The SVS has begun work on creating an Alternative Payment Model for SVS members to use for reimbursement under the new Quality Payment Program. A task force has been named and an operational plan drawn up, under the supervision of the SVS Executive Committee.   

The SVS Government Relations office on Capitol Hill, helps members and their patients through not only its legislative and regulatory work but also oversight of the SVS Political Action Committee.

Successes include:

Legislative

A major success after 10 years of advocacy was the repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. This law also reformed Medicare physician payment by creating two payment options that became effective this year.

If veterans who need abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery are fully versed in both open and endovascular procedures, will they be happier with their choice?  

To prevent “buyers’ remorse,” a new study at Veteran Administration centers is examining if decision aids can help align patient preference with the type of AAA surgery. Enrollment begins at 20 VA centers in April.

PROVE-AAA – PReference for Open Versus Endovascular AAA Repair – has received $1.1 million in funding from the VA’s Health Services Research and Development branch.

Drs. Peter Gloviczki, Peter Lawrence, Frank Veith and Mike Dalsing all have something in common:  they’ve faced a serious complication in surgery, managed it and learned lessons from the experience. With several others, these surgeons will relate their stories at a postgraduate session at the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting.

The Honorable Thomas Price, MD
Secretary
Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201

Seema Verma
Administrator
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201

Re: Collecting Data on Resources Used in Furnishing Global Services

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SPECIAL REPORT: SVS Takes Aim at Addressing Physician Burnout, Wellness

Publish date: March 15, 2017 Vascular Specialist
(Photo Credit: Hemera Technologies/Thinkstock)

By: Malachi Sheahan, MD Dawn Coleman, MD Michael Goldberg, MD*

Innovation, inspiration, invigoration Specialists, allied professionals, find more to do at the 2017 Vascular Annual Meeting

Nurses Week is May 6-12

Dear Valued Nurses –During National Nurses Week, we hope you know how important you are to us every day of the year. As surgeons we see our patients during crucial moments, but we know that it is you who guide them on their journey back to health – every step of the way.

“Prospective, nonrandomized study to evaluate endovascular repair of pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm using fenestrated-branched endografts based on supraceliac sealing zones.” Journal of Vascular Surgery, May 2017.

CHICAGO, Illinois, May, 2017 – Significant success has been achieved in treating complex proximal aneurysms using a combination of fenestrated and branched-graft devices, based on a report of prospectively studied patients with complex aortic aneurysm in the May edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery.