The Board of Directors of the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACSPA) and the ACS Board of Regents (BoR) met February 9–10 in Washington, DC.
The following is a summary of key activities discussed and was current as of the date of the meeting.
ACSPA
The ACSPA, a 501(c)(6), allows for a broader range of activities and services that benefit surgeons and patients, including expanded legislative advocacy and political programming such as the ACSPA-Political Action Committee (SurgeonsPAC).
From January 1 to December 31, 2023, the ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC raised more than $306,000 from 749 ACS members and eligible contributors and disbursed nearly $284,000 to more than 100 bipartisan candidates seeking federal office, political campaigns, and other PACs. Fund distribution focuses on health professionals, key congressional leaders, and members who serve on US House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over various healthcare policies and issues that align with ACS-supported legislative priorities.
ACS
The BoR accepted resignations from 31 Fellows and changed the status from Active or Senior to Retired for 104 Fellows. The Regents also approved the following items:
- Statement on the Importance and Standards of Telehealth in Surgical Practice
- Statement on the Importance of Workplace Support for Pregnancy, Parental Leave, and Lactation for Practicing Surgeons (revision)
- Statement on the Importance of Workplace Support for Pregnancy, Parental Leave, and Lactation for Surgical Trainees (revision)
- Statement on Sustaining the Lifelong Competency of Surgeons (revision)
These statements will be available later this year; additional details from these statements will be available in the Bulletin and weekly ACS Brief email.
Education
The Division of Education reported on the following key activities.
Clinical Congress 2024
Program development continues for Clinical Congress 2024 in San Francisco, California, which will begin on Saturday, October 19, and end on Tuesday, October 22. Multidisciplinary sessions for all surgical disciplines and additional thematic sessions on quality and education will be scheduled during the first 2 days. New tracks for surgical education and quality also will be implemented. The Program Committee continues to identify transformational changes to the program that will be implemented over the next several years.
Committee on Ethics
The Committee on Ethics is developing several sessions for Clinical Congress 2024, including the John J. Conley Ethics and Philosophy Lecture by Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS. The Ethics Colloquium will be "The Ethics of Trainee Involvement in Surgery: Patient, Surgeon, and Trainee Perspectives." Panel Sessions will include "We Believe in Miracles: Responding to Patient and Family Requests to 'Do Everything' or Provide Nonbeneficial Surgical Care," "Artificial Intelligence in Surgery: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," and Fundamentals of Communication in Surgery. A Meet-the-Expert session will be "Ethical Considerations in Managing Unexpected Intraoperative Findings."
Information Technology
Among the key accomplishments reported in Information Technology were a HIPAA/cybersecurity assessment of ACS systems and helping to lay the groundwork, with the Divisions of Integrated Communications and Member Services, to address digital transformation.
Research and Optimal Patient Care
The Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care (DROPC) reported on the following.
Cancer Programs
A strategic analysis was conducted to review programs and products, identify internal and external challenges, define future vision, and establish priorities for moving forward.
Reviewed programs included:
Recommendations presented and discussed included:
- Improving the value of the NCDB
- Creating a cancer survival calculator
- Developing a new annual report
- Moving toward concurrent abstraction
- Releasing new reports
- Using data to show the value of accreditation
- Increasing CoC accreditation participation
- Adding a small/rural accreditation option
- Developing a tiered system of accredited hospitals
- Evaluating the impact of standards
- Exploring strategic relationships with interested parties
Trauma Programs
Follow-up information was provided on a 2022 strategic analysis of Trauma Programs.
Recommendations:
- Developing an advocacy effort to advance the development of a National Trauma and Emergency Preparedness System (NTEPS)
- Collaborating with the Division of Advocacy and Health Policy to identify the key decision makers and assess federal and military interest
- Identifying the recommended tactics and timeline needed to promote NTEPS
- Developing infrastructure for global promulgation of Trauma Quality Programs
- Exploring structured observational opportunities of US site visits and access to current trauma quality program materials for educational purposes
- Assessing the operational, resource, and program efforts required to provide direct services outside the US and Canada
- Researching and analyzing comparable global initiatives
- Optimizing the Trauma Education experience and sustainability
- Establishing comprehensive educational management systems to optimize technology support and enhance the user experience
- Conducting comprehensive educational needs and business model assessments to enhance and personalize educational experiences and ensure sustainability of the core education programs
- Strengthening core Trauma Quality Programs to increase impact and expand research
- Identifying the technical requirements needed for improved business intelligence and the analytical tools necessary to improve experience for participants
- Increasing penetration of programs in current markets via expanded participation in Level III Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) and verification; TQIP participation of non-ACS verified centers; and repackaging of TQIP collaboratives
- Addressing the needs of new markets, including a longitudinal consultation program, rural/Level IV centers, and specialty-specific TQIP data/reports
ACS Foundation
The ACS Foundation, a separate 501(c)(6) organization, remains focused on securing and growing financial support for the College’s charitable, educational, and patient-focused initiatives. As of December 31, 2023, the Foundation had met 66% of its goal of securing $2,218,403 in restricted and unrestricted funds for the College. This success has been achieved through campaigns, including the Fall Appeal, Giving Tuesday, Year-End Giving Reminders, and requests for support via the annual collection of dues.
The Foundation was successful in partnering with DROPC to secure a $1 million gift to support research into surgical adhesions. The Foundation also worked closely with the Division of Member Services to promote and grow the Chapter Initiatives program, creating three new chapter funds, bringing the total to 17. The Division of Member Services and the Foundation continue to partner on soliciting and securing major gifts for the ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.).
During Clinical Congress 2023, the Foundation received more than $35,000 in gifts and held the first combined donor and scholarship luncheon with more than 200 donors and scholars in attendance.
Dr. Lillian Kao is Chair of the ACS Board of Governors, as well as division director of acute care surgery, the Jack H. Mayfield, MD, Chair in Surgery (endowed), and vice-chair for quality of care in the Department of Surgery at the McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
