The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) is a community of health care professionals who are dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention and treatment of disorders of the colon, rectum and anus. This mission could not be carried out without the dedication and commitment of the ASCRS Executive Council and committee members.
ASCRS Leadership
Executive Council
ASCRS Officers
President
Tracy L. Hull, MD
President-Elect
Neil H. Hyman, MD
Past President
David A. Margolin, MD
Vice President
Thomas E. Read, MD
Secretary
Matthew G. Mutch, MD
Treasurer
Conor P. Delaney, MD, PhD
Research Foundation President
Scott Strong, MD
| Members-at-Large: |
|
| Bradley J. Champagne, MD |
(2017–2020) |
| William C. Cirocco, MD |
(2017–2020) |
| Arden M. Morris, MD |
(2017–2020) |
| Najjia N. Mahmoud, MD |
(2018–2021) |
| Charles B. Whitlow, MD |
(2018–2021) |
| Kirsten B. Wilkins, MD |
(2018–2021) |
| Charles M. Friel, MD |
(2019–2022) |
| Jan Rakinic, MD |
(2019–2022) |
| Sharon L. Stein, MD |
(2019–2022) |
It is a long standing tradition that the presidents of the ASCRS have presented their Presidential Addresses during the ASCRS Annual Meeting. Each address highlights facets of their careers and the accomplishments of the Society.
ASCRS Committees
Volunteers are at the heart of ASCRS’ existence. Collectively, they accomplish incredible work on behalf of the Society and specialty. ASCRS strives to assure a wide range of committee involvement opportunities for members.
Committee Members and Leadership Policies
On February 21, 2018, the Executive Council approved the Policy for Committee Membership to ensure each committee exemplifies diversity of experiences, competencies and demographics. On February 11, 2019, the Executive Council approved the Policy for the Selection and Responsibility for Committee Leadership within the ASCRS.
Responsible for selecting: a) the regional awards from papers and posters presented at the Annual Meeting; b) the Best Video; and c) the Best Paper; d) Barton Hoexter Best Video Award. Committee members meet daily during the Annual Scientific Meeting and attend all scientific and poster sessions to evaluate each presentation.
The Bylaws Committee makes recommendations regarding bylaw amendments to the Executive Council. Once approved by the Executive Council, the amendments are presented to the Fellows at the Annual Business Meeting for approval.
The Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee is responsible for creating and updating practice guidelines to assist physicians in caring for patients. CPGs begin with reviewing the results of a comprehensive, transparent, reproducible literature search which allows for formulation of recommendation statements which are then graded by the committee according to their strength and quality level. In order to be finalized and published, CPGs are vetted and approved by the ASCRS Executive Council and by the editorial board of DCR. Completed guidelines are published in ASCRS's official journal, Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. While serving on the committee, members research and contribute to several different guidelines. The committee actively collaborates with other professional organizations on joint definitions and practice guidelines when appropriate.
The Continuing Education Committee oversees all continuing medical education (CME) programs and ensures that ASCRS is in compliance with the standards set by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.
Credentials Committee
The Credentials Committee reviews applications for the various types of membership in ASCRS.
The ColoRectal Educational Systems Template (CREST) Committee is responsible for the continued development of online educational modules and resources for ASCRS members.
The Finance and Management Committee is responsible for reviewing and evaluating investments and return of investments for Society activities.
The Fundamentals of Rectal Cancer Surgery Committee's charge is to improve national outcomes for total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery by developing an educational module which teaches surgeons and residents the principles of multidisciplinary perioperative rectal cancer surgery to a standard acceptable to ASCRS. The committee is working to standardize an education module.
The Governance Committee assures that ASCRS governance structure and operations are continually improving – resulting in the best possible Return on Governance (ROG) for the Society. It is also responsible for assuring individual Executive Council and committee members are appropriately oriented and supported in their role as association leaders.
The Healthcare Economics Committee is responsible for presenting information on issues affecting the colon and rectal surgeon to Congress and agencies of the federal government. The committee's responsibilities include keeping members informed on these issues and tracking developments in managed care, regulatory, legislative, and other issues that impact coding, billing, and reimbursement for colorectal services.
The History of ASCRS Committee is responsible for collecting and compiling archival materials for the Society. Membership shall include ASCRS Past President(s) or Vice President(s).
Honorary Fellowships Committee
The Honorary Fellowships Committee reviews nominations for Honorary Fellowships and makes recommendations to the Executive Council for Honorary Fellows appointed each year. The Committee consists of three past presidents of ASCRS.
Industry Relations Committee
The Industry Relations Committee's charge is to identify opportunities to engage more effectively with ASCRS corporate partners throughout the year, while assuring the Society and its members remain appropriately attuned to conflicts of interest.
The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Committee focuses on clinical practices, guidelines and research in all aspects of IBD. The Committee promotes physician and public education through participation in IBD-related meetings, webinars, social media and collaboration with other similar interest groups and organizations.
The International Committee awards the ASCRS International Traveling Scholarships.
The Membership Committee is responsible for retention and recruitment activities of the Society. It recommends updates to the current member categories and criteria to the Executive Council, addresses membership benefits and promotes ASCRS membership and the specialty worldwide.
The New Technologies Committee facilitates the integration, evaluation, and dissemination of new technology in the practice of colon and rectal surgery for the Society.
The Operations Competency Evaluation Committee develops and refines evaluation tools which will allow colon and rectal surgeons who train residents to determine whether the resident performing a particular operation has the requisite skills, anatomic knowledge, procedural knowledge, and medical knowledge to safely treat patients with diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus.
The Professional Outreach Committee is responsible for an outreach program to instruct physicians in the specialties of primary care, family practice, general surgery, and others with programs on the management and prevention of diseases of the colon and rectum.
The Program Committee is responsible for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the scientific program at the Annual Scientific Meeting. They ensure that all educational and training products reflect the Society's vision and mission without regard to outside influences and they develop, implement and sustain an integrated educational strategy for professionals.
The Public Relations Committee's main purpose is to increase public awareness of colon and rectal diseases and the availability of trained specialists in its treatment.
The Quality Assessment and Safety Committee monitors activities of the National Quality Forum (NQF), the Surgical Quality Alliance (SQA), and the AMA Consortium. The committee is dedicated to optimizing care for patients with colorectal disease by setting goals and standards for the treatment of diseases affecting the colon, rectum, and anus.
The Rectal Cancer Coordinating Committee will work on accreditation programs and rectal cancer skills including preoperative image-based and postoperative pathology-based staging. A skills module analogous to FES or FLS will be developed along with video-based educational materials.
Lastly, the committee will serve as an advocate for surgeons treating patients with rectal cancer and provide resources and information regarding the latest trials on the surgical management of rectal cancer. The committee will work together with the ACS and NCDB to coordinate these trials and registries.
The Regional Society Committee is responsible for fostering increased communication among regional societies and the development of joint-ventures and collaboration between the Regional Societies and the ASCRS.
The Residents Committee assists in the development of educational programs for residents and informs general surgery residents of the benefits of specializing in colorectal surgery.
The Self-Assessment Committee creates the specialty's Colon and Rectal Self-Assessment program (CARSEP®) to help physicians assess their knowledge to provide optimal patient care.
The Social Media Committee's purpose is to support and increase awareness of the mission of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons as the world's leading authority on colon and rectal disease through social media outlets. The committee aims to help health care providers who have an interest in diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus achieve high-quality patient care by providing interactive venues for discussion, information, and education regarding all aspects of colorectal disease.
The Pelvic Floor Steering Committee is charged with developing resources, training and collaborations with other organizations related to pelvic floor conditions and treatment. This new committee is currently working on developing their strategic initiatives and timeline in addition to developing a consortium for pelvic floor representatives.
The Video-Based Education Committee selects the videos presented at the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting and designates other ASCRS programs where the videos can be used.
The Website Committee oversees website content and functionality and is responsible for educating members on electronic communication.
The Young Surgeons Committee addresses concerns of young surgeons and encourages their active participation in the activities of the Society. The committee offers feedback to the Executive Council on programs that would benefit young surgeons and recommends the Traveling Fellow to the Executive Council.