Surgery News - April 2008 - (Page 7)

APRIL 2008 • SURGERY NEWS 7 THE THE E Surgeons in Boston Area Take Skills Test For Laparoscopic Surgery Privileges BY JANE ANDERSON 20/20 / 0/20 V SION O SIO SION IO Else vier Global Medical Ne ws I n a move that sponsors believe is the first of its kind in the United States, attending general surgeons at several Boston-area hospitals will be required to prove basic motor skills outside an operating room before obtaining laparoscopic surgery privileges. And as an incentive toward completion of the Fundamentals in Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exam, CRICO/RMF, the Harvard medical community’s professional liability insurer, is providing a one-time $500 patient safety incentive to general surgeons who pass the exam. They will also receive continuing medical education credits through the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. But “it’s not about the money,” said Dr. Daniel Jones, an ACS Fellow and chief of minimally invasive surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “It’s about sending the signal that the bar has been raised.” The new requirement—which is going into effect at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, and Massachusetts General Hospital, all in Boston— could portend adoption of the FLS standards in many hospitals, said Dr. Steven Schwaitzberg, an ACS Fellow who is chief of surgery at the Cambridge Health Alliance. The FLS program is a joint educational offering of the ACS and SAGES. The test is a two-part, proctored 75-question multiple choice exam administered by computer, plus an evaluation of skills based on speed and accuracy of the surgeon’s maneuvers using the FLS Laparoscopic Trainer Box. Surgeons perform five non–procedure-specific simulation exercises incorporating most of the psychomotor skills necessary for basic laparoscopic surgery. They are tested on proficiency at suturing, cutting in a circle, and moving objects from one location to another. Beth Israel Deaconess was the first U.S. hospital to require general surgeons performing laparoscopic surgery to pass the FLS exam, said Dr. Jones. The hospital started requiring residents to prove competency in laparoscopy about 10 years ago, he explained in an interview. “Finally, we said, ‘Why should we hold trainees to a higher level than surgeons in practice? Would you let a truck driver drive after only a written exam?’ ” Surgeons may take the test without taking the course first. “I did that,” Dr. Jones said. “But it’s a real test, and it’s better to study and practice first. It’s nothing less than a patient would expect their surgeon to do effortlessly.” In the Boston area, professional liability insurer CRICO/RMF sponsored the FLS course in January, and about 60 people signed up, said Dr. Schwaitzberg. Beth Israel Deaconess and Cambridge Health Alliance have already adopted the FLS exam as a requirement for laparoscopic privileges, and Massachusetts General Hospital will do so in the near future, said Dr. David Rattner, chief of the division of general and gastrointestinal surgery at Massachusetts General. Dr. Jones said he expects the FLS to become the minimal standard for all surgeons offering basic laparoscopy. Dr. Schwaitzberg agreed, likening the FLS to the Advanced Trauma Life Support curriculum. The FLS indicates a move toward more testing of skills and competency in surgery in general, he said. http://www.surgitel.com http://www.surgitel.com

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Surgery News - April 2008 Contents Comorbidities Sway Bariatric Outcomes Database Finds Gap in Dissection For Melanoma Future Surgeon Shortage Predicted Dexterity Demo Best for Bile? Health Policy Scan Plan

Surgery News - April 2008

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