Surgeons Unite on Capitol Hill
Sponsoring Organizations of JSAC 2011 Included: American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics, American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Breast Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Society for Vascular Surgeons, Society of Gynecological Oncologists, The American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, and The Society of Thoracic SurgeonsBold denotes JSAC 2011 planning committee members. The Fourth Annual Joint Surgical Advocacy Conference (JSAC) was held Sunday, March 27, through Tuesday, March 29, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, in Washington, DC. JSAC activities kicked off Sunday with an exclusive AAO-HNS members-only legislative briefing followed by a networking reception, to officially open the conference and welcome attendees. More than 240 surgeons from 17 surgical societies and the AAO-HNS attended the three-day conference. The AAO-HNS was well-represented by 69 otolaryngologists, making ENT physicians the second largest group for the fourth year in a row. The conference programming began Monday, March 28, with a CME course on Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Concurrently, an “Advocacy 101” session was held for residents, young surgeons, and first-time attendees. During that session, Judy Schneider, with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, discussed the basics of how Congress operates, and surgical society staff provided tips for meetings with Members of Congress. Advocacy programming continued through the day with a legislative briefing on key issues by surgical society staff, followed by a networking lunch. A new addition to the conference was a Capitol Hill role-playing exercise during the Advanced Advocacy training. The session featured former Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, and was moderated by media expert, Patricia Clark. An AAO-HNS member participated in each of the four mock Congressional meetings during the role-playing exercises. The Advanced Advocacy training session also included a new “Advocacy Beyond the Beltway” component presented by Jane C.K. Fitch, MD, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Governmental Affairs Committee chair. Dr. Fitch provided attendees with advice and information about how to build relationships with elected officials in their respective states. Attendees also heard from several of the “New Physicians in Congress,” including Reps. Dan Benishek, MD, of Michigan, Larry Bucshon, MD, of Indiana, and Andy Harris, MD, of Maryland. Monday evening concluded with the Surgical Society Political Action Committee Fundraiser. Onsite contributors to ENT PAC, the Academy’s political action committee, were invited to attend a fundraising reception held in the Rotunda Room of the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Attendees networked with their surgical peers while enjoying live entertainment from a jazz quartet. ENT PAC donors of $1,000 or more were also invited to a VIP reception in the presidential suite of the J.W. Marriott Hotel with special guest Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Thanks to the generosity of our members, ENT PAC surpassed its fundraising goal and raised more than $22,000 in donations during JSAC. The conference culminated with a full day of meetings with Members of Congress and/or their staff. Sixty-two ENT physicians traveled to Capitol Hill and joined their surgical colleagues to meet with more than 90 Congressional offices representing 30 states and the District of Columbia. Physicians spoke to legislators and staff regarding several issues of importance to the surgical community including, Medicare physician payment reform, repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, medical liability reform, and healthcare truth-in-advertising legislation. A debriefing room on Capitol Hill gave attendees the opportunity to provide feedback to surgical society staff on their meetings before they left Washington, DC. The Academy’s Government Affairs team appreciates the AAO-HNS members who took time out of their demanding schedules to attend JSAC 2011. This year, JSAC attendees will be noted during the 2011 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO with badge ribbons to recognize their leadership on behalf of the specialty. For more information on JSAC, please visit www.entnet.org/jsac.
Sponsoring Organizations of JSAC 2011 Included: American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics, American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Breast Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Society for Vascular Surgeons, Society of Gynecological Oncologists, The American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, and The Society of Thoracic SurgeonsBold denotes JSAC 2011 planning committee members. |
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The Fourth Annual Joint Surgical Advocacy Conference (JSAC) was held Sunday, March 27, through Tuesday, March 29, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, in Washington, DC. JSAC activities kicked off Sunday with an exclusive AAO-HNS members-only legislative briefing followed by a networking reception, to officially open the conference and welcome attendees. More than 240 surgeons from 17 surgical societies and the AAO-HNS attended the three-day conference. The AAO-HNS was well-represented by 69 otolaryngologists, making ENT physicians the second largest group for the fourth year in a row.
The conference programming began Monday, March 28, with a CME course on Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Concurrently, an “Advocacy 101” session was held for residents, young surgeons, and first-time attendees. During that session, Judy Schneider, with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, discussed the basics of how Congress operates, and surgical society staff provided tips for meetings with Members of Congress. Advocacy programming continued through the day with a legislative briefing on key issues by surgical society staff, followed by a networking lunch.
A new addition to the conference was a Capitol Hill role-playing exercise during the Advanced Advocacy training. The session featured former Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, and was moderated by media expert, Patricia Clark. An AAO-HNS member participated in each of the four mock Congressional meetings during the role-playing exercises. The Advanced Advocacy training session also included a new “Advocacy Beyond the Beltway” component presented by Jane C.K. Fitch, MD, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Governmental Affairs Committee chair. Dr. Fitch provided attendees with advice and information about how to build relationships with elected officials in their respective states. Attendees also heard from several of the “New Physicians in Congress,” including Reps. Dan Benishek, MD, of Michigan, Larry Bucshon, MD, of Indiana, and Andy Harris, MD, of Maryland.
Monday evening concluded with the Surgical Society Political Action Committee Fundraiser. Onsite contributors to ENT PAC, the Academy’s political action committee, were invited to attend a fundraising reception held in the Rotunda Room of the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Attendees networked with their surgical peers while enjoying live entertainment from a jazz quartet. ENT PAC donors of $1,000 or more were also invited to a VIP reception in the presidential suite of the J.W. Marriott Hotel with special guest Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Thanks to the generosity of our members, ENT PAC surpassed its fundraising goal and raised more than $22,000 in donations during JSAC.
The conference culminated with a full day of meetings with Members of Congress and/or their staff. Sixty-two ENT physicians traveled to Capitol Hill and joined their surgical colleagues to meet with more than 90 Congressional offices representing 30 states and the District of Columbia. Physicians spoke to legislators and staff regarding several issues of importance to the surgical community including, Medicare physician payment reform, repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, medical liability reform, and healthcare truth-in-advertising legislation. A debriefing room on Capitol Hill gave attendees the opportunity to provide feedback to surgical society staff on their meetings before they left Washington, DC.
The Academy’s Government Affairs team appreciates the AAO-HNS members who took time out of their demanding schedules to attend JSAC 2011. This year, JSAC attendees will be noted during the 2011 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO with badge ribbons to recognize their leadership on behalf of the specialty. For more information on JSAC, please visit www.entnet.org/jsac.