Oct. 3, 2016
Dear Members:
As President of the Society for Vascular Surgery, I am pleased to report that your SVS continues to grow and flourish in membership, programs, stature, strength and influence. The SVS is an organization of which we all, as members, can be immensely proud. Together we are the lifeblood of SVS, strengthening it with our ideas and knowledge, time, energy and leadership.
This past year the SVS achieved numerous tangible outcomes for the benefit of our members, our specialty, and the welfare of our patients:
- JVS remains the highest rated scientific journal in our field and has expanded to include two additional peer- reviewed journals, JVS: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders and JVS: Cases
- The Vascular Annual Meeting has truly elevated to the status of a “must-attend” scientific and educational venue with innovative and expanded offerings for a growingly diverse membership.
- SVS PSO/VQI data registries and quality programs are nationally recognized and credentialed, enabling members who participate to meet the new MACRA regulations for reimbursement.
- Through ground-breaking research SVS collaborated to produce the first-ever practice guideline for the treatment of the diabetic foot and reporting standards for TOS and LE.
- Working in close collaboration with the AVF, SVS presented testimony at the CMS MEDCAC hearing to set standards for reimbursement for lower extremity venous disease. SVS is your advocate.
- Stepped-up outreach and public relations activities generated dozens of press releases appearing in media outlets, strengthening name recognition for SVS and vascular surgery.The SVS website launched with a fresh new look and design that brands the SVS as the recognized specialty in vascular health and trusted source for patient information and resources.
As you know the world around us is changing rapidly. We cannot rest on our laurels or past accomplishments if we hope to continue to thrive in 2020 and beyond. We must continue to invest in innovative new programs and ideas such as:
- Continuing to set standards of care in vascular surgery and translating guidelines into practice
- Optimizing reimbursement in practice settings, and leading the way in shaping new health systems
- Integrating the vascular team into our strategic thinking, educational programs, coalitions and collaborations
- Strengthening our workforce by increasing the number choosing vascular careers, mentoring them effectively for leadership, and being mentored by them!
- Supporting SVS members with benefits that not only optimize their clinical and scientific pursuits but also provide balance and health in their careers and lives.
As a former solo practitioner in the community, as well as in my current position leading a large academic division, I have a deep understanding and sensitivity of the day-to-day financial realities faced by our diverse membership. The SVS always has been, and will continue to be, strategic and thoughtful about its investment of resources.It has been an exciting year of change. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with a “dream team” Executive Committee that I am delighted will now include the Chair of the Community Practice Committee. It has been impressive to watch our new Executive Director, Ken Slaw, PhD, skillfully, seamlessly and energetically transition into his new position over the past several months. Ken and the SVS staff are positioning themselves to embrace the future of SVS and are committed to supporting the current and future needs of all our members. As always, thank you for your membership and support in making SVS a truly great organization.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"945","field_deltas":{},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":189,"width":144,"style":"width: 144px; height: 189px; float: left; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px;","class":"media-image media-element file-media-large","data-delta":"1"},"fields":{}}]]Respectfully,
Ron Fairman