Council Spotlight: Clinical Practice Matters, A to Z

May 22, 2017 Re-posted from the May 2017 issue of Vascular Specialist

If SVS councils had theme songs, "You’ve Got a Friend" might be the musical signature of the Clinical Practice Council. As Council Chair Dr. Frank Pomposelli explained it, the body exists for the good of every member who provides vascular care in any type of clinical setting.

"We’re here to serve member needs on anything relating to clinical practice. From how to obtain financing to how to market themselves, from how to refine their surgical techniques to how to translate outcomes research, we want to help," he said.

The council’s four committees – Community Practice, Public and Professional Outreach, VA Vascular Surgeons and Young Surgeons – help to organize and focus its work on emerging issues.

For example, Dr. Pomposelli said, several council members are considering guidelines for office-based interventional suites and costs. Similarly, the VA Vascular Surgeons team is looking at the possibility of reintroducing VA clinical research trials – instrumental in the past in improving quality of care.

Current initiatives

As the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting approaches, the council is putting the final touches on its educational breakfast session, B6, "The Aging Vascular Surgeon," (see story below). The Friday session will address a range of challenges that vascular surgeons face as they mature. All SVS members, regardless of career stage, are encouraged to participate.

On a separate front, the council is devoting considerable time to the value-of-care survey in development with assistance from Merritt Hawkins. The survey is intended to learn from provider CEOs across the country how their institutions view and value vascular care. Put another way, the survey is aimed at quantifying – and leveraging – the gap between what providers charge and what vascular surgeons are paid for vascular care.

"Since I started practicing 30 years ago, vascular surgeon fees have gone down 40 to 50 percent. As a result, members in private practice are struggling to make their businesses work. Others are going into large-group and hospital-based practices," Dr. Pomposelli said. The survey will yield sound data on the true monetary value of vascular care that all members can use to inform their negotiations with employers or multi-specialty partners.

What members can do

Dr. Pomposelli said members can help the council by making their needs known. As a starting point, he encourages everyone to complete the annual survey that was to be sent to all SVS members in May. "Tell us how we can help you," he said.

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