Impact of Colorectal Surgery on Patients Sunday, May 1, 9:00 - 10:00 am CME Credit Hours: 1 As the practice of medicine becomes increasingly complex, we can get caught up in the day-to-day logistics and lose sight of the patient perspective. Particularly within the field of colorectal surgery, patients face significant treatment challenges including life altering side effects and in many cases a stoma. In this novel symposium, we will hear from a variety of patients about their lived experience in navigating the healthcare system. We will explore what it means to face a life-threatening diagnosis from a physical, emotional, and financial perspective. This unique opportunity will facilitate an open discussion on topics that are important to patients and their families, which can further enrich the patient-surgeon relationship. Objectives At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 1. Recognize a better understanding of the patients’ experience 2. Appreciate outcomes that are important to patients 3. Effectively communicate with patients and their families Agenda Co-Directors: Traci Hedricks, MD,Charlottesville, VA Thomas E. Read, MD, Gainesville, FL Social Media Moderator: