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Dr. Fairman: Vascular Annual Meeting Program Chair
The 2014 Vascular Annual Meeting will be the last year of service for Dr. Ronald Fairman, who has served 3 years as program chair, shaping the educational program at the meeting. Reflecting upon his years with the Program Committee, Dr.…
In Memoriam
Professor Edouard Kieffer, a preeminent figure in French vascular surgery, died in February 2014, at the age of 72. He was Professor of Vascular Surgery and former Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery at the Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, in Paris,…
Read the 2013 SVS PAC Annual Report
Contributions to SVS PAC in 2013 served as a catalyst for several victories. These donations from SVS members provided the funds for SVS member volunteers and staff to attend fundraisers for 56 members of Congress and candidates where they were…
The USPSTF says ‘Don’t do it’
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued a draft document recommending against screening for carotid artery disease in asymptomatic patients. The draft implies that ultrasonography in the general population, where carotid artery stenosis prevalence is low, yields…
The ACA, the private practice of vascular surgery, and SVS: A call to action
As I view the implementation of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (ACA), I am concerned that this bureaucratic, administrative, directive-driven apparatus will have a disproportionately negative impact on the largest constituency in the Society for Vascular Surgery, the…
A band of brothers and sisters
In this online issue of Vascular Specialist, we mourn the passing of five pioneer vascular surgeons. One of these, Dr. James DeWeese, worked with Dr. George Johnson to complete a book after the death of another renowned father of vascular…
Upcoming changes to PQRS
It is important for SVS members to know, understand, and prepare for the upcoming changes to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). PQRS is a pay-for-reporting program that uses a combination of incentive payments and downward payment adjustments to promote…
Review of 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Available
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule has been published, and most provisions went into effect January 1. Issues included in the final rule which have an impact on vascular…
Vascular Cures Wylie Scholar Application Deadline: March 31
The SVS Foundation is now partnering with Vascular Cures on its Wylie Scholar Program. The Wylie Scholar Program provides a crucial career development award to outstanding surgeon-scientists conducting innovative academic research. This three-year, $150,000 grant is awarded to one promising…
Submit a late-breaking clinical trial abstract
Become a presenter at the 2014 Vascular Annual Meeting, June 5-7 in Boston, MA, and submit a late-breaking clinical trial abstract. Selected abstracts will be presented at a plenary session from 2:05 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. Preference…