BY BETH BALES

Decades ago, “picture” phones were an idea straight out of science fiction.

As the saying goes, the future is now. FaceTime and Skype are common; similar technology permits doctors to visit patients via telemedicine.

In other health technological advancements, “wearables” track steps, heart rates and more. Scientists mull over artificial intelligence. A Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS)- branded app is being developed for those overseeing Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Looking into job opportunities? Just want to see what’s out there in terms of career moves to another part of the country?

This year’s Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM) attendees will want to take advantage of the new Career Fair, set for 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 19, in the Exhibit Hall. Community Brands, which runs the SVS online job board, is operating the fair.

The SVS Community Practice and Young Surgeons committees endorse the event as a way to provide SVS members exposure to a number of opportunities to change their careers.

BY BETH BALES

The Global Vascular Guidelines (GVG), extensively researched and written by an international committee of leading vascular experts, are now available as a pocket guide.

The guidelines recommend the use of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Threatened Limb Classification System for clinical staging and propose the Global Anatomic Staging System for defining the extent and complexity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) along the Target Artery Pathway.

BY PETER CONNOLLY, MD, AND MARK MATTOS, MD

Imagine that you are telling your lay friends about what you do for a living. You have to explain the difference between arteries and veins. And then you find that you need to clarify that you do not, in fact, operate on the heart.

It doesn’t get too much farther down the road than this, when, under usual circumstances, you are met with a combination of awe and indifference. Awe because— well—people like gory stories, and indifference because, in the end, they can’t ever really relate to it.

Get ready for another “Spectacular” evening at the 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM).

Ticket sales began in February for the second annual Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Foundation “Vascular Spectacular Gala: Northern Lights.”

As last year’s gala sold out in six weeks, Gala Committee chairs Cynthia Shortell, MD, and Benjamin Starnes, MD, are urging those who want to attend this year to reserve their seats early.

BY GREGORY KASPER, MD

While I may be the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Political Action Committee (PAC) chair, I find I still need a refresher from time to time regarding the members of Congress serving on committees that deal with healthcare issues where the SVS PAC needs to dedicate the most time and resources. So, as the second session of the 116th Congress is now getting into full swing, I wanted to share information on the three major committees that deal with healthcare policies influenced by the legislative process.

BY JAMES ELMORE, MD

Mission, vision and strategy are necessary to develop a cutting-edge vascular surgery program. To maintain such a program, one needs to implement an overall long-term strategic plan, as well as meticulously oversee the administration of day-to-day details.

Registration and housing for the 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM) are now open.

The 2020 Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) meeting will be held June 17 to 20 in Toronto, Canada. VAM starts with a full day of educational programming June 17, including six postgraduate courses, a number of international events, abstract presentations from the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society, an “Ask the Expert” session on mentorship in vascular surgery and a concurrent session on digital health advancements in the field of vascular surgery.

With significant progress made on many fronts in 2019, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) is looking forward to the next horizon in 2020.