AQO 2026 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.
Schedule
- Thursday, Sept. 24
Intermacs/Pedimacs Virtual Forum: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. - Wednesday, Sept. 30
General Thoracic Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. - Thursday, Oct. 1
General Thoracic Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. - Friday, Oct. 2
Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Hot Topics Webinars
Details coming soon.
Purchase AQO 2026
For those unable to travel to New Orleans, 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 | Non-Member |
|---|---|---|
Virtual Pass | $450 | $550 |
*An STS Member ID (6 digits) is required to receive the discounted member rate. Database participation differs from STS membership (e.g., Surgeon or Associate Membership). Your 6-digit STS Member ID is not your site or Database participant ID. For help retrieving your STS Member ID, contact Member Services.
Accreditation
Educational Disclosure Policy
This meeting is being provided through an educational partnership between Corexcel and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Nursing Contact Hours and Perfusionist credit via the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) will be offered.
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.
It is Corexcel’s policy to ensure independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all programming. In compliance with the California and Florida Boards of Nursing and ABCP, Corexcel requires that faculty disclose all financial relationships with commercial interests within the past 12 months.
Receiving Continuing Education Credit
Access the online evaluation at https://www.corexcel.com/sts/. In order to receive a certificate, you must complete an evaluation. You must complete the evaluation at one time; you cannot leave and return to the place you last commented. You will not receive CE credit for any session unless the online evaluation is completed. Participants may choose to claim Nursing Contact Hours, Perfusionist CEUs, or a Certificate of Attendance.
Requirements for Contact Hours
To receive continuing education credit, you must watch all on-demand and live content then evaluate all presentations in a specific session. Please refer to the credit designation below.
Delivery of Certificate
Your continuing education credit certificate will be sent as a PDF to the email address you provide during the evaluation process. Certificates will be processed once a month based on the prior month’s completions. This rolling system will continue for three months.
Non-Endorsement of Products
Accreditation of activities for contact hours does not imply the approval or endorsement of any product, advertising, or educational content by STS or Corexcel.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures
Conflicts of interest disclosed by speakers, planning committee members, and others involved in the planning and implementation of the AQO Meeting are displayed on the virtual meeting platform.
Off-Label Discussions
Any discussion of off-label use of pharmaceutical agents or non-FDA-approved devices has been disclosed by the speakers and is listed on the website. Any incidental discussion of such issues will be made known by the speaker during the presentation.
Certificates
Continuing education records for AQO Meeting attendees are kept for a period of 7 years.
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 nursing contact hours as follows:
- Sept. 24, 2026, Intermacs/Pedimacs: 7.72
- Sept. 30, 2026, General Thoracic Surgery Database: 9.14
- Sept. 30, 2026, Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 7.86
- Oct. 1, 2026, Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 8.62
- On-Demand Content, General Session: 0.99
Perfusionist CEUs
The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) has approved this activity for Category I Recertification CEUs as follows:
- Sept. 24, 2026, Intermacs/Pedimacs: 9.3
- Sept. 30, 2026, General Thoracic Surgery Database: 11.1
- Sept. 30, 2026, Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 9.5
- Oct. 1, 2026, Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 10.4
- On-Demand Content, General Session: 1.2
This program has been approved by The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion for a maximum of 41.5 CEUs. Perfusionists should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
STS urges all participants to be aware of their own state board or certifying agency continuing education and/or certification requirements, particularly in regard to the length of time a certificate must be kept by the learner.
Help/Questions
For help obtaining your continuing education credit, please contact Corexcel:
201 Webster Building, 3411 Silverside Rd., Wilmington, DE 19810
Corexcel.com
Email: learn@corexcel.com
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET
