Thank You!
AQO 2025, which took place virtually on Sept. 23 and in-person on Sept. 25-26 in San Antonio, offered a unique opportunity to explore techniques for optimizing data collection using case scenarios and driving quality improvement. Thank you to all the faculty, presenters, attendees, and exhibitors who helped to make this event a great success.
Agenda
View the agenda. All session titles are preliminary and subject to change.
Hot Topics Webinars
STS will host a set of special webinars in October and November 2025 for all AQO registrants. These will offer an additional opportunity to interact with speakers and ask questions. Details will be provided through email to attendees.
Intermacs/Pedimacs
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CT
New Data Managers Session (Rebecca Harap, Nancy Honeycutt, Patricia Potter, Kerry Schindler, Neelam Tejpal)
How to Code Devices in the Intermacs/Pedimacs Database (Sylvia Laudun)
Implant Form-How to Interpret the Operative Report for Submission (Rebecca Harap)
How to Use Intermacs Data for Quality Improvement at your Site (Sheena Lamon)
Tips and Tricks for Data Abstraction (Tausha Vaseliades-Sidbury)
Utilizing Intermacs Data in Custom Power BI Builds (Rachel Wright)
General Q & A (All who can attend)
General Thoracic Surgery Database
Monday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CT
Preop Evaluation (Andrew Feczko)
Paraesophageal Hernias (David Shersher)
Thoracic Surgery Quality Improvement Through Open Case Review (Kelly Rubino)
Lung/Esophageal Histology and Nodes (Jeffrey Velotta)
Esophageal Cancer 101 – Case Inclusion (Kellie Knabe)
Post Op Events (Laura Schultz)
General Q&A (All who can attend)
Congenital Heart Surgery Database
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CT
CHSD Workforce: Projects Underway and Planned (James O'Brien)
How to Use CHSD Data in Real Time (Rebecca Sam and Sarah Schukei)
Double Outlet Right Ventricle (David Overman and Ashley Dunser)
Key Takeaways for MAPCAs (Subhadra Shashidharan and Dawn Boughton)
Review of Education Topics (Chasity Wellnitz and Leslie Wacker)
What I Wish I Knew as a New Data Manager (Robin Keyser)
Procedure Specific Factors (Meena Nathan)
General Q&A (All who can attend)
Adult Cardiac Surgery Database
Thursday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CT
Mechanical Assist Device Overview (Mani Daneshmand)
ACSD Audit-Lessons Learned (Annie Kouchoukos)
What Does the Future Hold for the Treatment of Structural Heart Disease? (Tsuyoshi Kaneko)
30-Day Follow-up: Tips and Tricks for Staying Off the 2% Missing List (Alla Kaner and Carley Hanmer)
How to Start a Quality Program at Your Hospital (Kevin Lobdell)
CMS Updates (Keith Horvath)
General Q & A (All who can attend)
Purchase AQO 2025
For those unable to travel to San Antonio, STS offers a virtual option. Virtual Pass buyers will gain access to on-demand content, e-posters online and the recorded archive of all sessions following the conclusion of the meeting.
| Category | Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Pass | $450 | $550 |
Buy Now
*An STS Member ID (6 digits) is required to receive the discounted member rate. For help retrieving your STS Member ID, contact Member Services
Accreditation
The nursing continuing education credit for this conference is being brought to you through a joint providership agreement between The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Corexcel.
Corexcel is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education, California provider #CEP 13687. Corexcel is approved as a provider of continuing nursing professional development through the Florida Board of Nursing, provider #50-452, and reports completions to CE Broker.
Corexcel designates this educational activity for a maximum of 27.47 nursing contact hours as follows:
Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Intermacs/Pedimacs: 8.28
Thursday, September 25, 2025, General Thoracic Surgery Database: 8.52
Thursday, September 25, 2025, Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 8.51
Friday, September 26, 2025, Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 9.35
(7.85 for virtual attendees; breakout sessions not available online)
On-Demand Content, General Session: 1.32
Perfusionist CEUs
The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) has approved this activity for Category I Recertification CEUs as follows:
Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Intermacs/Pedimacs: 10.0
Thursday, September 25, 2025, General Thoracic Surgery Database: 10.3
Thursday, September 25, 2025, Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 10.3
Friday, September 26, 2025, Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 11.3
(9.5 for virtual attendees; breakout sessions not available online)
On-Demand Content, General Session: 1.6
This program has been approved by The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion for a maximum of 33.2 CEUs. Perfusionists should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Deadline for claiming credit: Friday, Dec.26, 2025.
For help obtaining your continuing education credit, please contact:learn@corexcel.com
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET