SVM Newsletter

Octobert 2009

In this issue...

• 21st Annual Meeting & 6th Annual Board Review Course
  
• What You Think
• SVM Issues Statement on Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment
• SVM's Vascular and Endovascular Review
  
• Submit Your Most Interesting Cases to SVM’s Interactive Case Studies
• Expanding coverage for PAD
• SVM's Job Bank
• 2009 Vascular Imaging Symposium
• Vascular Medicine Journal
  

Support the SVM Annual Meeting

SVM offers several ways for your company or organization to show its support for the goals of SVM and vascular medicine.  Supporters are recognized in the final program, signs at the meeting, and on the SVM Web site and in the newsletter.

Reach the country’s leading researchers, physicians and technologists in vascular medicine. Demonstrate your dedication to the learning and information sharing that is the hallmark of the vascular health progress and the research that makes it possible.

The complete support and exhibitor prospectus will be sent shortly and will be posted on the SVM Web site.  But here’s a sneak peak at some of the available packages:

Gala Reception -- $10,000
Join your colleagues and friends at the SVM Annual Meeting’s premier networking event. The gala is open to all attendees of the scientific sessions, workshops and board review course. Supply logo-imprinted napkins or a giveaway (at supporter’s expense) for additional impact!

AV Package -- $5,000
Your logo on welcome slides before and between sessions will reach an attentive audience!

Cases Over Cocktail Reception -- $3,000
Gain exposure by supporting this popular annual SVM event! Meeting attendees gather to discuss “Best Vascular Cases.” Showing your support for SVM at this well-attended event is a bargain!

Young Investigator Award Poster Session -- $1,000
You’ll be acknowledged in the final program and throughout the meeting when you support this important SVM event!

Coffee Breaks --$1,000 each
You have eight chances to show your support for SVM with the morning and afternoon coffee breaks. 

General Support
Gain exposure to this international and influential audience with your general support of the SVM Annual Meeting. Let SVM determine how best to use your support dollars to enhance the events and education for attendees. Contact info@vascularmed.org to design your ideal support package.

Dinner Symposium, April 28, 2010
The SVM Dinner Symposium is a chance for representatives from the vascular industry to host a scientific dinner program preceding the start of the SVM Annual Meeting. This event is sponsored entirely by the supporting companies.

For each $10,000 unrestricted educational grant to the SVM Annual Meeting, the supporting organization will receive a one-hour presentation during the dinner symposium (including 15 minutes for audience questions), acknowledgement in the final program, the SVM Web site and newsletter, two complimentary annual meeting registrations, and much more. Four slots are available. Contact info@vascularmed.org for details and to arrange your symposium.

Symposium Application Deadline: November 18, 2009

Exhibit Hall
Reinforce your company’s position or introduce your presence in the marketplace in the SVM Exhibit Hall. For $1,000, your organization can have a 10’ x 10’ booth in the SVM Exhibit Hall. Contact info@vascularmed.org for details or watch the SVM Web site.

Call for Abstracts

Abstract Submission Opens November 10
Make plans now to submit an abstract for the 2010 SVM Annual Meeting.

Young Investigators: Learn more about the Jay D. Coffman Young Investigator (YI) Award. First place prize: $1,500; second place receives $750; and third place receives $250.

What You Think

In August, SVM surveyed members on society benefits, the annual meeting and related ideas, as well as the journal, Web site and the future of SVM.

Here's a quick synopsis of the results:

Member Benefits
Respondents believed that being a part of SVM was helpful in their profession, lending credibility from the patient’s point of view and helping in professional opportunities.

• 25% of respondents felt the scientific sessions are “extremely valuable.”
• Other benefits were rated “valuable” by up to 50% of respondents.
•  Highest rated member benefits were annual scientific sessions, opportunities for networking and the Vascular Medicine journal.

Meetings

• 72% of the respondents attend SVM annual meetings.
• 63% also attend the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting
• 50% attend the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
• In response to whether or not they would attend a joint meeting between SVM and another society, 50% noted it would depend on the organization.

Vascular Medicine

• 67% said they read the journal to discover best practices.
• Aspects of the journal that most interested respondents included the reviews and images.
• 53% indicated they would take advantage of CMEs offered in conjunction with the journal articles.

Web Site

• About half visit the SVM Web site monthly, but would increase their visits if patient information was offered.
• 65% of the respondents report that the information on the SVM Web site is up-to-date, of good quality and easy to find.

Future of SVM
Responses to the question of concerns for the future of SVM were most revealing, but not surprising. Answers revolved around

• Reimbursement and the state of healthcare
• Recognition of the field of vascular medicine both as a subspecialty and in maintaining its identity
• How SVM can enjoy growth while helping the profession maintain its relevance

SVM Issues Statement on Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment

The Society for Vascular Medicine has sent a letter to the "Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee" (MEDCAC) Medicare panel. The panel solicits testimony on various Medicare coverage issues. On November 18, the panel will meet to hear public comments on Lymphedema diagnosis and treatment.

In response, SVM's Advocacy Committee drafted a letter, which was approved by the SVM Board of Directors. This is a significant step for SVM, which in the past signed on to other organization's letters in these case. Dr. Stephen Dean will be attending the Nov. 18 meeting and will represent SVM there.

These meetings typically occur when Medicare is considering revising their coverage policies and therefore, it is critical that knowledgeable informed clinicians provide the necessary information for Medicare. Absent good information, access to lymphedema care will be at significant risk.

Read the Letter.

Earn CME Anytime, Anywhere

The Society for Vascular Medicine’s
Online Vascular and Endovascular Review 

Earn up to 19.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ with SVM’s online Vascular and Endovascular Review. Purchase all 30 lectures or just the ones you want.

Each lecture includes:

• Online Presentation with slides and audio
• Downloadable PowerPoint Slides™
• Online quiz  (After finishing the quiz, print your certificate of completion.)

Details.

The SVM Vascular and Endovascular Review course is affordable:

SVM Members: Pay Only: $25 per lecture; $625 for the entire program

$35 per lecture; $695 for the entire program

Not an SVM Member? Click here to join today.

Submit Your Most Interesting Interactive Case Studies

Since SVM launched its new Web site in October 2007, the Interactive Case Study has grown in popularity each month. Now SVM seeks submissions of case studies for this popular feature.

Each case that is accepted is published on the home page of the SVM Web site and then archived in the Case Study archive for at least one year. Share your expertise and submit your most interesting cases.

Download the Submission Instructions. Contact SVM Web Site Editor David Slovut with questions.

Sponsor the Interactive Case Study

Sponsor the SVM Interactive Case Study and reach an elite audience of vascular physicians, clinicians and others with an interest in vascular medicine. Learn more about this affordable new way to support SVM and its mission of education.

Support Increased Access to Evidence-based Health Care for Individuals with P.A.D. SVM encourages all members to sign the P.A.D. Coalition's Stop P.A.D. petition.The Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.) Coalition has launched a petition drive at padcoalition.org to urge President Obama and Congress to increase access to evidence-based health care for individuals with P.A.D. Sign the petition or learn more.

SVM Job Bank

Looking for a new job? Visit the SVM Job Bank to view positions currently available in vascular medicine. New jobs are posted throughout the month. Sign up for Job Alerts and be informed automatically as relevant positions are advertised. Or post your resume for prospective employers to browse.

Employers, SVM’s Job Bank is an easy-to-use, online posting service that allows you to set up and manage all of your job postings. Click here for more information.

2009 Vascular Imaging Symposium

Presented by the American Society of Echocardiography with an educational partnership with the Society for Vascular Medicine

ASE wants to thank the program chairs: Dr. Emile Mohler III and Dr. Jeffrey Olin; the program faculty: Dr. Robert Eberhardt, Dr. Marie Gerhard-Herman, Dr. Heather Gornik, Dr. Douglas Jacoby; and the hands-on sonographers: Kathleen Garcia, Susan Gustavson, and Nicole Wake for all their hard work and dedication in making the course educational and informative to the attendees.

Vascular Medicine Journal News

Vascular Medicine 2008 Impact Factor increases to 1.736 Vascular Medicine has increased its Impact Factor for the 3rd consecutive year to 1.736. An increase of more than 45% compared with last year. Download these featured articles online now

All SVM members, as part of their membership, have access to Vascular Medicine which publishes the latest research in vascular biology integrated with the practice of vascular medicine and vascular surgery. Click on each title to download the full text article immediately.

Recent articles include:

Peripheral arterial disease and cognitive function
Snorri B Rafnsson, Ian J Deary, and FGR Fowkes

Digital thermal monitoring of vascular function: a novel tool to improve cardiovascular risk assessment
Khawar M Gul, Naser Ahmadi, Zhiying Wang, Craig Jamieson, Khurram Nasir, Ralph Metcalfe, Harvey S Hecht, Craig J Hartley, and Morteza Naghavi

Cell therapies for therapeutic angiogenesis: back to the bench
Daniel P Sieveking and Martin KC Ng

Physical activity during daily life and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in peripheral arterial disease 
Laila Payvandi, Alan Dyer, David McPherson, Philip Ades, James Stein, Kiang Liu, Luigi Ferrucci, Michael H Criqui, Jack M Guralnik, Donald Lloyd-Jones, Melina R Kibbe, Susan T Liang, Bonnie Kane, William H Pearce, Michael Verta, Walter J McCarthy, Joseph R Schneider, Adhir Shroff, Mary M McDermott

Efficacy of arm-ergometry versus treadmill exercise training to improve walking distance in patients with claudication
Diane Treat-Jacobson, Ulf G Bronas, and Arthur S Leon

An unequal social distribution of peripheral arterial disease and the possible explanations: results from a population-based study
Knut Kroger, Nico Dragano, Andreas Stang, Susanne Moebus, Stefan Mohlenkamp, Klaus Mann, Johannes Siegrist, Karl-Heinz Jockel, and Raimund Erbel on behalf of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study Investigator Group

Forthcoming articles include:

Effectiveness of Foam Sclerotherapy for Treatment of Varicose Veins
Raha Nael, Suman Rathbun

Chronic Exposure to Nicotine Impairs Cholinergic Angiogenesis
Hakuoh Konishi MD PhD, Jenny Wu PhD, John P. Cooke MD PhD

The Efficacy and Safety of Enhanced External Counterpulsation in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Bhavik V. Thakkar, Alan T. Hirsch, Daniel Satran, Bradley A. Bart, Gregory Barsness, Peter A. McCullough, Elizabeth D. Kennard, Sheryl F. Kelsey, Timothy D. Henry

Treatment of Renal Artery In-stent Restenosis with Sirolimus-Eluting Stents
Thomas J Kiernan, Bryan P Yan, Jonathan D Eisenberg, Nicholas J Ruggiero, Vishal Gupta, Douglas Drachman, Robert M Schainfeld, Michael R Jaff, Kenneth Rosenfield, Joseph Garasic

The Effect of Claudication Pain on Temporal and Spatial Gait Measures During Self-paced Ambulation
Andrew W. Gardner, Polly S. Montgomery, Raphael M. Ritti-Dias, Larry Forrester

Attitudes and Behavior of Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients Toward Influencing Their Physician's Prescription of Cholesterol-Lowering Medication
Mary M. McDermott, Kathleen M. Mazor, George Reed, Sherry Pagoto, Rex Graff, Philip Merriam, Melina Kibbe, Philip Greenland, Judy Ockene, Barbara Olendzki, Huimin Tao, Ira Ockene

Visit http://www.vascularmed.org/members/scriptcontent/journal.cfm or click here and login with your member username and password to access all journal content online.

Publish in Vascular Medicine and benefit from:

Quality and speed peer-review -- Vascular Medicine is the official peer-reviewed journal of the SVM. ISI-ranked, Vascular Medicine is the international journal of vascular medicine comprising original research articles and reviews on vascular biology, epidemiology, diagnosis, medical treatment and interventions for vascular disease. For more information or to submit your manuscript online click here.

Fully Indexed and Ranked - Vascular Medicine is fully indexed and ranked in the Peripheral Vascular Disease category of the Thomson Reuters (formerly ISI) Journal Citation Reports®.