The SVS Board of Directors met on January 7.
Board Actions
• Approved moving forward on a contract with Elsevier to publish the Journal of Vascular Surgery – Venous and Lymphatic Disorders. This will be a “daughter journal” to JVS with the same editorial leadership.
• Approved collaborating with the American Venous Forum on the Journal of Vascular Surgery – Venous and Lymphatic Disorders.
• Approved development of a learning management system that would provide an online platform for SVS members to participate in educational programs as well as to document, track and report CME.
• Approved moving forward on a contract with Elsevier to publish Rutherford’s Textbook – 8th edition.
• Approved the FY2013 budget (April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013) of approximately $7M.
• Approved SVS bylaws amendments for consideration at the June 2012 business meeting that would promote diversity and inclusion.
Activity Updates
• The Vascular Annual Meeting® Program Committee has completed the program for June 2012 which includes several new features such as voluntary self-assessment (MOC part 2) for attending the VAM.
• The Vascular Quality Initiative has continued to grow, with 130 participating sites and nearly 38,000 procedures as of 12/31/11. Two important pricing changes have been made in response to issues raised by the SVS Board of Directors: pricing for multi-hospital systems and pricing for physician groups.
• Following extensive discussion over the last several weeks, the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Assn.’s practice guidelines group withdrew a potential threat to remove the SVS as an endorsing society from its Extracranial Cerebrovascular Disease Guidelines. This related to perceived conflict with the SVS carotid Practice Guidelines published in Sept 2011. A mutually agreeable solution was achieved after agreement that SVS guidelines considered new information published in 2011.
• SVS submitted comments to the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MedCAC) in anticipation of a January MedCAC meeting to review available evidence on clinical strategies for management of carotid atherosclerosis. Several SVS members will present comments at the meeting.
• SVS is participating in the development of the TASCIII international guidelines on peripheral arterial disease.
• Dr. Cambria has convened a task force to foster development of additional training programs in vascular surgery.
• The Journal of Vascular Surgery impact factor for 2011, which is based on citations during 2008 and 2009, was 3.851. This is the highest impact factor earned in the 27-year history of the JVS. The Journal of Vascular Surgery continues to be ranked #1 among all vascular surgery journals, and #10 among 187 surgical journals.
• An independent audit of the SVS and SVS Foundation finances for 2011 was completed. Net position of the consolidated assets is $9.3M.
