Sean C. Grondin, MD, MPH, FRCSC
STS News, Spring 2021 — A hearty congratulations to the Annual Meeting Program Task Force and the STS staff for delivering an exceptional 2021 annual meeting. As well, I want to give a special thank you to Dr. Dearani for his tremendous leadership over the past year.
Becoming STS President is an incredible honor and a major highlight of my professional career. Being the first Canadian general thoracic surgeon to assume the role is a further privilege for which I am grateful. I am very much looking forward to working with STS surgeon leaders, our membership, and the highly capable team of hardworking and supportive STS staff as we represent and advocate for our members and patients around the world.
As your STS President for the coming year, I am committed to undertaking new endeavors as well as continuing to advance several important initiatives that have been championed by my predecessors. Below I have highlighted just a few of the many important activities that I hope to focus on over the next year as we all continue to manage the challenges arising from the pandemic.
Completing the Successful STS National Database Transition
In our pursuit to transition the 8 million records in the STS National Database to a first-of-its-kind, interactive, real-time, cloud-based system for all participants, STS Database leaders and staff have made tremendous progress while navigating the many challenges that come with an endeavor of this size and complexity. I want to acknowledge and apologize for any frustration some may have experienced as we have worked through transition issues. Rest assured, the STS team continues to work diligently with our IQVIA partners to ensure that our Database remains the gold standard of clinical registries.
For those who want a glimpse of the new innovative functionality of the Database, see page 7 and follow the link to a short video that describes the recently released Adult Cardiac Surgery Database Longitudinal Outcomes Dashboard.
Maintaining Strong Advocacy Efforts
STS has benefitted from strong representation in Washington, DC, working to promote and support advocacy efforts on behalf of cardiothoracic patients and surgeons. Our Workforce on Health Policy, Reform, and Advocacy and our Washington staff remain very active in lobbying elected officials to ensure awareness of key issues affecting our specialty (see page 18).
In the recent past, these efforts have contributed to Medicare coverage of low-dose CT screening for lung cancer, reversing damaging ECMO reimbursement cuts, and protecting children and adults from the harmful effects of tobacco, including limits on vaping flavors and raising the smoking age. 2020 also saw the first increase in Medicare-funded graduate medical education residency positions in 25 years, and the Society’s support of research funding continues to pay off, especially in relation to projects under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Additionally, during this past year, STS helped form the Surgical Care Coalition to lobby against significant proposed cuts to surgeon Medicare reimbursement. Fortunately, in December 2020, this group’s efforts were successful in reversing, at least temporarily, those proposed cuts. With your support, we will work to ensure continued advocacy in this area, as well as other areas that impact cardiothoracic surgeons and our patients.
Implementing Strategic Plan Initiatives
In June 2020, the STS Board approved a new strategic plan that set our organization on the right track to advance the cardiothoracic specialty for all members, no matter their geography, discipline, or practice setting. Although some of our actions related to the strategic planning had to be put on hold temporarily due to the pandemic, STS leadership and management have reestablished the implementation process with a focus on key areas identified in the plan such as member engagement, virtual education, diversity, and advocacy. Stay tuned for further communications updating you on STS initiatives that are focused on improving the lives of patients with cardiothoracic diseases.
Building on Existing Educational Offerings and Opportunities
Because of previous STS investment in educational infrastructure, the Society was able to quickly expand its online educational offerings during the pandemic, providing meaningful and targeted information to audiences globally. These offerings included webinars and podcasts, as well as virtual meetings. To continue making progress and leading in the area of cardiothoracic surgery education, the Society has launched its new Learning Center through which users can access interactive CME-accredited educational programs and material 24/7. As well, the Society recently completed the online Pearson’s textbook (part of the STS Cardiothoracic Surgery E-Book), which serves as a great resource for trainees and staff alike. In 2021, STS leadership will be reviewing and refining the Society’s educational programs and resources, and we will continue to actively develop educational offerings with partner societies/associations, especially as they relate to the pandemic.
Advancing DEI Efforts
Although STS has made significant steps in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, we continue to explore additional opportunities for improvement, including examining our membership and leadership data and selection processes. We will explore making changes that help our leadership team better reflect the world we live in and the members we represent.
“I am proud to see STS expand its leadership in physician wellness by creating a new Task Force on Wellness led by Dr. Mike Maddaus.”
Advancing Leadership Development and Physician Wellness Programs
I am excited to build on previous leadership development efforts by Dr. Bob Higgins and the Workforce on Career Development, as he and I co-chair the new STS Leadership Series Task Force. In 2021, I look forward to working with engaged task force members to develop our leadership webinar series culminating in a capstone event at the 2022 Annual Meeting in Miami Beach (see page 10).
I am proud to see STS expand its leadership in physician wellness by creating a new Task Force on Wellness led by Dr. Mike Maddaus. This task force is charged with developing resources that will support STS members especially as we face increased personal and professional stresses that have been exacerbated by the pandemic (see page 11).
I thank you for your trust in me and I look forward with excitement and enthusiasm to the year ahead as your 57th STS President. If at any time you have questions, concerns, or just want to provide feedback on an issue, please reach out to me (sgrondin@sts.org).