From the Washington Office

4. Obstructs clinical registry data collection and quality improvement. If patients forgo follow-up treatment or seek it from other providers, the policy would have a deleterious effect on surgeons’ ability to collect information on patient outcomes in clinical registries and undermine many meaningful quality improvement initiatives.

Staff members of the DC office are available to assist surgeons interested in contacting their individual senators and representatives to assist in the advocacy efforts relative to this policy. I can be reached by phone at 202-337-2701 or by e-mail at dahp@facs.org.

Until next month …

Dr. Bailey is a pediatric surgeon and Medical Director, Advocacy for the Division of Advocacy and Health Policy in the ACS offices in Washington, DC.