STATE | ASPS Brings State Plastic Surgery Leaders Together to Work to Defend the Specialty

The ASPS State Partnership Program provides local, state and regional plastic surgery societies with increased advocacy support so that they can better serve the needs of their members. In addition to the ASPS State Advocacy Grant Program, ASPS has created a forum where local, state and regional plastic surgery society physician leadership and staff can discuss emerging legislative issues that impact plastic surgeons across all 50 states.

In July, 39 physicians and society staff from 21 states joined the second Biannual Physician Leadership Call. During this meeting, Carmen Kavali, MD detailed the Georgia Society of Plastic Surgeon's recent success in passing truth in advertising legislation after several legislative sessions where the bill saw little progress. Michael Hanemann, MD presented on what to expect after the state legislature passed truth in advertising legislation, detailing for his colleagues the Louisiana Society of Plastic Surgeons' experiences with the American Board of Cosmetic Surgeon's efforts to gain board equivalency in advertising through the state's medical board. The New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons highlighted their recent success in stopping legislation that would extend the date of discovery for medical liability cases, and James Chappell, MD of the Maryland Society of Plastic Surgeons conducted a discussion on various avenues to ensure that cosmetic procedures are performed by qualified surgeons in safe settings.

These physician leaders from the Georgia Society of Plastic Surgeons, Louisiana Society of Plastic Surgeons, New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons and Maryland Society of Plastic Surgeons articulated the strategies and resources they used in defending plastic surgeons at their state capitols, and leaders from organizations across the country enriched the conversation by sharing their own insights, expertise, and analysis of additional key questions. This call was particularly effective because of this physician leader-to-physician leader engagement, and it set the stage for the next biannual call in January, 2017. ASPS is proud to offer this forum to the plastic surgery leaders in each state so that we can all work together to advance, protect and defend the future of plastic surgery.

ASPS State Advocacy Grants & the ASPS State Partnership Program