Annual meeting underscores commitment to DEI

By Beth Bales

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) HAVE been a focus for the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and continue to grow in importance. VAM organizers are committed to making sessions and content more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

“This year we are striving to make this the most diverse, equitable and inclusive VAM ever,” said Andres Schanzer, MD, Program Committee chair. “We are distributing DEI-focused science and educational presentations throughout the entire program, all day, every day.”

DEI Committee members will serve as discussants. Schanzer and DEI Committee leaders Vincent Rowe, MD, (chair) and Rana Afifi, MD, (vice chair),highlighted the sessions as well as the specific discussants who will review the DEI aspects of the presentation. Several educational sessions also will include DEI topics and themes.

As of May 2, the scientific and educational sessions are:

◆ Plenary 1 (William J. von Liebig Forum), 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday; “Comparative analysis of reinterventions after lower-extremity revascularization between the sexes” (Discussant: Kwame Amankwah, MD)

◆ International Young Surgeons Competition, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday; “What Specific Factors Has the Medicaid Expansion Influenced or Affected Regarding the Management and Surgical Outcomes of Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease?”

◆ Plenary 3, 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday (two abstracts); “Black patients have worse outcomes after lower-extremity revascularization: A propensity-matched analysis of comorbidities and socioeconomic factors” (Discussant: Olamide Alabi, MD) and “Socioeconomic status not associated with worse outcomes after open lower-extremity revascularization” (Discussant: Carla Moreira, MD)

◆ International Forum Scientific Session, 7:15 to 8:00 a.m. Friday, “Carotid endarterectomy performed in asymptomatic females is not associated with increased perioperative and long-term complication rates in comparison with males”