO. Initially, only a select number of current VQI sites will participate, but Vascular Ultrasound Registry participation is expected to be broadly available in the next phase of the program, along with an increase in registry content and scope of projects.

 “Unique to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the inclusion of an imaged based registry component, which will include the actual ultrasound images acquired during patient studies. When combined with powerful analytics and potential for machine learning, we foresee opportunity to normalize ultrasound image data submitted from different sites, develop new benchmarking standards, further explore and promote utilization of all the information embedded in the images, and provide the ultrasound industry with an entirely new platform from which to conduct research and drive product development,” Elseaidy continued.

Ultimately, the Registry will provide opportunity for VQI members to improve quality and conduct additional research regarding vascular ultrasound. “The Registry will provide greater opportunity for members to participate in research, whether through contribution of data pertaining to Society sponsored research projects or their own projects utilizing Registry data, all with the overall objective of quality improvement and better patient care,” Wilkinson concluded.

The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU), the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), and Medstreaming-M2S, announce the development of the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) Vascular Ultrasound Registry.  This Registry represents an expansion of the SVS VQI which will combine noninvasive (vascular ultrasound) testing data with vascular treatment and outcomes data, making it possible to analyze the relationships between diagnosis and care provided to patients with vascular disease.

The Vascular Ultrasound Registry’s initial efforts will focus on collection and analysis of data associated with the diagnosis and treatment of carotid artery disease. The development of the registry and ongoing research related activities are being led by a VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry Task Force, chaired by Drs. David Dawson and Gregory Moneta. Groundbreaking in this registry will be the inclusion of actual ultrasound images which will make future machine analysis and learning possible from the collected registry, which currently does not exist.

It is anticipated that the registry will provide the means and an impetus to promote vascular laboratory standardization and thereby improve patient care. “Non-invasive vascular testing has evolved to the point where it is being relied upon heavily to direct patient medical management decisions”, said James Wilkinson, SVU Executive Director. “With the rapid growth and diversification in the number of medical specialties providing testing, there is a lack of standardization in the delivery of testing and the reporting of results. Targeted, yet broad based research will significantly contribute to standardization efforts.”

Fundamental to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the ability to link technical data and images to the clinical data collected from the SVS VQI’s existing registries. “The addition of the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry, to the existing VQI registries, will further aid the VQI’s mission of improving vascular care by enhancing the data we can make available to our members.  We are also pleased that this registry expands the reach of the VQI to include vascular technologists, sonographers and other professionals in the vascular laboratory setting. The VQI has long embraced a team-approach to care with 59% of VQI membership coming from specialties outside of Vascular Surgery, including Cardiology and Radiology,” said Dr. Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, Medical Director of the SVS Patient Safety Organization.

A key to the success of any registry is providing means for efficient data capture. The VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry leverages the infrastructure of the preexisting registry with linkages to ultrasound images from the vascular laboratory. “Medstreaming-M2S’s specialty based workflow solutions, along with its clinical data management system for structured data aggregation can be used for uploading of data and images,” noted Wael Elseaidy, Medstreaming-M2S CEO. Initially, only a select number of current VQI sites will participate, but Vascular Ultrasound Registry participation is expected to be broadly available in the next phase of the program, along with an increase in registry content and scope of projects.

 “Unique to the VQI Vascular Ultrasound Registry is the inclusion of an imaged based registry component, which will include the actual ultrasound images acquired during patient studies. When combined with powerful analytics and potential for machine learning, we foresee opportunity to normalize ultrasound image data submitted from different sites, develop new benchmarking standards, further explore and promote utilization of all the information embedded in the images, and provide the ultrasound industry with an entirely new platform from which to conduct research and drive product development,” Elseaidy continued.

Ultimately, the Registry will provide opportunity for VQI members to improve quality and conduct additional research regarding vascular ultrasound. “The Registry will provide greater opportunity for members to participate in research, whether through contribution of data pertaining to Society sponsored research projects or their own projects utilizing Registry data, all with the overall objective of quality improvement and better patient care,” Wilkinson concluded.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

There’s only a month left to apply for the new SVS Foundation grant program for our community practice members and designed at improving community health.

Applications are due March 1 for the new Community Awareness and Prevention Project Grant, intended to help members in community practice environments conduct projects that address wellness and disease prevention and emphasize patient education, public awareness or risk assessment.

Awardees will receive up to $10,000 for an innovative, community-based initiative. Priority will go to projects that will benefit under-served areas or that include community partnerships.

Learn more vsweb.org/CommunityGrants.

The new program complements the Foundation’s expanded mission, which includes not only basic research but also increased public awareness about vascular disease and treatments and efforts to improve patient vascular care.

There’s only a month left to apply for the new SVS Foundation grant program for our community practice members and designed at improving community health.

Applications are due March 1 for the new Community Awareness and Prevention Project Grant, intended to help members in community practice environments conduct projects that address wellness and disease prevention and emphasize patient education, public awareness or risk assessment.

Awardees will receive up to $10,000 for an innovative, community-based initiative. Priority will go to projects that will benefit under-served areas or that include community partnerships.

Learn more vsweb.org/CommunityGrants.

The new program complements the Foundation’s expanded mission, which includes not only basic research but also increased public awareness about vascular disease and treatments and efforts to improve patient vascular care.

There’s only a month left to apply for the new SVS Foundation grant program for our community practice members and designed at improving community health.

Applications are due March 1 for the new Community Awareness and Prevention Project Grant, intended to help members in community practice environments conduct projects that address wellness and disease prevention and emphasize patient education, public awareness or risk assessment.

Awardees will receive up to $10,000 for an innovative, community-based initiative. Priority will go to projects that will benefit under-served areas or that include community partnerships.

Learn more vsweb.org/CommunityGrants.

The new program complements the Foundation’s expanded mission, which includes not only basic research but also increased public awareness about vascular disease and treatments and efforts to improve patient vascular care.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22.) 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22.) 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22.) 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

Registration is now open for the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference, to be held May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The one-day meeting emphasizes emerging vascular science and is held the day before the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions.

VRIC registration fees are $275 for members; $300, nonmembers; and $150 for residents, students, candidates and nonmember residents and students.

Registration is now open for the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference, to be held May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The one-day meeting emphasizes emerging vascular science and is held the day before the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions.

VRIC registration fees are $275 for members; $300, nonmembers; and $150 for residents, students, candidates and nonmember residents and students.

Registration is now open for the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference, to be held May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The one-day meeting emphasizes emerging vascular science and is held the day before the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Scientific Sessions.

VRIC registration fees are $275 for members; $300, nonmembers; and $150 for residents, students, candidates and nonmember residents and students.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

The SVS is also the management home for the Society for Vascular Nursing. SVN welcomes nurses and nurse practitioners in the vascular setting at many levels and ranges of expertise. For more information, visit svnnet.org.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

The SVS is also the management home for the Society for Vascular Nursing. SVN welcomes nurses and nurse practitioners in the vascular setting at many levels and ranges of expertise. For more information, visit svnnet.org.

To improve access, efficiency and service to existing and future SVS members, the Society is now reviewing and approving membership applications quarterly, instead of yearly. The first deadline for 2018 is March 1.

Learn more at vsweb.org/JoinSVS and apply today.

The SVS is also the management home for the Society for Vascular Nursing. SVN welcomes nurses and nurse practitioners in the vascular setting at many levels and ranges of expertise. For more information, visit svnnet.org.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22). 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22). 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

SVS members, please encourage medical or pre-med students interested in vascular surgery to apply for scholarships to attend the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. Scholarship applications are due by Feb. 1.

The awards are the General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and the Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship. Recipients become part of the hugely popular scholarship program, designed to let residents and students explore their interest in vascular surgery.

VAM will be held June 20 to 23, 2018, in Boston, with scientific sessions on June 21-23 and exhibits open June 21-22). 

The SVS Foundation seeks applicants for its Student Research Fellowship awards, designed to stimulate laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical students attending universities in the United States and Canada. Urge students you know with an interest in research to apply today.

Recent references to "EVR" coding changes weren't typos. We really meant "EVR" and not the "EVAR" with which we are all familiar. That's because there's been a change in vascular surgery acronyms. EVAR – Endovascular Aneurysm Repair – has become EVR – Endovascular Repair. The change was made by the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Editorial Panel and the SVS Coding Committee, as recent treatment strategies are not confined to the aorta.

We know EVR doesn't flow as trippingly off the tongue. Still, as the telephone operator used to say when informing a caller of a change in a phone number, "Please ... make a note of it."

Recent references to "EVR" coding changes weren't typos. We really meant "EVR" and not the "EVAR" with which we are all familiar. That's because there's been a change in vascular surgery acronyms. EVAR – Endovascular Aneurysm Repair – has become EVR – Endovascular Repair. The change was made by the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Editorial Panel and the SVS Coding Committee, as recent treatment strategies are not confined to the aorta.

We know EVR doesn't flow as trippingly off the tongue. Still, as the telephone operator used to say when informing a caller of a change in a phone number, "Please ... make a note of it."

Recent references to "EVR" coding changes weren't typos. We really meant "EVR" and not the "EVAR" with which we are all familiar. That's because there's been a change in vascular surgery acronyms. EVAR – Endovascular Aneurysm Repair – has become EVR – Endovascular Repair. The change was made by the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Editorial Panel and the SVS Coding Committee, as recent treatment strategies are not confined to the aorta.

We know EVR doesn't flow as trippingly off the tongue. Still, as the telephone operator used to say when informing a caller of a change in a phone number, "Please ... make a note of it."

• VAM travel scholarships (Feb. 1): The scholarships (General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship) are for medical students and residents for the Vascular Annual Meeting. Recipients will be able to meet other students and residents plus talk with members and leaders of the vascular surgical community. Applicants get complimentary meeting registration plus financial resources to help defray travel costs. 
• Student Research Fellowship (Feb. 1): Sponsored by the SVS Foundation, this award seeks to introduce the student to the application of rigorous scientific methods to clinical problems and underlying biologic processes important to patients with vascular disease.

• VAM travel scholarships (Feb. 1): The scholarships (General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship) are for medical students and residents for the Vascular Annual Meeting. Recipients will be able to meet other students and residents plus talk with members and leaders of the vascular surgical community. Applicants get complimentary meeting registration plus financial resources to help defray travel costs. 
• Student Research Fellowship (Feb. 1): Sponsored by the SVS Foundation, this award seeks to introduce the student to the application of rigorous scientific methods to clinical problems and underlying biologic processes important to patients with vascular disease.

• VAM travel scholarships (Feb. 1): The scholarships (General Surgery Resident/Medical Student Travel Scholarship and Diversity Medical Student Travel Scholarship) are for medical students and residents for the Vascular Annual Meeting. Recipients will be able to meet other students and residents plus talk with members and leaders of the vascular surgical community. Applicants get complimentary meeting registration plus financial resources to help defray travel costs. 
• Student Research Fellowship (Feb. 1): Sponsored by the SVS Foundation, this award seeks to introduce the student to the application of rigorous scientific methods to clinical problems and underlying biologic processes important to patients with vascular disease.

The deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 17, for two important research endeavors related to the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting: abstract submissions and the Resident Research Award. This year's VAM will be June 20 to 23 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Following a full day of programming on Wednesday, June 20, plenary sessions are set for June 21-23. Exhibits will be June 21-22. VAM registration and housing are scheduled to open in early March 2018.

Abstract Submission: Abstracts must be submitted by 3 p.m. Wednesday (CST), Jan. 17.

Resident Research Award (Jan. 17): The recipient will showcase his or her work at the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. This award is an excellent opportunity for surgical trainees in vascular research laboratories to be recognized and rewarded for their research efforts. The winner receives a $5,000 award and the VAM presentation opportunity.

The deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 17, for two important research endeavors related to the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting: abstract submissions and the Resident Research Award. This year's VAM will be June 20 to 23 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Following a full day of programming on Wednesday, June 20, plenary sessions are set for June 21-23. Exhibits will be June 21-22. VAM registration and housing are scheduled to open in early March 2018.

Abstract Submission: Abstracts must be submitted by 3 p.m. Wednesday (CST), Jan. 17.

Resident Research Award (Jan. 17): The recipient will showcase his or her work at the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. This award is an excellent opportunity for surgical trainees in vascular research laboratories to be recognized and rewarded for their research efforts. The winner receives a $5,000 award and the VAM presentation opportunity.

The deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 17, for two important research endeavors related to the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting: abstract submissions and the Resident Research Award. This year's VAM will be June 20 to 23 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Following a full day of programming on Wednesday, June 20, plenary sessions are set for June 21-23. Exhibits will be June 21-22. VAM registration and housing are scheduled to open in early March 2018.

Abstract Submission: Abstracts must be submitted by 3 p.m. Wednesday (CST), Jan. 17.

Resident Research Award (Jan. 17): The recipient will showcase his or her work at the 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting. This award is an excellent opportunity for surgical trainees in vascular research laboratories to be recognized and rewarded for their research efforts. The winner receives a $5,000 award and the VAM presentation opportunity.