The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Executive Board (EB) gathered at its headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, this summer, tackling over 40 strategic, policy and governance issues as it set the course for the year ahead.
“The annual EB Retreat is a critical meeting,” said SVS President Matthew Eagleton, MD. “The SVS strategic plan and program portfolio are expansive, and this retreat allows the EB to establish focused priorities for the next 11 months, define desired outcomes and ensure that governance structures and resources are aligned to achieve those priorities.”
The retreat’s discussions centered on the long-term health, vitality and trajectory of vascular surgery as a specialty. Key focus areas included the SVS branding campaign, the society’s response to the proposed new American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCVM) and the ongoing work of the Vascular Certification Board (VCB) Task Force.
“The next six to 12 months could bring significant changes for vascular surgery, and we need to be prepared for multiple scenarios,” said Eagleton.
The EB outlined specific measures of success for its branding initiatives and developed key messaging for each target audience in preparation for a major launch in September-October. With the ABMS expected to decide on the proposed ABCVM as early as October, the EB also prepared responses for various potential outcomes. The VCB Task Force met in person the day before the retreat and also considered the potential impacts of a new ABCVM.
“The outcome of the ABMS decision will almost certainly influence discussions and decisions about the optimal structure of the Vascular Surgery Board (VSB),” said Michael Dalsing, MD, task force chair.
The VCB Task Force will deliver its final report in November, and a presentation to the SVS Strategic Board is scheduled for January.
Additional priority initiatives and decisions discussed during the retreat included:
- SVS Advocacy Leadership Conference: Preparations are underway for the inaugural conference and Hill visit in Washington, D.C., in September 2025
- SVS education needs assessment: The board agreed to design the following needs assessment, focusing on early-and mid-career vascular surgeons, to guide the launch of a comprehensive support approach for these groups
- SVS Gala transition: The board approved transitioning the SVS Gala at the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM) to a milestone event celebrating SVS anniversary years, with more informal events in between
- PMEGs best practices paper: At the Food and Drug Administration’s request, the SVS was approved to develop a “best practices” paper on physician-modified endografts (PMEGs)
- Young Surgeon Section: The board approved the Young Surgeon Section as a full-standing section of SVS
- Section mergers: The board approved merging the Section on Outpatient and Office Vascular Care (SOOVC) with the Community Practice Section to form the new Section on Ambulatory Vascular Care (SAVC)
- Senior Members Provisional Section: A new provisional section for senior members was approved
- APP Section: The Advanced Practice Providers (APP) Steering Committee was approved to design and launch a new APP Section within the SVS. This will be merged with the currently existing Physician Assistant Section
- Inter-society relations: The board approved SVS’ support of vascular society milestone events, provided that inter-society relations are in good standing
- SVS EB at-large members: Plans for the nomination and selection of five at-large members of the SVS Executive Board were approved
- DEI Committee priorities: The top priorities of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for the coming year were accepted
- SVS HQ space assessment: The board agreed to assess future headquarters space needs, considering changes in work culture post-COVID-19
“The health and vitality of our specialty and members will be front and center during my year as president,” said Eagleton. “SVS has strong leadership on the Executive Board, the Strategic Board of Directors and throughout the staff structure. We are ready to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
