Articles & Press Releases

Dues Statements Distributed

Due to popular demand, the SVS Foundation has developed a new set of patient education fliers. The first one – on Peripheral Arterial Disease – is now available and was released to coincide with PAD Awareness Month in September.

In an effort to alter specific policies in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) CY 2019 Medicare Fee Schedule Proposed Rules, Society for Vascular Surgery leaders have submitted a 20-page comment letter with recommendations to CMS.

A letter from the SVS Foundation Chair

Because …

That’s the simple – yet multifaceted — theme for our SVS Foundation Annual Report (just released and available at vsweb.org/ SVSF_Annual_Report_ 2018) and for our annual Giving Campaign.

Wellness checks aren’t just for physical health. They’re for fiscal health as well.

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms risk scores, based on four variables, allows accurate prediction of 30-day mortality after repair, according to a study published in October’s Journal of Vascular Surgery.

The Society for Vascular Surgery has translated the updated guidelines on abdominal aortic aneurysms into Spanish, aimed at the large population of Spanish-speaking vascular surgeons.

I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Ronald Dalman, the Walter C. and Elsa R. Chidester Professor and Chief of Vascular Surgery at Stanford University.

Proposed Rules Include Substantial Cuts to Vascular Labs

After reviewing proposals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Society for Vascular Surgery has drafted comments to mitigate potentially substantial negative effects on SVS members.

Why should vascular surgeons or their coding staff attend the SVS Coding and Reimbursement Workshop? The short answer is: reimbursement, risk and red tape.

Just thought I would write and give you a quick update on our situation, not that you asked. As you recall, a few years ago we spent many hours discussing and planning the Heart and Vascular Service Line that you encouraged us to set up in our new hospital. 

An SVS dream of increasing awareness of and preventing vascular disease is taking root across the country.

Three projects, funded by the first SVS Foundation Community Awareness and Prevention Project Grants, will:

Smoking: Surgeons debate performing lower-extremity bypass in patients who are active smokers.

An interview with Michel S. Makaroun

Q. You’ve been leading the way on the issue of a future workforce shortage. Will this be a major initiative of your presidency? What other issue(s) and challenges stand out for your attention?

BY MALACHI G. SHEAHAN III, MD MEDICAL EDITOR, VASCULAR SPECIALIST

The 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting featured nearly 1,800 attendees, just shy of the record; phenomenal science; a wide range of educational programming; and new session formats with overflow attendance.

The SVS Foundation has created a new grant designed to help sustain surgeon-scientists’ critical research amidst any funding gaps. Applications are due Oct. 1.

Dr. Michel S. Makaroun, President, has been active in the SVS in a variety of roles since 1997 and served as secretary from 2013-2016.

Changes Sought in 2019 Fee Schedule, Year 3 QPP Rules

There’s no question that medical billing coding is vitally important. Get it wrong and the bottom line suffers. It’s that simple.

This year’s E. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum addressed the current status of the vascular surgery workforce, its existing geographic distribution, the potential for a worsening shortage, and proposed solutions to ensure future vascular care delivery.

The Society for Vascular Surgery now has a clinical practice guideline devoted solely to imaging following vascular surgery interventions. 

From JVS-VL: Public Funding of EVA Reduces Costs

Publicly funded endovenous ablation has reduced the rates of high ligation and stripping, which in turn has reduced costs to the Canadian health system by approximately $42,000 a year.

Up to 28 AAPA Credits Possible

Physician assistants want to showcase how important PAs are to the vascular team, and learn more about vascular disease and medical management at the same time.