STATE | Plastic surgeons come together through State Partnership Program
In January of 2016, ASPS launched the State Partnership Program (SPP), which seeks to support local, state and regional plastic surgery societies through administrative and advocacy services. The program has many platforms, but its success to date has been driven by frequent communication among stakeholders. As part of the dedicated communication plan for the SPP, there are two conference calls each year that bring together ASPS and local, state and regional plastic surgery society physician leaders.
The second SPP Physician Leadership Call of 2017 was conducted in July. During the call, plastic surgeons who have taken lead roles in their state society's advocacy shared their experience on key issues facing the specialty. Scot Glasberg, MD, and Thomas Sterry, MD, of the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons detailed their years-long battle against unfavorable medical liability and date of discovery rules in New York. Michael S. Hanemann, Jr, MD of the Louisiana Society of Plastic Surgeons shared LSPS's experience working to maintain truth in advertising standards before the Louisiana medical board and state legislature. Steve Bernard, MD, of the Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons explained how coalition-building led to a successful effort to stop a sales tax on cosmetic medical procedures in Ohio.
The next SPP Physician Leadership Call will occur in January and will focus on strategic priorities for the 2018 state legislative sessions.