Jonasson Lecturer Describes Surgeons’ Call to Duty

What are some best practices for maintaining the “not on my watch” approach when providing evidence-based, patient-focused care?

In today’s Olga M. Jonasson Named Lecture, Jo Buyske, MD, FACS, president and chief executive officer of the American Board of Surgery, will describe the traits shared by surgeon leaders dedicated to providing the best possible care for their patients. Dr. Buyske’s lecture, “Not on My Watch,” is today at 2:30 pm, in Room 153 Upper Mezzanine South.

“I chose this title because it encompasses so much of what it means to be a surgeon,” explained Dr. Buyske. “We care for patients starting in medical school, throughout the years of training, and then onto the additional 30 plus years of our career. In the course of that commitment, we must embody the philosophy that we take responsibility for the whole patient, for their course now and in the future.”

This pledge to provide consistent and ongoing quality care signifies an elevated attention to detail.

“’Not on My Watch’ means we must be vigilant, knowledgeable, accountable, and humble,” Dr. Buyske said. “At the end of each day, we must be sure that we have done all that can be done to ensure the safe passage of that patient through our care. As so many of my mentors and role models have shown me—nothing can slip through the cracks on our watch.”

Research suggests that role models (individuals who unknowingly influence others) and mentors (individuals who intentionally guide others) can demonstrate behavior and attitudes that can compel and inspire others in how they approach patient care. Residents, in particular, often learn by adapting modeled behavior, particularly when it comes to being accountable to and responsible for the patient.

“The care of our fellow humans is at the heart of what we do,” said Dr. Buyske said. “The seminal characteristic of surgeons, namely that commitment to ‘not on my watch,’ is something that affects all aspects of our lives, how we lead and participate both inside and outside of the House of Surgery, and how we relate to friends and family. I plan to talk about the opportunity and duty of surgeons to use this approach, whether inherent or learned, in our other roles and walks of life.”

To determine a surgeon’s role in effecting change, it is helpful to think of these responsibilities within the context of a metaphoric lens.

“The zoom lens brings us into tight focus, specifically on the patient or the person right in front of us,” explained Dr. Buyske. “The wide-angle lens helps us see where systems are not working, and how we can use our commitment to process improvement at the macro level. I hope to be able to help people see how they can identify these opportunities, and how to use our personality as surgeons to improve systems as well as the experiences of the individual patient.”

Named after the first woman academic chair of surgery in the US, the Olga M. Jonasson Lecture is sponsored by the ACS Women in Surgery Committee and honors Dr. Jonasson’s trailblazing leadership and significant contributions to surgical practice and education.

“Leaders take responsibility for positive change,” noted Dr. Buyske. “Dr. Jonasson was never content to simply leave things as they were or to accept good enough. She used a firm, steady, persistent hand to effect significant change in both surgical education and in the surgical profession. There is no doubt that the profession is better for the work she did.”

Following today’s lecture, this session will be available for on-demand viewing.