September | October 2010 www.aSge.org
VOL. 17, NO. 5
An Official Publication of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
ASGE quality
initiatives in the
6;ask the expert: Variceal bleeding
era of healthcare reform
24 Research grant spotlight:
Dr. al-Haddad
25;Recipients of aSge grant for
Barrett’s announced: Drs. Sharma
and Shaheen
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
This law establishes comprehensive healthcare reform that aims to ensure accountability, cost
effectiveness and accessibility to quality health care for all Americans. Throughout the healthcare
debate, quality of care was a key component and is now a major element of the enacted legislation.
28;Still need CMe credit before the
end of the year?
35;2010 Cook Medical Don Wilson
recipient: Dr. Marson
aSge planning ahead
The new quality provisions enacted were not a surprise to ASGE. For over a decade, the society
has been laying a foundation to ensure that it has a role in determining what quality improvement
means for endoscopy. In 1999, ASGE, along with its sister societies, the American College of
Gastroenterology (ACG) and American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), released guidelines
to standardize quality improvement programs in endoscopic practice and care. The guidelines
established endoscopic procedure reports, maintenance of records and a procedure review process.
36;Dues notices sent in October
See;Inside;this;issue;on;pg.;2
for;a;detailed;list;of;contents.
In 2004, ASGE developed the Quality Assurance in Endoscopy Taskforce to address these issues.
In 2009, the taskforce become an official ASGE committee. “Providing the best possible patient
care while continuously improving patient outcomes is one of our foremost priorities,” said Bret T.
Petersen, MD, FASGE, chair of ASGE’s Quality Assurance in Endoscopy Committee.
Over the next five years, the government is expected to implement several quality provisions that
it believes will improve quality and safety for all Americans, while decreasing the cost of care.
continued on page 9
President’s message
M. Brian Fennerty, MD, FASGE
2010-2011 ASGE President
Colon Cancer:
Preventable. Treatable. Beatable.
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Recently, I received a number of letters questioning ASGE’s position on the universal use
of anesthesia providers for routine endoscopic procedures in low-risk patients. One letter
in particular was accompanied by a member resignation over this issue, and, frankly, it
bothered me.
What has ASGE done for me lately?
Made possible, in part, through the
ASGE Foundation.
I am greatly distressed when a member feels that ASGE is not supportive of his or her
practice, and I am saddened by that member’s perspective of our organization. As I have
thought about that letter, a number of other issues have also come into focus: 1) ASGE is
composed of many different constituencies, 2) it is unlikely that every position ASGE takes
will be unilaterally embraced either professionally or from a business perspective by every
one of its members and 3) most importantly, one issue should never define ASGE.
