News Items

Six new patient videos are now available in the Patient Education Library in the video section! These brief, 3-4 minute videos discuss Anal Warts, Anal Cancer, Colon Cancer, Pruritis Ani, Rectal Cancer, and Rectal Prolapse. Help your patients learn more about their condition in the office or show them where to find them from the comforts of home.

The ASCRS thanks the Public Relations Committee for their ongoing efforts to ensure the availabilty of easy-to-understand videos about common diseases and conditions diagnosed in the field of colon and rectal surgery.

The ASCRS is pleased to announce the availability of five new patient education videos in the Patient Resource Library. An all-new video on the J-Pouch is now offered, along with the release of four videos in Spanish.

Popular videos on Colon Cancer, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Diverticular Disease, and Abscess and Fistula were recently reworked with a Spanish narration dubbed over the original audio. The ASCRS encourages its members to refer these videos to their patients to help better explain their disease in their native language.

Surgical site infections are classified into three categories based upon the location and depth of infection. These include superficial, deep and organ surgical site infections. The classification system most commonly used is based upon that published by Horan et al in 1992, and this system is the basis for that used by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Healthcare Safety Network, and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Click here to read more.

The April 6th deadline is today! Register now for the 2015 Annual Meeting to enjoy the early bird discounted rate.

There are several ways to extend the impact of your registration with events and workshop. Programs of special interest will enhance your educational experience. For example:

• Question Writing Workshop – Open to all attendees
• Healthcare Economics in the ACA Era
• Quality Initiatives in Clinical Practice
• Laparoscopic Nuts & Bolts and Robotic Rivets
• Technical Pearls – How It's Really Done
• Navigating a Career Path in Colon and Rectal Surgery
• Ostomies: Location, Creation and Complications
• Medical Legal Symposium: How to Protect Yourself
• Enhanced Perioperative Care Pathways and Postoperative Pain Management

Check out the full preliminary program for details about the meeting or plan things to do while you're in Boston.

The meeting will be held at the Hynes Convention Center & Sheraton Boston Hotel, approximately 15 minutes from Boston Logan International Airport. The deadline for hotel reservations is April 27, 2015 so make your hotel reservation today.

Register online today by logging in to your member account. Or print the meeting registration form and return it by mail or fax to (847) 290-9203 with your payment.

The Fellowship Council is now accepting applications for the 2015 Non-ACGME Advanced Colorectal and Thoracic Fellowship Match. Those interested in applying for a fellowship position should submit their application, including letters of recommendation, no later than November 16, 2015.

Key Dates:

November 16, 2015: Application process closes and letters of recommendation due

November 30, 2015: Inform applicants of interview status

January 13, 2016: Match rank order deadline

January 21, 2016: Match date

The Fellowship Council was created to foster the development of high-quality fellowships in minimally invasive surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, flexible endoscopy, bariatric, thoracic, colorectal, and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery through a universal application and match process.

Visit www.fellowshipcouncil.org for more information and to apply.