ACS: Ensuring the integrity of the profession and the quality of patient care

Member services and communication

Our Member Services area continues to develop programs that are designed to encourage surgeon engagement and well-being.

The 2017 Leadership & Advocacy Summit, May 6-9 in Washington, DC, will address such topics as team building, managing critical situations, burnout, common mistakes in leadership, and domestic volunteerism. During the advocacy portion of the meeting, members will have opportunities to flex their leadership muscle and advocate on their patients’ behalf.

The College recognizes that surgeons need to be mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy to provide optimal care to their patients. With this thought in mind, the ACS invites all active, dues-paying members to use the Physician Well-Being Index. This validated screening tool provides an opportunity for surgeons to better understand their overall well-being and identify areas of risk compared to physicians across the nation. Access to local and national resources will also be targeted to surgeons based on their results. Access the ACS Surgeon Well-Being page to learn more about the tool.

Furthermore, the College has continued to make its communications vehicles more interactive and user-friendly. The ACS Communities are thriving, allowing members to share their common concerns and interests in a protected environment. We also are working to have all of our major publications, including the Bulletin and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, moved to fully digital platforms.

I am proud of the strides the College is making and look forward to an exciting and productive year. As always, please let us know how we can better serve you and your patients.

Dr. Hoyt is the Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons.