CoC Members Gather in San Francisco for Fall Meetings

On October 19, members and guests of the CoC gathered for the fall meetings in San Francisco, California, at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.

Following the morning CoC Executive Committee meeting and State Chair Town Hall, CoC Chair Timothy W. Mullett, MD, MBA, FACS, welcomed members to the annual CoC Plenary Session. Dr. Mullett reported on the results of the CoC elections, recognized outgoing committee members and leaders, and awarded the winners of the annual State Chair and Cancer Liaison Physician Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Dr. Mullett introduced the first-place winner of the 2024 CoC Research Paper Competition, Richard Sassun, MD, who presented his research “A Validated Integration of Tumor Deposits in N Staging for Prognostication in Colon Cancer.” Member Organization Steering Committee Chair Susan Hedlund, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, moderated the CoC Member Organization Showcase, which included presentations from Renee Stubbins, PhD, RD, LD, CSO, from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Oncology Nutrition Group; Philip Koo, MD, of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging; and Andrea Iannucci, Pharm.D, BCOP, of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association.

ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care Director Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, MSHS, FACS, FASCRS, presented on “Complying with the New CM Age Friendly Measure–the ACS GSV Solution.” Dr. Mullett and ACS Senior Manager of Accreditation Erin Reuter, JD, MS, presented updates on CoC expansion plans, including rural program development, pediatric accreditation, and international engagement. An update on CoC quality improvement initiatives was provided by ACS Cancer Programs Clinical Scholar Kelley Chan, MD, MS; ACS Quality Improvement Manager Eileen Reilly, MSW; and Anthony Yang, MD, MS, FACS. Daniel Boffa, MD, MBA, FACS, then discussed the new AESOP Operative Standards Grant. Following closing remarks from Dr. Mullett and incoming CoC Chair Laurie J. Kirstein, MD, FACS, members gathered for the CoC reception.