AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

American College of Surgeons

American College of Surgeons

History of American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is an educational and scientific association of surgeons. It was found in the year 1913 with the purpose to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical practice and education. The members of the ACS are known as fellows. The abbreviation FACS after the name of a surgeon means that training and education, surgical competence, professional qualifications, and ethical conduct have been evaluated rigorously. It also means that the surgeon is complied to the high standards that are demanded and established by the College (Hall, 2009).

Mission

The American College of Surgeons is dedicated in improving the care of the surgical patient and to safeguard standards of care in an ethical and optimal practice environment.

Initiative Taken by the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons (the College) recognizes that developing a long-term solution to the failing sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula for Medicare physician payment is an enormous undertaking. The College maintains that any new payment system should be part of an evolutionary process that achieves the ultimate goals of increasing quality for the patient and reducing growth in health care spending, which we assert are directly related objectives. To move beyond the SGR, repeal must be followed by a period of stability in which bundled payments and other models can be tested and implemented, all the while keeping the focus on quality to improve the value and lower cost (Sachdeva, 2004).

The College has a century of experience in creating programs to improve the surgical quality and patient safety. Based on the results of these programs, such as the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, four key principles are required to improve the quality of care dramatically.

Setting appropriate standards

Building the right infrastructure

Using the right data to measure performance

Verifying the processes with external peer review

Quality initiatives based on these principles have the potential to reduce complications and save lives, which translates into lower costs, better outcomes, and greater access. That's good for providers and payers, government officials and taxpayers. Most of all, that's good for patients. The College recognizes that developing a long-term solution to the Medicare physician payment system is an enormous undertaking, especially given the need to limit the growth in health related spending. In addition to the SGR, the College is concerned about the ...