As we look back at the first half of 2025, I want to take this opportunity to recognize the steady progress The Society of Thoracic Surgeons continues to make in its mission to advance cardiothoracic surgery through innovation, quality improvement, and practical tools that support our day-to-day practice. Several major initiatives currently underway reflect our collective commitment to better data, better science, and ultimately better patient care.
Risk Calculators: Modernized and Mobilized
The STS Risk Calculators have long been trusted resources for our specialty. This year, the Society introduced a new mobile app version of the calculators, delivering the same reliability and precision we’ve come to expect, now with improved speed, user experience, and accessibility at the point of care.
Whether you’re in the OR, the ICU, or consulting with patients and families, the new app allows for seamless integration into clinical decision-making. We’ve made it easier than ever to access the most up-to-date short-term risk models, and development is already underway to enhance the platform even further in the months ahead.
Building the Future of Longitudinal Outcomes
One of the most exciting projects is the development of new long-term pulmonary and esophagectomy risk models. These models, the result of years of rigorous analysis and collaborative efforts, represent a pivotal shift in how we assess outcomes over time, not just within the 30-day postoperative period, but longitudinally.
We anticipate incorporating these long-term models into the STS Risk Calculator by early 2026. These tools will allow us to answer patient questions about longevity and set clear expectations, compare outcomes across institutions to identify opportunities for quality improvement, and more effectively tailor postoperative care plans.
Composite Measure Enhancements
Finally, I want to highlight important progress on our Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) quality metrics. Earlier this year, STS released the first multiprocedural composite results as part of the 2025 Harvest 1 reports. This new measure enhances our existing portfolio by capturing a more comprehensive picture of performance across the full spectrum of adult cardiac procedures.
Included in this multiprocedural composite are isolated CABG, isolated AVR, isolated MV replacement, isolated MV repair, AVR+CABG, MV replacement+CABG, MV repair+CABG, multivalve procedures, and multivalve+CABG. We expect to incorporate this new composite into STS public reporting in 2026.
Each of these tools, our upgraded mobile risk calculator, long-term risk models, and expanded composite quality measures, represents meaningful progress in how we deliver care, evaluate outcomes, and lead the field.
As always, I welcome your feedback, your ideas, and your participation in this work. Together, we continue to advance the science, education, and quality improvement efforts.