The Board of Directors of the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACSPA) and the Board of Regents (BoR) of the ACS met October 15, 2022, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, CA. The following is a summary of key activities discussed. The information provided was current as of the date of the meeting.
ACSPA
As of November 7, during the 2022 election cycle (January 1, 2021–December 31, 2022), the ACSPA Political Action Committee (ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC) raised more than $640,000 from more than 930 College members and staff and disbursed nearly $575,000 to more than 120 congressional candidates, political campaigns, and other PACs. SurgeonsPAC continues to prioritize a balanced, nonpartisan disbursement strategy, including support for Democrats and Republicans. Distribution of funds is focused on health professionals, key congressional leaders, and members who serve on important US House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over various healthcare policies and issues, including ACS-supported legislative priorities.
ACS
The BoR accepted resignations from 21 Fellows and changed the status from Active or Senior to Retired for 79 Fellows. The Regents also approved the formation of the Kurdistan Region Iraq Chapter and the revised Statement on Surgical Technology Training and Certification.
Division of Advocacy and Health Policy
A strategic analysis of the Division of Advocacy and Health Policy was conducted to review the division’s programs and products, identify internal and external challenges, define future vision, and establish priorities for moving forward.
Reviewed topics included:
- Quality and tiering
- State affairs
- Value and payment
Recommendations presented and discussed included:
- Developing a comprehensive plan to assist Fellows with ACS impact opportunities on the value of a surgeon
- Increasing state-based activity
- Participating in a campaign to promote ACS verification as a brand for future endorsement
- Prioritizing ACS impact opportunities on the value of the surgeon
- Promoting verification to patients, purchasers, and other stakeholders
Division of Education
The Division of Education reported on the following key activities:
Clinical Congress 2023
The Division of Education presented a proposed program for Clinical Congress 2023 for the Regents’ comment and review.
Committee on Ethics
The Committee on Ethics, housed in the Division of Education, sponsored several sessions at the Clinical Congress 2022, including the John J. Conley Ethics and Philosophy Lecture given by Mary L. Brandt, MD, FACS, on The Ethics of Belonging. The Ethics Colloquium was titled Can I Fire My Patient?...The Duty to Care and Limits of Accommodation. Panel sessions addressed the topics of Coping with Conflicted Commitment to Surgeon Health, Ethical Implications of Structural Racism, and Ethical and Moral Dilemmas in the Disclosure of Surgical Error. Meet the Expert Sessions included The Value of Training in Surgical Ethics and Updates in Informed Consent. Plans are underway for activities at upcoming Clinical Congresses.
Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care
The Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care encompasses the areas of Continuous Quality Improvement, including ACS research and the accreditation programs.
Trauma Programs
A strategic analysis of the Trauma Programs was conducted to review programs and products, identify internal and external challenges, define future vision, and establish priorities for moving forward.
Reviewed programs included:
- Education
- Injury prevention and advocacy
- International quality
- Trauma quality
Recommendations presented and discussed included:
- Developing an advocacy and public messaging campaign to support development of a National Trauma and Emergency Preparedness System
- Developing infrastructure for global promulgation of trauma quality programs
- Optimizing the trauma education learning experience
- Strengthening core trauma quality programs to increase impact and expand reach
Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) continues to develop its infrastructure and strategic framework. Major activities include: working with the 10 research teams that received the ACS Regental Innovative Grant for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism to ensure alignment of the research project with ACS strategic priorities; provide resources for a midyear status report from each research team; and include the grant recipients in other relevant ACS DEI initiatives. This inaugural program has evolved into a 2-year program. To provide ongoing support of the grantees’ research projects in the second year, the Office of DEI collaborated with the ACS Foundation to secure additional funding for each grantee.
The Office of DEI successfully launched and completed a 3-month pilot, the ACS DEI Educational and Alignment (E&A) Collaboratives, which are educational workshops comprised of ACS members and staff who are vested in the development and distribution of DEI efforts. Participants who completed the pilot E&A Collaborative series developed an understanding of DEI fundamentals, engaged in the use of a common DEI lexicon to be integrated College-wide, and sharpened a basic set of skills to develop and communicate DEI tools, programs, and curricula.
