November 2021
American College of Surgeons, Oct. 23-27
Health Day, November 12, 2021
"The annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons was held virtually this year from Oct. 23 to 27 and attracted participants from around the world, including surgeons, medical experts, allied health professionals, and administrators. The conference included hundreds of general and specialty sessions, postgraduate courses, scientific paper presentations, video-based education presentations, and posters focusing on the latest advances in surgical care."
How does a surgeon's language affect patient risk perception?
News-Medical, November 4, 2021
"We conducted a series of online surveys using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) crowdsourcing platform. In the surveys, we described appendicitis, which is one of the most common acute surgical conditions, and some options for treating it including surgery and antibiotics. We then described some of the complications that can happen with each treatment, such as a surgical site infection or an abscess in the belly."
ACS: Patients Can Be Evaluated for Stroke and Trauma With STRAUMA Alert
Health Day, November 3, 2021
"The novel STRAUMA alert activation allows for expedited evaluation of both stroke and trauma, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons, held virtually from Oct. 23 to 27."
October 2021
'We are failing Black women': Experts urge action to reduce disparities in breast cancer
Healio, October 27, 2021
"'It is widely known in the medical community that BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish community, but what is not widely known is that they are also prevalent in Black women — and this is not new data,' Debra Monticciolo, MD, past president of the American College of Radiology and vice chair of the department of radiology and section chief of breast imaging at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Temple in Texas, said during an American College of Surgeons virtual press event. 'We have also long known that Black women have higher death rates and that these women have a twofold increased risk for triple-negative breast cancers, as well.'"
Volumes for these elective procedures are closest to rebounding from COVID declines, Epic finds
Fierce Healthcare, October 25, 2021
"Lockdown was defined as when the American College of Surgeons and the U.S. surgeon general recommended halting elective procedures, Epic said. The study used predictive modeling to estimate volume baselines for each month studied and then compared the difference to actual figures. The model did not account for COVID-19, Epic told Fierce Healthcare."
Correlation Identified Between Financial Toxicity and Disparities in Psychosocial, Physical, and Mental Quality of Life in Breast Cancer
Cancer Network, October 13, 2021
"Financial toxicity appears to have a correlation with statistically significant and meaningful differences in BREAST-Q psychosocial wellbeing, as well as well as satisfaction with breast reconstruction and SF-12 global mental and physical quality of life, according to findings from a retrospective study published in the Journal of American College of Surgeons."
AI finds forgotten surgical instruments in patients' bodies
AI in Healthcare, October 6, 2021
"Noting that surgical sponges account for 70% of instruments and supplies that inadvertently get left behind in patients' bodies, researchers say they've designed AI software that can flag these "retained" items with good to excellent accuracy. The work was conducted at Nagasaki University in Japan and is published in Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
9 Advances in Breast Cancer Treatment
American Mobile, October 5, 2021
"The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has developed an evidence-based breast cancer skills kit, with videos and images to simplify complex information, in collaboration with other organizations, including the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers with ONS representatives. Patients, caregivers and nurses can use the online kit to educate patients about all aspects of breast cancer, including treatments and expectations. "We go into detail about how to manage [post-operatively]," Heneghan said."
September 2021
Weight Loss Surgery a Good Option for Severely Obese Kids: Study
Health Day, September 28, 2021
"'Our findings present clear evidence that should remove hesitance to perform bariatric surgical treatment in children and young adolescents who could benefit from the operation,' Alqahtani said in a news release from the American College of Surgeons. 'We have a proven solution for severe obesity and its comorbidities [related diseases],' he added."
Weight loss surgery should be an option for severely obese children, doctors say
The Philly Voice, September 28, 2021
"The study participants lost an average of 30% of their total weight and had reversal of type 2 diabetes and important heart disease risk factors. There were no major complications, nor were there any differences in weight loss or height trajectory for the younger kids, ages 5-14, compared the older participants. The long-term results of the surgery also were positive. Participants maintained an average 71% loss of excess weight. More than 70% of them had complete reversal of type 2 diabetes. The findings were published in the Journal of American College of Surgeons."
Give fat children weight loss surgery because it's safe and works, doctors say
The Daily Mail, September 23, 2021
"NHS England said in 2017 that bariatric surgery should be offered to severely obese children after other non-invasive methods, such as diets, have failed. Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics published in 2019 say children and teenagers should be eligible for surgery if their body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher, or if they have a related major health problem. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
'I Just Cry All the Time': Non-Covid Patients Despair Over Delayed Care
The New York Times, September 22, 2021
"'We all learned a tremendous amount over the last year and a half,' said Dr. David Hoyt, the executive director for the American College of Surgeons, which released guidelines to help surgeons adjust their caseloads rather than cancel non-urgent procedures."
Telemedicine Gets High Marks for Follow-Ups After Surgery
US News, September 20, 2021
"After routine surgery, a "virtual" follow-up visit might be just as good as a traditional office appointment, a new study suggests. […] The study -- published recently in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons -- involved 289 patients who had appendix or gallbladder surgery between 2017 and March 2020."
August 2021
Hospitals full with COVID patients, making waits and diversions the norm
The Daily News, August 30, 2021
"The medical branch couldn't immediately say Monday what kind of procedures were being postponed. Common procedures canceled by COVID include cataract surgeries, knee or hip replacements, hernia repairs and plastic or reconstructive procedures, according to the American College of Surgeons."
Hospital-Based Intervention Can Save Lives. A Growing Movement Is Betting on Medicaid to Fund It.
The Trace, August 19, 2021
"The Health Alliance has 40 participating members nationwide and works with about as many emerging programs. The number is growing, but it still represents a proportionally small presence among the 536 trauma centers verified by the American College of Surgeons, the hospitals most likely to treat gunshot victims."
Gov. Greg Abbott asks Texas hospitals to delay nonessential procedures as COVID-19 patients strain capacity
Texas Tribune, August 9, 2021
"For now, Abbott appears most focused on freeing up resources for COVID-19 patients, particularly hospital capacity. Still, after Abbott's announcement Monday, the American College of Surgeons issued a reminder that delaying elective procedures "is not without consequences by creating more medically complex cases and significantly impacting patients' quality of life.""
July 2021
How to Get Surgeons to Make Cost-Effective Decisions Without Jeopardizing Care
Harvard Business Review, July 28, 2021
"To spur others to adopt a similar approach, professional associations such as the American College of Surgeons and the American Hospital Association should work with electronic-health-records vendors to develop these kinds of simple plug-ins and packages to provide cost comparisons and reminders to physicians. Physician leaders should consider initiating "accountability & affordability" tracks to their hospitals' "Morbidity & Mortality" conferences in order to encourage all clinicians to be more conscious of costs. And residency programs should include cost-transparency initiatives as part of the training of new physicians."
Leading medical groups urge mandatory vaccinations for all health care workers
NBC News, July 26, 2021
"'As the health care community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination,' according to a joint statement from 56 health care associations. 'The health and safety of U.S. workers, families, communities, and the nation depends on it.' The coalition includes the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons and the American Public Health Association."
Survey: 85% of U.S. surgeons support ACS efforts to reduce gun injury
Trauma System News, July 22, 2021
"According to a new survey, a substantial majority of U.S. members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) support the organization taking an active role in advocating for policies and programs designed to lower the risk of firearm-related injuries and deaths. The initiatives they support include preventing people with serious mental illness from buying firearms and cracking down on illegal firearms sales."
American College of Surgeons launches surgical quality program for hospitals
Becker's Hospital Review, July 12, 2021
"The American College of Surgeons has created a standardized method to measure and improve surgical quality in hospitals, the organization said July 12. The college's Quality Verification Program is based on 12 standards for hospitals to meet, such as having a designated surgical safety officer and standardized data collection processes."
Meet The Medical Pioneer Who Founded America's First Black-Owned Hospital
Forbes, July 10, 2021
"[Daniel Hale] Williams' impact was wide. He co-founded the National Medical Association (NMA), the first professional organization for Black doctors, created as an alternative to the American Medical Association which had racist policies at the time. He performed another breakthrough surgery with the successful repair of a spleen, in 1902. And in 1913 he became the first Black surgeon to be accepted into the American College of Surgeons (ACS). 'Prejudice being as it was, there were some who said that it wasn't appropriate for a Black surgeon to be part of the American College of Surgeons,' says Don Nakayama, the current ACS treasurer. But Williams was too accomplished to ignore. In the end, Nakayama explains, 'he was acknowledged and accepted as an equal.'"
Inside the Launch of The Surgical Palliative Care Society
General Surgery News, July 8, 2021
"Fifty years ago, Balfour M. Mount, MD, a urologic oncologist, introduced and championed the field of palliative medicine, a specialty that aims to enhance quality of life for patients and families who are facing potentially life-limiting conditions. In the late 1990s, Geoffrey Dunn, MD, and Robert Milch, MD, both general surgeons, brought the concept of palliative medicine to the attention of the American College of Surgeons, and in 2003, the ACS spearheaded a committee dedicated to surgical palliative care."
July Fourth Puts Focus on Surging Sales of Fireworks, and a Severe Toll
The Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2021
"'It was just a striking number of people that had serious injuries,' Dr. Inaba said. 'The other thing that's important to note is that, as trauma surgeons, we see the most severely injured patients. There are a lot with minor injuries that don't require the services of a trauma surgeon.' The doctors—whose experience was mirrored in emergency rooms across the country—plan to present their data at the American College of Surgeons meeting this fall."
Oncology Social Workers 'Just as Important' as Chemo
Medscape, July 6, 2021
"Last year, [Timothy W. Mullett, MD, MBA, FACS,] was appointed chair of the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a subgroup of the American College of Surgeons that oversees the accreditation of 1500-plus community cancer care facilities serving 70% of cancer patients in the United States.
In 2015, after consultation with the Association of Oncology Social Workers (AOSW), the CoC formally integrated social work into cancer care by mandating psychosocial distress screening followed by an appropriate clinical response as a new standard of care for accreditation."
June 2021
Covid's lingering effects can put the breaks on elective surgery
NBC News, June 24, 2021
"Some experts said seven weeks is too arbitrary a threshold for scheduling surgery for patients who have had Covid-19. In addition to patients' recovery status from the virus, the calculus will be different for an older patient with chronic conditions who needs major heart surgery, for example, than for a generally healthy person in their 20s who needs a straightforward hernia repair. Covid-19 is just one of the things to be taken into account,' said Dr. Kenneth Sharp, a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons and vice chair of the Department of Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center."
Amnesty International USA Urges Congress To Pass The Break The Cycle Of Violence Act
Amnesty International, June 24, 2021
"'Reintroducing the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, and signing it into law, will give local heroes and the programs they run to reduce gun violence the financial support that's been missing for far too long,' said Ernest Coverson, Amnesty International USA's End Gun Violence Campaign Manager. According to a study by physicians and researchers featured in the American College of Surgeons Journal, gun violence costs the U.S. healthcare system $170 billion per year. The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention concluded that it would cost an estimated $670 million per year — $5.36 billion over eight years — to fund sustained and adequate violence intervention programs in the 48 U.S. cities with the highest rates of violence."
Take stock of your health with this post-lockdown checklist
The Oakland Press, June 17, 2021
"Indeed, in March 2020 alone, more than 800 lung cancer screening appointments at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center were postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. When testing resumed later that year, 29% of people had suspicious nodules versus 8% before the pandemic."
15 words that changed, defined healthcare this past year
Becker's Hospital Review, June 15, 2021
"The word "essential" also gained prominence as hospitals grappled with COVID-19-related capacity restraints and had to cancel elective surgeries to free up space or reserve limited personal protective equipment supplies. This ignited discussions about what qualified as essential or nonessential surgeries, with some hospitals opting to ignore the American College of Surgeons' recommendation to cancel all elective procedures."
In Alleged Health Care 'Money Grab,' Nation's Largest Hospital Chain Cashes In on Trauma Centers
Kaiser Health News, June 14, 2021
"HCA 'has basically taken a position that all of their hospitals should be trauma centers,' said Dr. Robert Winchell, describing conversations he had with HCA officials. Winchell is a trauma surgeon and former chairman of the trauma evaluation and planning committee at the American College of Surgeons."
Health Care Workers Deserve Fashion, Too
The New York Times, June 9, 2021
"Scrubs, which take their name from the fact they are worn in a scrubbed environment, according to a history of operating room attire from the American College of Surgeons, were first mentioned by a surgeon in 1894. But they did not come into widespread use in hospitals until the 1940s. (Doctors used to just put aprons over their suits.) Initially made in white, scrubs morphed into their familiar green because under bright lights the white blended in with the white of most operating rooms."
AMM surgical simulation enhances learner experience for trauma surgeons Study
Medical Dialogues, June 3, 2021
"The DoD subcontracted with the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education to conduct field testing of the AMM. The results have been published online in advance of print by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Robert M. Sweet, MD, FACS, MAMSE, of the department of surgery at the University of Washington, served as principal investigator (PI) of the DoD contract to build the AMM. Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, Director, Division of Education, American College of Surgeons, served as the PI for the subcontract to conduct field testing."
Rad Strong: Through Collaborations, "We Are Stronger Together"
Diagnostic Imaging, June 3, 2021
"Partnership for joint recommendations for breast cancer patients with the American Society of Breast Surgeons, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Commission on Cancer, and the American College of Surgeons."
Fixing what telehealth couldn't
Politico, June 2, 2021
"L. Scott Levin, chair of the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents and an orthopedist and plastic surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, says post-surgical telehealth visits could become routine. Doctors could examine how a patient stands up, straightens a limb or moves about at home."
Massachusetts surgeon pioneers multidisciplinary breast cancer clinics
Fifty Plus Advocate, June 2, 2021
"Wertheimer added, 'In 2009, our clinic was the first in the state to be certified by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a branch of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The hospitals from the other side of the river in Boston were looking at us.'"
May 2021
As Medicaid Access Expands, So Does Cancer Survival
U.S. News, May 19, 2021
The study included nearly 1.5 million adults aged 18 to 64. They were diagnosed with one of 17 common cancers between 2010 and 2013 and were in the National Cancer Database."
As Vaccination Rates Increase, Doctors Remind Patients to Resume Routine Cancer Screenings
Verywell Health, May 7, 2021
"With more than a third of Americans now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) recently began a nationwide campaign to remind people to resume regular cancer screenings if they missed any such tests during the pandemic."
In Interactions With Law Enforcement, Black Males More Likely to Suffer Severe Injury
Medscape, May 6, 2021
"The analysis of data from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) found that the number of white individuals who sustained firearm injuries was about twice that of Black individuals, according to the report published in JAMA Surgery."
Mortality Risk Up for Fragmented Care After Complex Cancer Surgery
Health Day, May 3, 2021
"Travel distance and timing contribute to care fragmentation following hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) and gastric oncologic operations, according to a study published online April 15 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
April 2021
After Complex Cancer Surgery, Readmission to Different Hospital Tied to Increased Risk of Death
Medscape, April 30, 2021
"The fragmentation of care that happens when a patient is readmitted to an outside hospital (OSH) is more likely if a patient lives farther from the index hospital or if they present later after the index discharge. But these two factors were not associated with increased mortality, researchers report in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
AHA News: Take Stock of Your Health With This Post-Lockdown Checklist
U.S. News, April 29, 2021
"Indeed, in March 2020 alone, more than 800 lung cancer screening appointments at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center were postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. When testing resumed later that year, 29% of people had suspicious nodules versus 8% before the pandemic."
Margin-Positive Surgery Still Beneficial in Pancreatic Cancer
Health Day April 22, 2021
"For patients with stage II pancreatic cancer, attempted surgery with margin-positive resection may offer survival benefit over chemotherapy alone, according to a study published online March 26 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
FedEx shooting just another night for busy Indianapolis hospitals used to gun violence
Indy Star, April 19, 2021
"The American College of Surgeons has started a Stop the Bleed campaign, which trains people on how to save victims from bleeding to death. Many public places are now equipped with Stop the Bleed kits people can use to staunch the bleeding after a gunshot wound or injury in a car crash or another accident."
March 2021
Deaths From Complications After Complex GI Cancer Surgery Lower at 'Top Hospitals'
General Surgery News, March 29, 2021
"Patients who underwent complex gastrointestinal surgery for cancer at institutions listed in the US News & World Report annual ranking of top hospitals were less likely to die from complications than patients treated at nonranked hospitals, according to a study published this month in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
Don't Delay Your Cancer Screenings, Surgeons' Group Urges
US News, March 29, 2021
"The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer is urging people to resume recommended cancer screenings to prevent further delays that could lead to diagnosis after a cancer is more advanced."
Opioids After Surgery Appropriate for Most Patients, Most Excess Pills Properly Disposed Of
Clinical Pain Advisor, March 24, 2021
"After recovering from surgery, most patients were satisfied with prescribed pain relief medications and properly disposed of excess opioid pills. These findings, from a clinical trial, were published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
Blunt vs Penetrating Neck Trauma: A Retrospective Cohort Study
MDLinx, March 16, 2021
"Using the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study with the aim to ascertain the correlation between blunt and penetrating neck injuries on mortality and length of stay. In addition, they investigated the additional patient and hospital‐level characteristics that influence these outcomes."
Opioid Discharge Prescription Guideline Satisfies Most Patients
Health Day, March 16, 2021
"A patient-centered opioid discharge prescription guideline satisfies 93 percent of patients undergoing surgery, according to a research letter published online Feb. 25 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
Factors Associated With Treatment Refusal and Impact of Treatment Refusal on Survival of Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer
Cancer Network, March 16, 2021
"The National Cancer Database provides national cancer surveillance data through a joint program of the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society. This database captures approximately 70% of newly diagnosed cancer cases."
Research led by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Surgeon Shows Promise in Reducing Opioid Abuse by Surgery Patients
Yahoo! News, March 10, 2021
"A study led by Dartmouth-Hitchcock's (D-H) Section Chief of General Surgery Richard J. Barth Jr., MD, FACS, and recently published online in advance of print in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, showed high levels of satisfaction of pain management after surgery, despite being given fewer quantities of prescription opioids to take home."
February 2021
Optimal Therapy for Esophageal Cancer Feasible in Fit Elderly
Health Day, February 26, 2021
"Patients 70 years and older with locally advanced esophageal or esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer should be considered for optimal, potentially curative therapy, including neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgical resection, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
Pain Regimen Reduces Opioid Use
News Max, February 17, 2021
"Their study, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, found that using oral acetaminophen along with naproxen, gabapentin (the only drug that required a prescription), and lidocaine patches was an effective pain management approach."
As COVID-19 fills ICUs, Chronically Ill Patients Suffer 'Ripple Effect' of Delayed Surgeries
Los Angeles Times, February 5, 2021
"A recently updated order from the California Department of Public Health directed hospitals in regions that meet certain criteria, including having zero available ICU beds, to use a tiered system recommended by the American College of Surgeons to categorize the urgency of all elective procedures. Once ranked, the procedures that would require an overnight hospital stay should be delayed in descending order of priority, the order said, and cases should be 'triaged by the clinical judgment of the physician.'"
Bedside Manner Even More Important for Hospital Patients Admitted Via the ER
HealthDay, February 4, 2021
"Among trauma and emergency surgery patients, physician communication had a significant impact on overall satisfaction after nursing factors were accounted for, representing a 12% increase in the former and an 8.6% increase in the latter group, the researchers found. Among elective surgery and medical admission patients, physician communication didn't even rank as a third or fourth factor, the study authors said in a news release from the American College of Surgeons."
January 2021
When Will You Feel Safe to Travel? 5 Epidemiologists Share Hopes, Fears, Data and Guesses
Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2021
"Scores of U.S. hospitals are at surge capacity, with shortages of ICU beds. Because most county governments report COVID information daily, Ostrosky said, 'it's actually pretty easy' to find data. As for capability, any hospital with a Level 1 trauma center (the most comprehensive trauma care) would satisfy him, Ostrosky said. The American College of Surgeons maintains a database."
After Cancer Surgery, Higher Risks for Minorities and the 'Socially Vulnerable'
U.S. News, January 26, 2021
"Published this week in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, the study found that minority patients living in struggling communities were 40% more likely to encounter a complication after cancer surgery compared with white patients who lived in better-off areas. They also faced a 23% increased risk of dying within 90 days."
Black Patients Disproportionately Left Off Liver Transplant Waitlists
Medscape, January 15, 2021
"'A potentially alarming finding derived from the data is that disparities in listing non-Hispanic Blacks increase with increasing percentage of non-Hispanic Blacks in the donor service area population,' the researchers note in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons."
Pandemic Has Disrupted Lung Cancer Screenings
HealthDay, January 5, 2021
"COVID-19 has caused significant disruption in lung cancer screening, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Robert M. Van Haren, M.D., from the University of Cincinnati, and colleagues examined the impact of COVID-19 on lung cancer screening and subsequent cancer diagnosis among 2,153 patients captured in an institutional screening database (January 2017 to July 2020)."
COVID-19 Continues to Impact Trauma Training for CPD Officers
ABC17 News, January 5, 2021
"In the meantime, officers who have had training on the kits are advising other officers on how to use them. Hunter said even if they do not have formal training, it is important for officers to be able to provide first aid at a scene until EMS crews or someone with more training can arrive and help.
Dr. Jeffrey Coughenour is Trauma Medical Director and MU Health Care and works with the Stop the Bleed program. The program was established by the American College of Surgeons after the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting."
