ABVS Report From Frank J Veith, MD to SVS Board of Directors

From: Frank J. Veith, MD American Board of Vascular Surgery
To: SVS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ABVS REPORT TO SVS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JUNE 2004

The ABVS Board of Directors, which represents all vascular societies and other organizations in North America, was pleased by the strong supportive votes of the SVS Board of Directors and the membership of the APDVS at their April 2004 meetings. We also expressed our support of the SVS/ABS initiative for a Primary Certificate in Vascular Surgery. Most ABVS Directors believe that this Primary Certificate should be viewed as a way station to an independent Board and that it provides clear support that Vascular Surgery is a separate distinct specialty that warrants an independent Board.

The ABVS has therefore reactivated its appeal of the December 2002 denial of its application to the ABMS for an independent Board. This appeal will be presented some time this year to' an Ad Hoc Committee which will make its recommendations back to the Liaison Committee for Medical Specialties or LCSB which was the group originally denying the application.

We have also written to the American Board of Surgery asking them to reconsider their opposition to an independent ABVS and to support our effort. The ABS Board of Directors will. consider this request later this month, and we would ask any of you who are ABS Directors or know Directors to support our request to the ABS. Overcoming ABS opposition would certainly help the ABVS' effort and would help to unify the House of Surgery.

Finally, the ABVS is in the process of polling all North American Vascular Surgeons about their current. attitudes regarding our pursuit of an ABMS approved independent Board and about the role of the primary certificate initiative. Even though. pursuit of an independent Board was widely supported by Vascular Surgeons a few years ago, we believe this needs to be reconfirmed in view of recent events. Moreover, a new poll was requested and partly funded ($5,000) by the Society of Clinical. Vascular Surgery. We also believe a new poll will be helpful in our appeal process to the ABMS.

The ABVS greatly appreciates the support of the SVS.

Respectfully submitted,

Frank J. Veith, MD

 

 

From: Frank J. Veith, MD American Board of Vascular Surgery
To: Frank R. Lewis, MD American Board of Surgery