NEW YORK, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Vascular surgeons in North America are calling for an independent Board for vascular surgery that will dramatically improve patient care. This subject will be a major topic of discussion in New York throughout VEITHsymposium(TM).
A strong majority vote of the board of directors of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) supports the formation of an independent vascular surgery Board. A recent Deloitte and Touche poll confirmed that SVS members, representing more than 90% of practicing vascular surgeons found that over 76% favored pursuit of an independent American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved Board while 77% of the program directors in vascular surgery voted in favor of an independent Board.
The specialty has had explosive growth in knowledge and technology requiring vascular surgeons to undergo extensive on-going training. However, the ABMS and the Liaison Committee of Specialty Board’s (LCSB) rejected vascular surgery as an independent Board in 2002. The specialty continues to meet with opposition from the American Board of Surgery (ABS), an influential member of the ABMS. Failure of the ABS and the ABMS to recognize and respond to the evolution of new specialties by dramatically altering training paradigms and certification criteria have contributed to a serious decline of graduates enrolling in surgical residencies. Experts say that the shortage will increase medical errors and mortality.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) compared morbidity and mortality rates of select vascular surgical procedures performed by general surgeons in December 2003. The mortality and morbidity rates were strikingly lower when vascular surgeons performed these operations then when done by general surgeons. These findings were based on a nationwide study confirming that many complications and deaths could have been avoided. General surgeons vastly outnumber vascular surgeons in the United States and the public has no practical way to judge the differences between these two physician groups. “But despite a growing cry by vascular specialists to limit procedures done by general surgeons, no such potentially lifesaving measures are planned in the short-term” -- WSJ.
“It is in the best interest of the patient that vascular surgery be recognized as a separate specialty with its own independent Board. Such recognition will facilitate optimal training and certification of vascular surgeons and make it more difficult for those with sub-optimal training or committed to other specialties to provide care for patients with serious vascular problems. It will save lives and limbs and dramatically improve patient care as vascular surgeons do a larger proportion of vascular surgery procedures,” said Frank J. Veith, MD, Chairman of the American Board of Vascular Surgery (ABVS).
The training period, knowledge and skill set for vascular surgeons meets or exceed that of many existing surgical and medical specialties. However, the LCSB of the ABMS rejected the application for an independent Board in vascular surgery. The specialty is appealing this decision.
About the American Board of Vascular Surgery
The ABVS was incorporated in 1996 with support from the executive councils of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the North American Chapter of the International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery and the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery. The ABVS contributes to improving the delivery of care in the areas of vascular surgery and vascular disease management through public education and awareness and is actively pursuing the formation of an independent Board for vascular surgery.
About VEITHsymposium(TM)
Now entering its fourth decade, VEITHsymposium(TM) http://www.veithpress.org/ has been the epicenter of physician education for the global vascular community. This international congress attracts over 1,500 thought leaders in the field. More than 250 international clinician/educators present the latest topics, advances and data and then validate these concepts through the dynamic interactive faculty/audience exchange that ends each session.
VEITHsymposium(TM) is sponsored by Montefiore Medical Center (Bronx, NY) with CME credit issued by Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Bronx, NY).
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Frank J. Veith, MD http://www.profnet.com/ud_public.jsp?userid=497805
VEITHsymposium(TM)
CONTACT: Pauline T. Mayer of VEITHsymposium(TM), +1-631-979-3780
Web site: http://www.veithpress.org/