News Items

ASCRS is proud to reinforce its commitment to protecting patients, improving their quality of life, and ensuring access to and choice of surgical care by announcing it joined the Surgical Care Coalition as a founding member. As part of this group, ASCRS will support the coalition’s effort to work with Congress to stop planned cuts to Medicare payments that would hurt patients.

ASCRS strongly opposes these cuts, planned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), that will reduce payments for surgical care and take effect in January 2021. These cuts could force surgeons to take fewer Medicare patients, which would lead to reduced access to care for older Americans and lower their quality of life.

With the other 11 founding members in the coalition, ACSRS wants Congress to waive Medicare’s budget neutrality requirements to prevent the cuts and require CMS to apply the increased evaluation and management (E/M) adjustment to 10- and 90-day and maternity global code values. This will ensure Medicare patients continue to have the best access—to the best care—when they need it and where they need it.

The Surgical Care Coalition commissioned a survey of more than 5,000 surgeons, which found that surgeons are facing serious financial distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the cuts were announced before the pandemic, with the combined impact of the planned CMS cuts and the financial distress due to COVID-19, surgeons and hospitals will face difficult decisions to keep surgical practices afloat.

About The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) is the premier society for colon and rectal surgeons and other surgeons dedicated to assuring high quality patient care by advancing the science through research and education for prevention and management of disorders of the colon, rectum and anus.

About the Surgical Care Coalition

The Surgical Care Coalition advocates for access to quality surgical care for all Americans. The Surgical Care Coalition is comprised of 12 surgical professional associations that proudly represent more than 150,000 surgeons working across the country with a common goal of improving the quality of care, and quality of life, for all patients. The founding members have met and informally worked together for nearly three decades to promote sound policy solutions to the U.S. Congress and federal regulatory agencies to solve the biggest challenges in health care.

Please join us in welcoming the new 2020-2021 Executive Council Officers, Members at Large and Fellows.

Executive Council Officer

• President Neil H. Hyman, MD
• Past President Tracy L. Hull, MD
• President-Elect Thomas E. Read, MD
• Vice President Conor P. Delaney, MD, PhD
• Secretary Matthew G. Mutch, MD
• Treasurer Sonia L. Ramamoorthy, MD

Members at Large
2018-2021

• Najjia N. Mahmoud, MD
• Charles B. Whitlow, MD
• Kirsten B. Wilkins, MD

2019-2022

• Charles M. Friel, MD
• Jan Rakinic, MD
• Sharon L. Stein, MD

2020-2023

• Liliana G. Bordeianou, MD
• Craig A. Reickert, MD
• Elizabeth C. Wick, MD

International Fellows

• Asif Haque, MD
• Mohammad Keramati, MD
• Qamar Hafeez Kiani, MD
• Tsuyoshi Konishi, MD
• Hongcheng Lin, MD, PhD
• Emilio Morpurgo, MD
• Emad Mustafa, MD
• Sarhan Sydney Saad, MD, PhD
• Arceu Scanavini Neto, MD
• Fadel Shabeeb, MD

Fellows

• Ariane M. Abcarian, MD
• Titilayo O. Adegboyega, MD
• Jennifer L. Agnew, MD
• Cristan E. Anderson, MD
• Theodor Asgeirsson, MD
• Ellen H. Bailey, MD
• Moshe Barnajian, MD
• Victor H. Barnica, MD
• Jai Bikhchandani, MD
• Kristen M. Blaker, MD
• Ramon A. Brown, MD
• Melissa I. Chang, MD, MSE
• Matthew V. Chauviere, MD
• Amanda F. Cimsit, MD
• Nadav Dujovny, MD
• Marjun Philip Narcisco Duldulao, MD
• Justin L. Fischer, MD
• Neil William Carlton Gibson, MD
• Wisam J. Halabi, MD
• Kristina G. Hobson, MD
• Jennifer E. Hrabe, MD
• Lyen C. Huang, MD
• William Forrest Johnston, MD
• David A. Kleiman, MD
• Jennifer A. Leinicke, MD
• Calvin D. Lyons Jr., MD
• Allan S. Mabardy, MD
• Benjamin M. Martin, MD
• Haane Massarotti, MD
• Mary Teresa O'Donnell, MD
• Stephanie Mary Pannell, MD
• Jennifer L. Paruch, MD
• Anathea C. Powell, MD
• Dan Enger Ruiz, MD
• Deborah R. Schnipper, MD
• Sherief F. Shawki, MD
• Patrick D. Solan, MD
• Gabriela M. Vargas, MD
• Julie Ann Van Koughnett, MD
• Maria Sophia Villanueva, MD
• Lauren R. Wilson, MD
• Matthew Z. Wilson, MD, MSC

We are deeply saddened by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Their deaths, along with many others, are tragic and weigh heavy on our hearts. We unequivocally condemn any acts of racism and violence.

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons is committed to diversity, inclusiveness, fairness, and equity. We are concerned about the health and safety of every person.

We direct our members to a reading list compiled by the Student National Medical Association (www.snma.org) to enhance their personal understanding of the perspectives of our brothers and sisters of color.

We must use our voice to advocate for changes that may remedy existing inequities, particularly in healthcare, that have persisted far too long and have contributed to our current situation. Together, through meaningful actions, we can promote justice for all of our members, our society, and our patients regardless of color, ethnic group, or social status.
 

Where do you practice?
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Los Angeles, CA
 
Why are you a member of ASCRS?
My dad always says interactions with professional organizations (and the people in them) are some of the most rewarding experiences of one’s career, and that these relationships teach you far more than you could ever hope to learn. I have found this especially true of ASCRS, which continues to offer new as well as time-honored benefits. Now more than ever, the people I have met through ASCRS activities help all of us through this unique time, make me a better doctor, and are the source of new friendships along the way.

Why did you specialize in colorectal surgery?
Colorectal surgery is never boring. From minor to major surgical cases, benign to malignant pathology, common to rare diagnoses, and short to long-lasting patient relationships, our specialty has it all. The skillset required to master advanced endoscopy, minimally invasive surgery, and complex reoperative cases (not to mention the decision making for each) is enough to span several careers. I am so grateful for some influential mentors along the way that have helped me navigate this path, and look forward to the future, where ASCRS plays a big part of advancing the specialty!

Each year, ASCRS awards two scholarships to help early-career general or colorectal surgeons. 
 
The International Travel Scholarship funds travel and registration fees to attend the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting. This award is intended for surgeons practicing in parts of the world where the specialty of colorectal surgery is not well established and in areas of great need. Selection of these awards will be based on the applicant’s commitment and potential to impact his or her community.
 
The Career Development Scholarship funds travel and registration fees to attend the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting as well as visits with up to two of the top-rated U.S. colorectal training programs. This award is intended to identify young surgeons with a high potential to advance the specialty. 

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
 
Career Development Award winners
•            Ryan Rainiel Abary, Quirino Memorial Medical Center -  Quezon, Philippines
•            Meryl Oyomno, Steve Biko Academic Hospital - Pretoria, South Africa
•            Praveen Kammar, Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital - Mumbai, India
 
Travel Award winners
•            Suman Baral, Lumbini Medical College and Teaching Hospital Ltd - Pravas, Palpa, Nepal
•            Sanjeev Kumar, Tata Memorial Centre - Mumbai, India
•            Pranav Mandovra, Zen Multi Specialty Hospital - Mumbai, India
•            Sami Ullah, Services Hospital - Lahore, Pakistan