Archive for November, 2014
Looking forward – November 2014
In this month’s column, Dr. Hoyt describes the new ACS Education and Training campaign, launched at Clinical Congress last month, which highlights the College’s array of lifelong learning opportunities.
FLS: Celebrating a decade of innovation in surgical education
The story behind the creation of the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program and its impact on general surgery practice and training are described in this article, which commemorates the program’s 10th anniversary.
RAS-ACS Symposium essays: Residents debate whether to reform or revolutionize surgical training
The topic for this year’s 2014 Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons (RAS-ACS) symposium competition was the Five-Year General Surgery Residency: Reform vs. Revolution. The following are the first and second place essays submitted from both sides of the debate.
First-place essay—revolution: Surgical training: Time for a revolution
Competency should be measured not by demonstrating recall of management algorithms, argues the author of this essay, but rather by the ability to adapt to evolving recommended practices and technology.
Second-place essay—revolution: Five-year general surgery residency: Reform or revolution?
Simulation training and a standardized curriculum during the first two years of surgical residency will enhance the surgical training process, according to the author of this essay.
First-place essay—reform: Reformation of current surgical residency and fellowship training is the best solution
The evolution of surgical training cannot occur with restructuring fellowship programs, notes the author of this essay. Rather, the ideal training model should be anchored by a core surgical residency program modeled after the first three years of the current training paradigm.
Second-place essay—reform: Revisiting the visions of Halsted, Churchill, and Dudley to fix surgical training a century later
The current training system could be improved if surgical education, skill modules, and mentorship began earlier for those planning to apply for general surgery programs, according to the author of this essay, who also suggests that surgical training programs include early specialization while maintaining core general surgery rotations.
Optimizing the OR for bundled payments: A case study
This article provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative and describes how one institution was able to optimize the operating room for bundled payments.
Massachusetts Chapter develops new grassroots advocacy program
This article discusses the rationale behind the District Office Contact by Surgeons program and summarizes the benefits of this grassroots advocacy initiative.
Transplant in a patient with comorbid psychiatric illness: An ethical dilemma
This article addresses a difficult ethical dilemma that transplant surgeons may encounter—whether a patient with a psychiatric illness is a good candidate for a liver transplant—and discusses possible approaches to this type of case in the absence of national protocols.
The FY 2015 Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule
The Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule—which establishes federal fiscal year 2015 policies for Medicare payments to hospitals for inpatient stays—is discussed in this month’s column, along with how the IPPS will affect surgeons.
Colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver: Making the unresectable resectable
Advances in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer have led to greatly improved survival rates, especially for patients with liver-only disease. These new approaches have increased the role of surgeons in the management of these patients.
The gift that keeps on giving
The extraordinary contributions of Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, and his wife, Isabelle, to the ACS are the focus of this month’s column.
Hospital Engagement Networks target surgical site infections
The effectiveness of the Joint Commission Resources Hospital Engagement Network—an initiative to reduce health care-associated infections and conditions including surgical site infections—is described in this month’s column along with best practice recommendations to help reduce these events in the future.
The DTs: Delirium tremens
This month’s column examined the occurrence of injuries involving delirium tremens by searching the admissions records in the NTDB dataset for 2013.
Andrew L. Warshaw, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), installed as 95th President of the ACS
Andrew L. Warshaw, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon) was installed as ACS President and Jay L. Grosfeld, MD, FACS, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FRCPS(Hon), and Kenneth L. Mattox, MD, FACS, were installed as Vice-Presidents at the 2014 Clinical Congress.
Six outstanding surgeons conferred Honorary Fellowship in the ACS
Honorary Fellowship in the ACS was awarded to six prominent surgeons from Switzerland, Scotland, Hong Kong SAR China, Argentina, Belgium, and Ecuador during Convocation ceremonies that preceded the official opening of 2014 Clinical Congress in San Francisco, CA.
Citation for Prof. Pierre-Alain Clavien, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCSEng, FRCSEd
Prof. Pierre-Alain Clavien of Zurich, Switzerland, is presented for Honorary Fellowship in the ACS by Steven M. Strasberg, MD, FACS.
Citation for Prof. Alberto Raul Ferreres, MD, PhD, MPH, FACS
Prof. Alberto Raul Ferreres of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is presented for Honorary Fellowship in the ACS by E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS.
Citation for Prof. O. James Garden, BSc, MB, BCh, CBE, MD, FRCSGlas, FRCPEd, FRSE
Prof. O. James Garden of Edinburgh, Scotland, is presented for Honorary Fellowship in the ACS by L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon).
