STS News - Spring 2020

On Tuesday, March 31, STS President Joseph A. Dearani, MD, delivered a message about the COVID-19 crisis and answered five important questions about how the Society is supporting members during this pandemic.

Several important Bylaws changes were approved and STS officers and directors were elected or reelected during the Annual Membership (Business) Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Find the latest updates on STS member job changes, including for Drs. Carl Backer, Kristine Guleserian, Africa Wallace, Jay Bhama, M. Blair Marshall, Yaron Perry, Brandon Tieu, Marc Sakwa, Joseph McGinn, Timothy Mullett, Jeffrey Altshuler, and Roosevelt Bryant.

One of the things that makes STS so unique and so great is that it is a member-centric, patient-centric Society. I cannot overemphasize this point enough. There are many great things that STS does for members and our patients. During my term as President, I want to make sure that we share more about all of the important things we are doing.

Tackling the growing problem of burnout among cardiothoracic surgeons will require efforts by both health care organizations and individuals to reduce stigma and develop resilience in the face of a challenging workplace environment.

Read about a new resource utilization prediction tool for cardiac surgery, a recent strategic planning retreat, surgeon-specific outcomes reporting, video roundtables and podcast episodes, and more.

Participants in the Adult Cardiac Surgery Database and General Thoracic Surgery Database now have access to the new, interactive dashboards and other features that are part of the phase 1 STS National Database rollout.

Acquiring a unique combination of skills and finding a niche are becoming increasingly important in the rigorous and competitive environment of cardiothoracic surgery, where success often is defined by expertise. With specialist skills—commonly called “the new currency”—surgeons experience greater career satisfaction and, most importantly, are able to better care for patients.

The Society is working closely with federal legislators, regulatory agencies, and grassroots advocates on a number of issues that impact cardiothoracic surgeons and their patients. These efforts include ensuring access to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during the coronavirus pandemic, reducing tobacco use, and reversing cuts to Medicare reimbursement for the specialty.

Sustaining the future of cardiothoracic surgery will require effective and collaborative leadership, as well as a positive outlook, to prevail over difficulties facing the specialty. “Our profession has been and will continue to be challenged by an extraordinary number of issues,” said Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MSHA, in his Presidential Address, “On Life, Leadership, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”