ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Join us for the premier event in surgical quality improvement, bringing together healthcare professionals dedicated to advancing patient safety and outcomes across all surgical specialties!

Explore the full schedule below, from hands-on preconference workshops to inspiring general sessions, specialized breakouts, and cutting-edge abstract presentations.
Click on the boxes below to navigate your way through the program agenda.
Tracks Legend
Program Tracks:
ADU: NSQIP Adult
CAN: Cancer Programs
CS: Children’s Surgery Verification and NSQIP Pediatric
EGS-VP: Emergency General Surgery Verification Program
GS: Geriatric Surgery Verification
MB: Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program
SS: Surgical Spectrum
V-VP: Vascular Verification Program
Breakout Content Tracks:
AR: Abstracts & Research
AV: Accreditation & Verification
DATA: Data Insights
HOT: Hot Topics
QIPS: Quality Improvement & Patient Safety
ACT: Quality Improvement in Action
TEAM: Team-Based Competencies
Schedule at a Glance
1
Thursday, July 30: Preconference Workshops
  • QI Essentials (select from AM or PM Session)
  • Wake Up Safe QI and Safety Workshop – Advancing Quality and Safety
  • The Future of Age-Friendly Care: Driving Value Through AI & Innovation
  • Microsoft Excel Basics*
  • Elevating Your Data Skills*
  • Advanced Excel for QI: Build your Own Dashboard*
*Attendance is limited and will be first come first serve
2
Friday, July 31: Full Conference
  • General Session 1 - Welcome to the 2026 ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
  • General Session 2 - From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
  • Breakout Sessions 1-25
  • General Session 3 - 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
  • General Session 4 - Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
  • General Session 5 - An Escape Experience
  • Welcome Reception
3
Saturday, August 1
  • General Session 6 - The Gift of Getting it Wrong
  • Breakout Sessions 26-50
  • Networking Lunch
  • General Session 7-2026 QSCC Keynote 2
  • General Session 8 - Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
  • Abstract Sessions 1-13
  • Abstract Poster and Exhibiting Reception
4
Sunday, August 2
  • Abstract Sessions 14-26
  • General Session 9 - What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
  • General Session 10 - Closing Remarks

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Preconference Workshops Browse by Day: Friday, July 31 Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Browse by Content Track Browse by Program Track Track Legend

Preconference Workshops
Thursday, July 30

Click the toggles at the left-hand side to expand the session title and read the description.
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Wake Up Safe QI and Safety Workshop - Advancing Quality and Safety
Session ID: ADV
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: PRE
This interactive, multi-part workshop provides a comprehensive overview of modern patient safety frameworks, human factors science, and systems-based approaches to safer care. Through expert-led case examples, practical exercises, and advanced analytic tools, attendees will explore risk-based thinking and causation analysis, including the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) and Causal Analysis based on System Theory (CAST). This session is designed for quality and safety professionals seeking a deeper understanding of systems thinking in patient safety.
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
The Future of Age-Friendly Care: Driving Value Through AI & Innovation
Session ID: AFHM
Program Track: ADU, GSV
Join us for this year's dynamic preconference session focused on advancing Age-Friendly care through technological innovations, the utilization of artificial intelligence in the clinical setting, and practical implementation strategies. The session will open with an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Age-Friendly Hospital Measure presented by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, offering critical insight into regulatory alignment and national priorities shaping health care delivery. Through a blend of expert-led presentations, interactive breakout discussions, and actionable implementation tools, participants will explore how technology and artificial intelligence can enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency for older adult surgical care. The session will examine the significance of the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure and its implications for health systems, while outlining strategies to align Age-Friendly initiatives with organizational priorities, quality metrics, and financial sustainability. Participants will also gain clarity on the business case for engaging in Geriatric Surgery Verification programs and enrolling to drive measurable, system-wide impact. Designed to move beyond theory into practical application, this session equips attendees with the insight and strategies needed to lead meaningful change in surgical care for older adults.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build Your Own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Browse by Day: Friday, July 31 Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Schedule at a Glance Browse by Content Track Browse by Program Track

Full Conference
Friday, July 31st

Click the toggles at the left-hand side to expand the session title and read the description.
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Breakout Sessions 1–12
BO01: Quality Improvement in Action: From Review to Resolution: Practical Tools for Streamlined Case Review and Accountability, by Elliot Hospital
Session ID: BO01
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Elliot Hospital's development of a unified case review system that identifies opportunities for improvement in surgical care while ensuring accountability for follow-through. By integrating event reporting, action item tracking, and loop-closure processes, the hospital established a reliable pathway from case review to corrective action, contributing to its designation as a QVP Comprehensive Hospital. Participants will learn practical strategies for translating case review findings into sustained, measurable improvement.
BO02: Quality Improvement in Action: Advancing Post-Bariatric Care to Reduce Preventable Emergency Department Visits at Geisinger Health System
Session ID: BO02
Program Track: MB
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This roundtable spotlights how the Geisinger Health System tackled a critical gap in post-bariatric surgery care, specifically preventable emergency room (ER) visits. Through a targeted quality-improvement initiative focused on patient education, care coordination, and early intervention, the team achieved a significant reduction in ER utilization while improving the patient experience. Panelists will share practical strategies, data-driven insights, and lessons learned that can be applied across health systems. Please join our conversation to learn how alignment from the C-suite to the bedside can enable the redesign of post-surgical care and drive better outcomes after bariatric surgery.
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO05: EG$ Economics
Session ID: BO05
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores the financial dimensions of Emergency General Surgery (EGS), focusing on strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and measurable value. Attendees will review recent EGS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) findings, examine efficiency-centered quality initiatives, and analyze data-driven approaches to understanding the true cost of EGS care. Participants will leave with practical tools to communicate program impact, support resource allocation, and strengthen long-term sustainability.
BO06: How Vascular Excellence Shapes the Hospital's Bottom Line
Session ID: BO06
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
In this session, attendees will examine how participation in the Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP) strengthens both quality of care and financial performance. Through proven strategies and real-world examples, speakers will demonstrate how verification translates into measurable economic value for vascular programs. Participants will leave with practical insights to align verification efforts with both clinical and operational goals.
BO07: Technology Innovations in the Care of Older Surgical Adults
Session ID: BO07
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: DATA
As technology evolves, so does its potential to improve the perioperative experience for older adults. This panel brings together clinical leaders and technology innovators to discuss how monitoring tools, digital platforms, and coordinated virtual support can optimize outcomes, improve safety, and enhance quality of life for older surgical patients. Attendees will gain insight into practical applications, implementation considerations, and emerging models of care.
BO08: Supporting Surgical Team Members in Rural Areas Through Remote Mentorship and Skill Development
Session ID: BO08
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Workforce shortages continue to affect healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities with limited access to surgical care. This session examines strategies to support surgical team members pursuing rural practice, with a focus on mentorship, technical skill development, case selection, and systems-based efficiency. Attendees will explore models for local and remote mentorship and learn from real-world pitfalls and best practices. Participants, especially early career surgical team members, will leave with actionable strategies to build a resilient, effective, and sustainable rural practice.
BO09: Excelling in Quality and Safety: A Primer for Physician Leaders
Session ID: BO09
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
This session presents diverse perspectives on the physician leadership journey in quality and safety, spanning early- to mid-career stages. Through insights from physicians and healthcare leaders who partner closely with them, attendees will explore pathways to leadership, common challenges, and strategies for growth. Participants will leave with practical considerations for advancing their role in quality and safety initiatives. This session is intended for physicians and healthcare leaders interested in leadership development.
BO10: Hot Topics in Cancer QI: Collaborations
Session ID: BO10
Program Track: CAN, GSV, MB
Content Track: HOT
This session examines how collaboration across quality programs strengthens surgical standards and improves patient outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into partnerships among Cancer Programs, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSQIP), the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program, and the American Cancer Society, and how these collaborations advance accreditation, data-driven improvement, and comprehensive care.
BO11: Cancer Accreditation Standards Update: What's New in CoC, NAPBC, and NAPRC
Session ID: BO11
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This session reviews updates to standards within the Commission on Cancer (CoC), the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). Attendees will gain clarity on recent changes, implementation expectations, and implications for accredited programs. Participants will leave prepared to align their processes and documentation with updated requirements.
BO12: Cancer Leaders Roundtable
Session ID: BO12
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This roundtable brings together cancer program leaders to discuss emerging priorities, operational challenges, and opportunities for collaboration across cancer quality initiatives. Participants will gain perspective on leadership strategies, shared learning, and the evolving landscape of cancer program excellence.
11:15 AM - 12:45 PM Lunch
Attendees will have the opportunity to take a break from learning and enjoy lunch and network.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Breakout Sessions 13–25
BO13: Quality Improvement in Action: Scaling EGS: Turning Verification and Data into System-Wide Impact at Atrium Health
Session ID: BO13
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session showcases how Atrium Health has implemented Emergency General Surgery (EGS) as a coordinated service across a multihospital health system, leveraging the ACS EGS Verification Program and the NSQIP EGS Registry. Speakers will describe their experiences engaging surgeons and care teams across diverse hospital settings, using NSQIP EGS data to identify variation in outcomes and prioritize improvement efforts, and developing standardized EGS pathways to promote consistent, high-quality care. Practical lessons will be shared on fostering collaboration, translating data into action, and sustaining system-wide EGS quality improvement.BO13:
BO14: Quality Improvement in Action: Making the 4Ms Work For Us, by Northwell
Session ID: BO14
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session will highlight Northwell Health's implementation of the 4Ms, a core framework of age-friendly care developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The 4Ms framework ensures that care for older adults is aligned, evidence-based, and focused on what matters most. The 4Ms include What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility, and provide a practical approach for integrating patient-centered, team-based care into everyday clinical practice.
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO17: Evolving Excellence - What's New in the Quality Verification Program
Session ID: BO17
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
The ACS Quality Verification Program (QVP) continues to evolve, strengthening its framework and expanding its global reach. This session highlights recent program enhancements, perspectives on international participation, and emerging data insights generated through QVP engagement. Attendees will gain a forward-looking understanding of how QVP supports hospitals worldwide in advancing quality, safety, and performance improvement. This session may be of interest for leaders engaged in or considering participation in QVP.
BO18: Moving Beyond the Checkbox: Leveraging Policy to Make Meaningful Change for Patients
Session ID: BO18
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
Health systems face a complex network of regulatory requirements related to quality and safety. This session reviews select current requirements and explores how they can be leveraged to drive meaningful improvements in patient care. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn how clinicians can align regulatory expectations with practical quality initiatives. Participants will leave with strategies to turn compliance obligations into opportunities for measurable improvement.
BO19: How Vascular-VP Helps You Hardwire and Demonstrate Your Vascular Centers' Success
Session ID: BO19
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
This session highlights actionable strategies from Vascular Verification Program (VVP) verified hospitals that successfully secured institutional resources, embedded sustainable quality processes, and demonstrated the impact of verification. Through specific examples, attendees will learn how to translate verification efforts into organizational support and measurable results. Participants will leave with practical approaches to strengthen their own vascular programs. This session may be of interest for leaders involved in vascular quality and verification initiatives.
BO20: Applying Practice Guidelines and Evolving Evidence: Recent Perioperative Guidelines and GLP-1 Considerations for Surgical Teams
Session ID: BO20
Program Track: MB, SS
Content Track: HOT
This panel examines key recommendations from recent American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines on anesthesia care for older adults and regional analgesia for acute postoperative pain, and their implications for patient safety and surgical outcomes. Speakers will also discuss emerging evidence on GLP-1 inhibitors and its influence on perioperative decision-making. Attendees will gain practical insights to support interdisciplinary collaboration in developing local policies aligned with current evidence. This session may be of interest for surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and perioperative leaders.
BO21: Communicating the Advantages and Benefits of the Programs
Session ID: BO21
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This session demonstrates how participating NSQIP Pediatric and CSV hospitals articulate the value of program involvement to inform funding decisions. Attendees will learn practical approaches to communicating outcomes, impact, and return on investment to institutional leaders. Participants will leave with actionable strategies they can adapt to strengthen financial and organizational support at their own institutions. This session may be of interest for leaders responsible for sustaining pediatric quality programs.
BO22: Optimizing Preference Cards for the Planet and Profit: Reducing Waste, Improving Care, and Lowering Costs
Session ID: BO22
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
This session will explore how optimizing surgical preference cards reduces waste, improves operating room efficiency, and lowers healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. Attendees will learn practical strategies to review and standardize preference cards, engage multidisciplinary teams and industry consultants, and align supplies with actual procedural needs to support both sustainability and cost-effective surgical care.
BO23: Small Projects, Big Impact: Driving Change through Local QI Projects
Session ID: BO23
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
In this session, three accredited programs will present their quality improvement initiatives from initial concept through implementation and results. Speakers will share practical strategies for dissemination, publication, and presenting their work to broader audiences. Attendees will gain insight into structuring improvement efforts for impact and sustainability. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to elevate and share their quality improvement achievements.
BO24: Preparing for Success: Expert Insights from CoC, NAPBC & NAPRC Site Reviewers
Session ID: BO24
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
Preparing for a site visit requires careful planning and attention to detail. In this session, Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Site Reviewers will share common pitfalls and practical strategies to help programs prepare effectively. Attendees will gain clarity on expectations and actionable steps to strengthen readiness for their next review. This session may be of interest for teams responsible for accreditation preparation and compliance.
BO25: Improving Cancer Care in Rural Communities
Session ID: BO25
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: HOT
Cancer care delivery in rural settings presents unique challenges and opportunities for both patients and providers. This session explores innovative approaches to delivering high-quality cancer care in rural communities and examines the impact on patients and staff. Attendees will also receive an in-depth review of the new Commission on Cancer (CoC) rural accreditation category. Participants will leave with practical insights to support high-quality, accessible cancer care in rural environments.
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Reception
Join colleagues to kick off the 2026 ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference at 'Live! At Pointe Orlando,' an energetic, multi-venue destination in the heart of Orlando's entertainment district and conveniently walkable from the conference hotel. Attendees will explore a dynamic space featuring a variety of unique venues all under one roof, each offering its own atmosphere, from lively music and entertainment to relaxed lounge settings ideal for meaningful conversation. Food and drinks will be available as attendees reconnect with colleagues, meet new peers across programs, and begin building collaborations that will carry through the conference.
Whether attendees are looking to network, unwind, or simply share in the excitement of being together, the Welcome Reception will bring participants together for an evening of connection, discovery, and fun.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Preconference Workshops Schedule At A Glance

Saturday, August 1

Click the toggles at the left-hand side to expand the session title and read the tracks and description.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Breakout Sessions 26–37
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO27: Quality Improvement in Action: One Goal, Many Settings: Advancing Quality Across a Diverse Cancer Network, by University of Maryland Cancer Network
Session ID: BO27
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session highlights how the University of Maryland Cancer Network aligns academic, rural, and community cancer programs around a unified, system-wide quality improvement goal. Attendees will learn how cross-setting collaboration, shared data, and coordinated leadership drive measurable improvements across diverse practice environments. Participants will leave with practical strategies for building alignment and sustaining performance across multiple sites. This session may be of interest for leaders managing multi-site cancer programs.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO31: Leading Quality Through EGS: An Open Forum Discussion for EGS Program Leaders
Session ID: BO31
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: AV
This interactive roundtable offers Emergency General Surgery (EGS) professionals an open forum to discuss current challenges and practical solutions. Program leaders will share strategies for applying for verification, organizing program resources, leveraging verification reports to advocate for institutional support, and meeting standards such as Patient Advocacy and Education. Through peer discussion and shared experience, attendees will gain actionable ideas and a clearer roadmap for strengthening their EGS programs. This session may be of interest for leaders overseeing EGS program development and verification efforts.
BO32: Where QI Dreams Come True: A Bariatric Fireside Chat
Session ID: BO32
Program Track: MB
Content Track: QIPS
This session brings together bariatric QI experts for a laid-back conversation about current trends, challenges, and emerging strategies in the field. Speakers will share wins, challenges, and fresh ideas for boosting outcomes, no roller-coaster ride or statistics required. Bring questions and curiosity for this upbeat, engaging chat that will leave participants inspired to level-up their programs.
BO33: Finding Solutions to Challenging Problems in Children's Surgery
Session ID: BO33
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This expert-led group discussion focuses on emerging trends and recurring challenges related to standards. Participants will leave with clearer insight into evolving expectations and approaches to strengthening compliance and performance. This session is intended for professionals responsible for standards implementation and oversight.
BO34: Value through Accreditation: Examples from Cancer Programs
Session ID: BO34
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
In this session, speakers will share real-world examples of both the tangible and intangible benefits of meeting accreditation requirements. Through these stories, attendees will gain insight into the broader value of accreditation and the impact of effectively communicating that value to stakeholders. Participants will leave with practical approaches to demonstrating impact and securing institutional support.
BO35: Improving Patient Care Through NCDB
Session ID: BO35
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: DATA
The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is home to a library of reports and tools to support data-driven decision-making. This session examines how measures are constructed, interpreted, stored, and leveraged to impact cancer care delivery.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
BO37: Improving Surgical Cancer Care for Older Adults
Session ID: BO37
Program Track: CAN, GSV
Content Track: TEAM
Older adults with cancer face many complex challenges, and surgical decisions must balance survival with quality of life, independence, and patient satisfaction. This session provides an overview of these considerations and insight on how to leverage existing multidisciplinary care efforts to increase awareness for safe, effective cancer treatments available for older surgical adults.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM General Session 7: 2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Networking Lunch
The networking lunch is designed to foster meaningful connections and shared learning. Designated seating areas will be identified to help attendees connect with others from similar programs or with aligned interests. Each table will feature discussion prompts to help spark conversation and encourage the exchange of ideas. Take this opportunity to expand your network, share experiences, and engage with peers in a more informal setting.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Breakout Sessions 38–50
BO38: Quality Improvement in Action: A Practical Approach to Getting the Most Out of ACS Quality Programs, by Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Session ID: BO38
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
Hospitals participating in the NSQIP Pediatric and the Children's Surgery Verification (CSV) Program collect extensive clinical data yet translating that data into sustained improvement requires intentional strategy. This session examines how to leverage ACS Quality Programs data including NSQIP Pediatric, CSV standards, and process measures to strengthen surgical quality infrastructure and demonstrate measurable outcome improvements.
BO39: Reimagining the Surgical Workforce: AI, Autonomy, Locum Tenens, and a Calling to Serve
Session ID: BO39
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Surgical team members are increasingly seeking new ways to regain control of their professional lives while maintaining high-quality patient care. This session examines how locum tenens models, telepresence-enabled coverage, and AI-driven decision support may relieve workforce strain and enhance autonomy. Speakers will highlight use cases across practice settings, barriers to adoption, and implications for quality and safety. Special emphasis also will be on the current sentiment from many team members that healthcare is now a job, rather than a calling. The session will explore this emotion and its evolution further in the hopes to reignite the passion that we all (should) feel and the gratification that hopefully comes with what we do every day. The discussion also will help attendees consider how these tools can support long-term career satisfaction and organizational resilience.
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO41: NSQIP EGS Data Demystified: Practical Tools for Success
Session ID: BO41
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: DATA
This interactive session demonstrates how to turn ACS Emergency General Surgery (EGS) NSQIP data into a powerful tool for improving care and efficiency. Speakers will review smart sampling strategies to focus on high-impact diagnoses, demonstrate how to interpret the EGS Summary Report for timely insights, and provide guidance on using the Site Assessment Report (SAR) to drive meaningful improvement. Attendees of all skill levels will leave with practical tools and increased confidence in applying data.
BO42: Integrating Quality, Accreditation, and Multidisciplinary Care for Breast Cancer
Session ID: BO42
Program Track: ADU, CAN
Content Track: TEAM
This Rapid Insights breakout session examines how comprehensive breast cancer care depends on coordinated collaboration across surgical, oncologic, and reconstructive specialties. Faculty will highlight how the Cancer Accreditation Program and ACS Quality Programs support all teams in delivering patient-centered, outcomes-driven care. New data comparing breast reconstruction outcomes at accredited versus non-accredited sites will be presented, demonstrating how adherence to established cancer standards and quality infrastructure is associated with improved perioperative outcomes. Framed through the patient journey, from diagnosis and shared decision-making through treatment and reconstruction, the session will illustrate how multidisciplinary coordination and accreditation standards translate into measurable improvements in clinical outcomes and overall care quality, including insights from a patient speaker who will share firsthand experiences and bring a quality improvement perspective to the discussion.
BO43: Insights & Impact: Tangible Takeaways from the Field
Session ID: BO43
Program Track: MB
Content Track: AV
This discussion-based session brings together Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Site Reviewer Surgeons and Bariatric Data Abstractors (MBSCRs) for expert-led discussion. Participants will reflect on successes, address challenges, and examine the real-world impact of quality improvement initiatives. Through guided discussion, attendees will share strategies, compare experiences, and identify opportunities to enhance outcomes. This session is designed to foster continuous learning and strengthen quality improvement efforts across bariatric programs.
BO44: Using the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and ACS Quality Data to Drive Resident-Led Improvement
Session ID: BO44
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This interactive session introduces the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and demonstrates how residents can leverage ACS Quality Program data to meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements, strengthen patient safety efforts, and enhance clinical training. Through case discussions and practical examples, attendees will explore how QITI insights can support resident-led quality improvement (QI) projects and help overcome common implementation barriers. Surgeons and program directors will also gain practical strategies to integrate QITI into teaching, mentorship, and structured QI curricula—fostering a culture of continuous improvement within training programs. This session is designed for residents, program directors, surgeons, and others involved in resident education and quality improvement.
BO45: Emergency General Surgery in Older Adults: The Cost and Outcomes of Unrecognized Knowledge Gaps
Session ID: BO45
Program Track: EGS-VP, GSV
Content Track: QIPS
There are several key concepts in the care of geriatric emergency general surgery patients that can influence care and outcomes—some not as intuitive as others. This panel explores the impact of frailty, nutrition, delirium, mobility, and social determinants of health on outcomes in geriatric emergency general surgery patients. Attendees will gain practical insight into incorporating these concepts into clinical decision-making and care planning.
BO46: Optimizing Patients, Maximizing Value: Smarter Preoperative Processes That Improve Outcomes and Cut Costs
Session ID: BO46
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
Preoperative optimization represents a high-value opportunity to improve surgical outcomes. In this session, speakers from leading institutions will present models for risk stratification, screening, and geriatric optimization that enhance patient outcomes while reducing delays and costs. Attendees will gain practical frameworks and implementation strategies to integrate optimization into surgical workflows. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to strengthen perioperative care for higher-risk patients.
BO47: Making Quality the Business Case: Perioperative Nursing Leadership, Measurement, and Responsible AI
Session ID: BO47
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This facilitated, executive-level discussion examines leadership and value-focused perspectives on quality and the use of artificial intelligence in the perioperative setting, including within quality programs. Attendees will explore governance, accountability, risk management, and the role of nurse leaders in ensuring safe, ethical, and effective AI adoption. Through select scenarios, participants will translate strategic principles into informed, organization-level decisions.
BO48: Cancer QI Office Hours LIVE!
Session ID: BO48
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
This small-group discussion provides attendees the opportunity to troubleshoot a current QI initiative or plan a future project. Attendees will receive real-time feedback from QI experts and peers while refining goals, methods, and implementation strategies. Participants will leave with clearer next steps and practical guidance to strengthen their QI projects.
BO49: Ask the Experts: Cancer Accreditation Site Visit Q & A
Session ID: BO49
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This interactive question-and-answer session brings together Site Reviewers from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) to support site visit preparation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, and address common challenges encountered during reviews. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen readiness and confidence ahead of their next site visit.
BO50: Patient-Centered Outcomes in Cancer Care
Session ID: BO50
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
Putting the patient and their goals first is an important pillar of patient-centered care. This session explores strategies for collecting and using patient-reported outcomes, along with practical prompts to strengthen meaningful communication with patients. Attendees will have the chance to share their thoughts and engage in interactive discussion with peers from across the country.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Abstract Poster & Exhibiting Reception
Join us for an engaging evening that brings together innovation, collaboration, and connection. The Abstract Reception and Exhibits Networking Reception offers attendees the opportunity to explore cutting-edge research, connect directly with abstract presenters, and exchange ideas with peers across the surgical quality community. At the same time, exhibitors will showcase the latest products, services, and solutions shaping the future of healthcare. This dynamic, combined event is designed to spark conversation, inspire new thinking, and foster meaningful professional connections.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Browse by Day: Friday, July 31 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Preconference Workshops Schedule At A Glance

Sunday, August 2nd

Click the toggles at the left-hand side to expand the session title and read the description.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Break
Attendees may use this scheduled break to transition between sessions and prepare for the upcoming programming. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to network with others, view abstract posters, and engage with exhibitors.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Preconference Workshops Browse by Day: Friday, August 31 Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Content Track Browse by Program Track Track Legend Schedule at a Glance

Browse by Content Track
Abstracts & Research (AR)
August 1
4:30PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1 - 13
Session ID: AB01 - AB13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14 - 26
Session ID: AB14 - AB26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
Accreditation & Verification (AV)
July 31
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
BO06: How Vascular Excellence Shapes the Hospital's Bottom Line
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
In this session, attendees will examine how participation in the Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP) strengthens both quality of care and financial performance. Through proven strategies and real-world examples, speakers will demonstrate how verification translates into measurable economic value for vascular programs. Participants will leave with practical insights to align verification efforts with both clinical and operational go
BO11: Cancer Accreditation Standards Update: What's New in CoC, NAPBC, and NAPRC
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This session reviews updates to standards within the Commission on Cancer (CoC), the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). Attendees will gain clarity on recent changes, implementation expectations, and implications for accredited programs. Participants will leave prepared to align their processes and documentation with updated requirements.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO17: Evolving Excellence - What's New in the Quality Verification Program
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
The ACS Quality Verification Program (QVP) continues to evolve, strengthening its framework and expanding its global reach. This session highlights recent program enhancements, perspectives on international participation, and emerging data insights generated through QVP engagement. Attendees will gain a forward-looking understanding of how QVP supports hospitals worldwide in advancing quality, safety, and performance improvement. This session may be of interest for leaders engaged in or considering participation in QVP.
BO19 How Vascular-VP Helps You Hardwire and Demonstrate Your Vascular Centers' Success
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
This session highlights actionable strategies from Vascular Verification Program (VVP) verified hospitals that successfully secured institutional resources, embedded sustainable quality processes, and demonstrated the impact of verification. Through specific examples, attendees will learn how to translate verification efforts into organizational support and measurable results. Participants will leave with practical approaches to strengthen their own vascular programs. This session may be of interest for leaders involved in vascular quality and verification initiatives.
BO21 Communicating the Advantages and Benefits of the Programs
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This session demonstrates how participating NSQIP Pediatric and CSV hospitals articulate the value of program involvement to inform funding decisions. Attendees will learn practical approaches to communicating outcomes, impact, and return on investment to institutional leaders. Participants will leave with actionable strategies they can adapt to strengthen financial and organizational support at their own institutions. This session may be of interest for leaders responsible for sustaining pediatric quality programs.
BO24 Preparing for Success: Expert Insights from CoC, NAPBC & NAPRC Site Reviewers
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
Preparing for a site visit requires careful planning and attention to detail. In this session, Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Site Reviewers will share common pitfalls and practical strategies to help programs prepare effectively. Attendees will gain clarity on expectations and actionable steps to strengthen readiness for their next review. This session may be of interest for teams responsible for accreditation preparation and compliance.
August 1
9:30AM - 10:30 AM
BO30 Turning Protocols Into Practice
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO31 Leading Quality Through EGS: An Open Forum Discussion for EGS Program Leaders
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: AV
This interactive roundtable offers Emergency General Surgery (EGS) professionals an open forum to discuss current challenges and practical solutions. Program leaders will share strategies for applying for verification, organizing program resources, leveraging verification reports to advocate for institutional support, and meeting standards such as Patient Advocacy and Education. Through peer discussion and shared experience, attendees will gain actionable ideas and a clearer roadmap for strengthening their EGS programs. This session may be of interest for leaders overseeing EGS program development and verification efforts.
BO33 Finding Solutions to Challenging Problems in Children's Surgery
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This expert-led group discussion focuses on emerging trends and recurring challenges related to standards. Participants will leave with clearer insight into evolving expectations and approaches to strengthening compliance and performance. This session is intended for professionals responsible for standards implementation and oversight.
BO34 Value through Accreditation: Examples from Cancer Programs
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
In this session, speakers will share real-world examples of both the tangible and intangible benefits of meeting accreditation requirements. Through these stories, attendees will gain insight into the broader value of accreditation and the impact of effectively communicating that value to stakeholders. Participants will leave with practical approaches to demonstrating impact and securing institutional support.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO43 Insights & Impact: Tangible Takeaways from the Field
Program Track: MB
Content Track: AV
This discussion-based session brings together Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Site Reviewer Surgeons and Bariatric Data Abstractors (MBSCRs) for expert-led discussion. Participants will reflect on successes, address challenges, and examine the real-world impact of quality improvement initiatives. Through guided discussion, attendees will share strategies, compare experiences, and identify opportunities to enhance outcomes. This session is designed to foster continuous learning and strengthen quality improvement efforts across bariatric programs.
BO46 Optimizing Patients, Maximizing Value: Smarter Preoperative Processes That Improve Outcomes and Cut Costs
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
Preoperative optimization represents a high-value opportunity to improve surgical outcomes. In this session, speakers from leading institutions will present models for risk stratification, screening, and geriatric optimization that enhance patient outcomes while reducing delays and costs. Attendees will gain practical frameworks and implementation strategies to integrate optimization into surgical workflows. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to strengthen perioperative care for higher-risk patients.
BO49 Ask the Experts: Cancer Accreditation Site Visit Q & A
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This interactive question-and-answer session brings together Site Reviewers from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) to support site visit preparation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, and address common challenges encountered during reviews. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen readiness and confidence ahead of their next site visit.
Data Insights (DATA)
July 31
10:30 AM- 11:30 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO07: Technology Innovations in the Care of Older Surgical Adults
Session ID: BO07
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: DATA
As technology evolves, so does its potential to improve the perioperative experience for older adults. This panel brings together clinical leaders and technology innovators to discuss how monitoring tools, digital platforms, and coordinated virtual support can optimize outcomes, improve safety, and enhance quality of life for older surgical patients. Attendees will gain insight into practical applications, implementation considerations, and emerging models of care.
2:15 PM- 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
August 1
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO35: Improving Patient Care Through NCDB
Session ID: BO35
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: DATA
The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is home to a library of reports and tools to support data-driven decision-making. This session examines how measures are constructed, interpreted, stored, and leveraged to impact cancer care delivery.
1:30 PM- 2:30 PM
BO41: NSQIP EGS Data Demystified: Practical Tools for Success
Session ID: BO41
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: DATA
This interactive session demonstrates how to turn ACS Emergency General Surgery (EGS) NSQIP data into a powerful tool for improving care and efficiency. Speakers will review smart sampling strategies to focus on high-impact diagnoses, demonstrate how to interpret the EGS Summary Report for timely insights, and provide guidance on using the Site Assessment Report (SAR) to drive meaningful improvement. Attendees of all skill levels will leave with practical tools and increased confidence in applying data.
General Sessions (GEN)
July 31
8:00 AM- 8:45 AM
GS01: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM- 9:45 AM
GS02: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
12:45 PM- 1:45 PM
GS03: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
3:45 PM- 4:45 PM
GS04: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM- 5:45 PM
GS05: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
GS06: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
11:00 AM- 12:00 PM
GS07: 2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
GS08: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
August 2
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
GS09: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM- 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Hot Topics (HOT)
July 31
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO10: Hot Topics in Cancer QI: Collaborations
Session ID: BO10
Program Track: CAN, GSV, MB
Content Track: HOT
This session examines how collaboration across quality programs strengthens surgical standards and improves patient outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into partnerships among Cancer Programs, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSQIP), the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program, and the American Cancer Society, and how these collaborations advance accreditation, data-driven improvement, and comprehensive care.
2:15 PM- 3:15 PM
BO18: Moving Beyond the Checkbox: Leveraging Policy to Make Meaningful Change for Patients
Session ID: BO18
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
Health systems face a complex network of regulatory requirements related to quality and safety. This session reviews select current requirements and explores how they can be leveraged to drive meaningful improvements in patient care. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn how clinicians can align regulatory expectations with practical quality initiatives. Participants will leave with strategies to turn compliance obligations into opportunities for measurable improvement.
BO20: Applying Practice Guidelines and Evolving Evidence: Recent Perioperative Guidelines and GLP-1 Considerations for Surgical Teams
Session ID: BO20
Program Track: MB, SS
Content Track: HOT
This panel examines key recommendations from recent American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines on anesthesia care for older adults and regional analgesia for acute postoperative pain, and their implications for patient safety and surgical outcomes. Speakers will also discuss emerging evidence on GLP-1 inhibitors and its influence on perioperative decision-making. Attendees will gain practical insights to support interdisciplinary collaboration in developing local policies aligned with current evidence. This session may be of interest for surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and perioperative leaders.
BO22: Optimizing Preference Cards for the Planet and Profit: Reducing Waste, Improving Care, and Lowering Costs
Session ID: BO22
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
This session will explore how optimizing surgical preference cards reduces waste, improves operating room efficiency, and lowers healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. Attendees will learn practical strategies to review and standardize preference cards, engage multidisciplinary teams and industry consultants, and align supplies with actual procedural needs to support both sustainability and cost-effective surgical care.
BO25: Improving Cancer Care in Rural Communities
Session ID: BO25
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: HOT
Cancer care delivery in rural settings presents unique challenges and opportunities for both patients and providers. This session explores innovative approaches to delivering high-quality cancer care in rural communities and examines the impact on patients and staff. Attendees will also receive an in-depth review of the new Commission on Cancer (CoC) rural accreditation category. Participants will leave with practical insights to support high-quality, accessible cancer care in rural environments.
August 1
1:30 PM- 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
Preconference Workshops (PRE)
July 30
8:00 AM-11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Wake Up Safe QI and Safety Workshop - Advancing Quality and Safety
Session ID: ADV
Program Track: CSV
This interactive, multi-part workshop provides a comprehensive overview of modern patient safety frameworks, human factors science, and systems-based approaches to safer care. Through expert-led case examples, practical exercises, and advanced analytic tools, attendees will explore risk-based thinking and causation analysis, including the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) and Causal Analysis based on System Theory (CAST). This session is designed for quality and safety professionals seeking a deeper understanding of systems thinking in patient safety.
1:30 PM- 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the works
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
The Future of Age-Friendly Care: Driving Value Through AI & Innovation
Session ID: AFHM
Program Track: ADU, GSV
Join us for this year's dynamic preconference session focused on advancing Age-Friendly care through technological innovations, the utilization of artificial intelligence in the clinical setting, and practical implementation strategies. The session will open with an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Age-Friendly Hospital Measure presented by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, offering critical insight into regulatory alignment and national priorities shaping health care delivery. Through a blend of expert-led presentations, interactive breakout discussions, and actionable implementation tools, participants will explore how technology and artificial intelligence can enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency for older adult surgical care. The session will examine the significance of the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure and its implications for health systems, while outlining strategies to align Age-Friendly initiatives with organizational priorities, quality metrics, and financial sustainability. Participants will also gain clarity on the business case for engaging in Geriatric Surgery Verification programs and enrolling to drive measurable, system-wide impact. Designed to move beyond theory into practical application, this session equips attendees with the insight and strategies needed to lead meaningful change in surgical care for older adults.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop
Advanced Excel for QI: Build Your Own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
Quality Improvement & Patient Safety (QIPS)
July 31
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO05: EG$ Economics
Session ID: BO05
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores the financial dimensions of Emergency General Surgery (EGS), focusing on strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and measurable value. Attendees will review recent EGS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) findings, examine efficiency-centered quality initiatives, and analyze data-driven approaches to understanding the true cost of EGS care. Participants will leave with practical tools to communicate program impact, support resource allocation, and strengthen long-term sustainability
BO12: Cancer Leaders Roundtable
Session ID: BO12
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This roundtable brings together cancer program leaders to discuss emerging priorities, operational challenges, and opportunities for collaboration across cancer quality initiatives. Participants will gain perspective on leadership strategies, shared learning, and the evolving landscape of cancer program excellence.
2:15 PM- 3:15 PM
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO23: Small Projects, Big Impact: Driving Change through Local QI Projects
Session ID: BO23
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
In this session, three accredited programs will present their quality improvement initiatives from initial concept through implementation and results. Speakers will share practical strategies for dissemination, publication, and presenting their work to broader audiences. Attendees will gain insight into structuring improvement efforts for impact and sustainability. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to elevate and share their quality improvement achievements.
August 1
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO32: Where QI Dreams Come True: A Bariatric Fireside Chat
Session ID: BO32
Program Track: MB
Content Track: QIPS
This session brings together bariatric QI experts for a laid-back conversation about current trends, challenges, and emerging strategies in the field. Speakers will share wins, challenges, and fresh ideas for boosting outcomes, no roller-coaster ride or statistics required. Bring questions and curiosity for this upbeat, engaging chat that will leave participants inspired to level-up their programs.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
1:30 PM- 2:30 PM
BO44: Using the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and ACS Quality Data to Drive Resident-Led Improvement
Session ID: BO44
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This interactive session introduces the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and demonstrates how residents can leverage ACS Quality Program data to meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements, strengthen patient safety efforts, and enhance clinical training. Through case discussions and practical examples, attendees will explore how QITI insights can support resident-led quality improvement (QI) projects and help overcome common implementation barriers. Surgeons and program directors will also gain practical strategies to integrate QITI into teaching, mentorship, and structured QI curricula—fostering a culture of continuous improvement within training programs. This session is designed for residents, program directors, surgeons, and others involved in resident education and quality improvement.
BO45: Emergency General Surgery in Older Adults: The Cost and Outcomes of Unrecognized Knowledge Gaps
Session ID: BO45
Program Track: EGS-VP, GSV
Content Track: QIPS
There are several key concepts in the care of geriatric emergency general surgery patients that can influence care and outcomes—some not as intuitive as others. This panel explores the impact of frailty, nutrition, delirium, mobility, and social determinants of health on outcomes in geriatric emergency general surgery patients. Attendees will gain practical insight into incorporating these concepts into clinical decision-making and care planning.
BO47: Making Quality the Business Case: Perioperative Nursing Leadership, Measurement, and Responsible AI
Session ID: BO47
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This facilitated, executive-level discussion examines leadership and value-focused perspectives on quality and the use of artificial intelligence in the perioperative setting, including within quality programs. Attendees will explore governance, accountability, risk management, and the role of nurse leaders in ensuring safe, ethical, and effective AI adoption. Through select scenarios, participants will translate strategic principles into informed, organization-level decisions.
BO48: Cancer QI Office Hours LIVE!
Session ID: BO48
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
This small-group discussion provides attendees the opportunity to troubleshoot a current QI initiative or plan a future project. Attendees will receive real-time feedback from QI experts and peers while refining goals, methods, and implementation strategies. Participants will leave with clearer next steps and practical guidance to strengthen their QI projects.
BO50: Patient-Centered Outcomes in Cancer Care
Session ID: BO50
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
Putting the patient and their goals first is an important pillar of patient-centered care. This session explores strategies for collecting and using patient-reported outcomes, along with practical prompts to strengthen meaningful communication with patients. Attendees will have the chance to share their thoughts and engage in interactive discussion with peers from across the country.
Quality Improvement in Action (ACT)
July 31
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO01: Quality Improvement in Action: From Review to Resolution: Practical Tools for Streamlined Case Review and Accountability, by Elliot Hospital
Session ID: BO01
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Elliot Hospital's development of a unified case review system that identifies opportunities for improvement in surgical care while ensuring accountability for follow-through. By integrating event reporting, action item tracking, and loop-closure processes, the hospital established a reliable pathway from case review to corrective action, contributing to its designation as a QVP Comprehensive Hospital. Participants will learn practical strategies for translating case review findings into sustained, measurable improvement.
BO02: Quality Improvement in Action: Advancing Post-Bariatric Care to Reduce Preventable Emergency Department Visits at Geisinger Health System
Session ID: BO02
Program Track: MB
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This roundtable spotlights how the Geisinger Health System tackled a critical gap in post-bariatric surgery care, specifically preventable emergency room (ER) visits. Through a targeted quality-improvement initiative focused on patient education, care coordination, and early intervention, the team achieved a significant reduction in ER utilization while improving the patient experience. Panelists will share practical strategies, data-driven insights, and lessons learned that can be applied across health systems. Please join our conversation to learn how alignment from the C-suite to the bedside can enable the redesign of post-surgical care and drive better outcomes after bariatric surgery.
2:15 PM- 3:15 PM
BO13: Quality Improvement in Action: Scaling EGS: Turning Verification and Data into System-Wide Impact at Atrium Health
Session ID: BO13
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session showcases how Atrium Health has implemented Emergency General Surgery (EGS) as a coordinated service across a multihospital health system, leveraging the ACS EGS Verification Program and the NSQIP EGS Registry. Speakers will describe their experiences engaging surgeons and care teams across diverse hospital settings, using NSQIP EGS data to identify variation in outcomes and prioritize improvement efforts, and developing standardized EGS pathways to promote consistent, high-quality care. Practical lessons will be shared on fostering collaboration, translating data into action, and sustaining system-wide EGS quality improvement.
BO14: Quality Improvement in Action: Making the 4Ms Work For Us, by Northwell
Session ID: BO14
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session will highlight Northwell Health's implementation of the 4Ms, a core framework of age-friendly care developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The 4Ms framework ensures that care for older adults is aligned, evidence-based, and focused on what matters most. The 4Ms include What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility, and provide a practical approach for integrating patient-centered, team-based care into everyday clinical practice.
August 1
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO27: Quality Improvement in Action: One Goal, Many Settings: Advancing Quality Across a Diverse Cancer Network, by University of Maryland Cancer Network
Session ID: BO27
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session highlights how the University of Maryland Cancer Network aligns academic, rural, and community cancer programs around a unified, system-wide quality improvement goal. Attendees will learn how cross-setting collaboration, shared data, and coordinated leadership drive measurable improvements across diverse practice environments. Participants will leave with practical strategies for building alignment and sustaining performance across multiple sites. This session may be of interest for leaders managing multi-site cancer programs.
1:30 PM- 2:30PM
BO38: Quality Improvement in Action: A Practical Approach to Getting the Most Out of ACS Quality Programs, by Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Session ID: BO38
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
Hospitals participating in the NSQIP Pediatric and the Children's Surgery Verification (CSV) Program collect extensive clinical data yet translating that data into sustained improvement requires intentional strategy. This session examines how to leverage ACS Quality Programs data including NSQIP Pediatric, CSV standards, and process measures to strengthen surgical quality infrastructure and demonstrate measurable outcome improvements.
Team Based Competencies (TEAM)
July 31
10:15 AM-11:15 AM
BO08: Supporting Surgical Team Members in Rural Areas Through Remote Mentorship and Skill Development
Session ID: BO08
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Workforce shortages continue to affect healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities with limited access to surgical care. This session examines strategies to support surgical team members pursuing rural practice, with a focus on mentorship, technical skill development, case selection, and systems-based efficiency. Attendees will explore models for local and remote mentorship and learn from real-world pitfalls and best practices. Participants, especially early career surgical team members, will leave with actionable strategies to build a resilient, effective, and sustainable rural practic
BO09: Excelling in Quality and Safety: A Primer for Physician Leaders
Session ID: BO09
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
This session presents diverse perspectives on the physician leadership journey in quality and safety, spanning early- to mid-career stages. Through insights from physicians and healthcare leaders who partner closely with them, attendees will explore pathways to leadership, common challenges, and strategies for growth. Participants will leave with practical considerations for advancing their role in quality and safety initiatives. This session is intended for physicians and healthcare leaders interested in leadership development.
August 1
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
BO37: Improving Surgical Cancer Care for Older Adults
Session ID: BO37
Program Track: CAN, GSV
Content Track: TEAM
Older adults with cancer face many complex challenges, and surgical decisions must balance survival with quality of life, independence, and patient satisfaction. This session provides an overview of these considerations and insight on how to leverage existing multidisciplinary care efforts to increase awareness for safe, effective cancer treatments available for older surgical adults.
1:30PM-2:30 PM
BO39: Reimagining the Surgical Workforce: AI, Autonomy, Locum Tenens, and a Calling to Serve
Session ID: BO39
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Surgical team members are increasingly seeking new ways to regain control of their professional lives while maintaining high-quality patient care. This session examines how locum tenens models, telepresence-enabled coverage, and AI-driven decision support may relieve workforce strain and enhance autonomy. Speakers will highlight use cases across practice settings, barriers to adoption, and implications for quality and safety. Special emphasis also will be on the current sentiment from many team members that healthcare is now a job, rather than a calling. The session will explore this emotion and its evolution further in the hopes to reignite the passion that we all (should) feel and the gratification that hopefully comes with what we do every day. The discussion also will help attendees consider how these tools can support long-term career satisfaction and organizational resilience.
BO42: Integrating Quality, Accreditation, and Multidisciplinary Care for Breast Cancer
Session ID: BO42
Program Track: ADU, CAN
Content Track: TEAM
This Rapid Insights breakout session examines how comprehensive breast cancer care depends on coordinated collaboration across surgical, oncologic, and reconstructive specialties. Faculty will highlight how the Cancer Accreditation Program and ACS Quality Programs support all teams in delivering patient-centered, outcomes-driven care. New data comparing breast reconstruction outcomes at accredited versus non-accredited sites will be presented, demonstrating how adherence to established cancer standards and quality infrastructure is associated with improved perioperative outcomes. Framed through the patient journey, from diagnosis and shared decision-making through treatment and reconstruction, the session will illustrate how multidisciplinary coordination and accreditation standards translate into measurable improvements in clinical outcomes and overall care quality, including insights from a patient speaker who will share firsthand experiences and bring a quality improvement perspective to the discussion.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Preconference Workshops Browse by Day: Friday, July 31 Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Browse by Program Track Track Legend Schedule at a Glance

Browse by Program Track

Click the toggles at the left-hand side to expand the session title and read the tracks and description.
Sessions listed in each track are broadly applicable to that category. Attendees are encouraged to go to sessions that fall under another program track to learn from others.
NSQIP Adult (ADU)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
The Future of Age-Friendly Care: Driving Value Through AI & Innovation
Session ID: AFHM
Program Track: ADU, GSV
Content Track: PRE
Join us for this year's dynamic preconference session focused on advancing Age-Friendly care through technological innovations, the utilization of artificial intelligence in the clinical setting, and practical implementation strategies. The session will open with an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Age-Friendly Hospital Measure presented by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, offering critical insight into regulatory alignment and national priorities shaping health care delivery. Through a blend of expert-led presentations, interactive breakout discussions, and actionable implementation tools, participants will explore how technology and artificial intelligence can enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency for older adult surgical care. The session will examine the significance of the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure and its implications for health systems, while outlining strategies to align Age-Friendly initiatives with organizational priorities, quality metrics, and financial sustainability. Participants will also gain clarity on the business case for engaging in Geriatric Surgery Verification programs and enrolling to drive measurable, system-wide impact. Designed to move beyond theory into practical application, this session equips attendees with the insight and strategies needed to lead meaningful change in surgical care for older adults.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO05: EG$ Economics
Session ID: BO05
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores the financial dimensions of Emergency General Surgery (EGS), focusing on strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and measurable value. Attendees will review recent EGS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) findings, examine efficiency-centered quality initiatives, and analyze data-driven approaches to understanding the true cost of EGS care. Participants will leave with practical tools to communicate program impact, support resource allocation, and strengthen long-term sustainability.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO41: NSQIP EGS Data Demystified: Practical Tools for Success
Session ID: BO41
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: DATA
This interactive session demonstrates how to turn ACS Emergency General Surgery (EGS) NSQIP data into a powerful tool for improving care and efficiency. Speakers will review smart sampling strategies to focus on high-impact diagnoses, demonstrate how to interpret the EGS Summary Report for timely insights, and provide guidance on using the Site Assessment Report (SAR) to drive meaningful improvement. Attendees of all skill levels will leave with practical tools and increased confidence in applying data.
BO42: Integrating Quality, Accreditation, and Multidisciplinary Care for Breast Cancer
Session ID: BO42
Program Track: ADU, CAN
Content Track: TEAM
This Rapid Insights breakout session examines how comprehensive breast cancer care depends on coordinated collaboration across surgical, oncologic, and reconstructive specialties. Faculty will highlight how the Cancer Accreditation Program and ACS Quality Programs support all teams in delivering patient-centered, outcomes-driven care. New data comparing breast reconstruction outcomes at accredited versus non-accredited sites will be presented, demonstrating how adherence to established cancer standards and quality infrastructure is associated with improved perioperative outcomes. Framed through the patient journey, from diagnosis and shared decision-making through treatment and reconstruction, the session will illustrate how multidisciplinary coordination and accreditation standards translate into measurable improvements in clinical outcomes and overall care quality, including insights from a patient speaker who will share firsthand experiences and bring a quality improvement perspective to the discussion.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Cancer Quality and Accreditation Programs (CAN)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10: 15 AM - 11: 15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO10: Hot Topics in Cancer QI: Collaborations
Session ID: BO10
Program Track: CAN, GSV, MB
Content Track: HOT
This session examines how collaboration across quality programs strengthens surgical standards and improves patient outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into partnerships among Cancer Programs, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSQIP), the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program, and the American Cancer Society, and how these collaborations advance accreditation, data-driven improvement, and comprehensive care.
BO11: Cancer Accreditation Standards Update: What's New in CoC, NAPBC, and NAPRC
Session ID: BO11
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This session reviews updates to standards within the Commission on Cancer (CoC), the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). Attendees will gain clarity on recent changes, implementation expectations, and implications for accredited programs. Participants will leave prepared to align their processes and documentation with updated requirements.
BO12: Cancer Leaders Roundtable
Session ID: BO12
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This roundtable brings together cancer program leaders to discuss emerging priorities, operational challenges, and opportunities for collaboration across cancer quality initiatives. Participants will gain perspective on leadership strategies, shared learning, and the evolving landscape of cancer program excellence.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO23: Small Projects, Big Impact: Driving Change through Local QI Projects
Session ID: BO23
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
In this session, three accredited programs will present their quality improvement initiatives from initial concept through implementation and results. Speakers will share practical strategies for dissemination, publication, and presenting their work to broader audiences. Attendees will gain insight into structuring improvement efforts for impact and sustainability. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to elevate and share their quality improvement achievements.
BO24: Preparing for Success: Expert Insights from CoC, NAPBC & NAPRC Site Reviewers
Session ID: BO24
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
Preparing for a site visit requires careful planning and attention to detail. In this session, Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Site Reviewers will share common pitfalls and practical strategies to help programs prepare effectively. Attendees will gain clarity on expectations and actionable steps to strengthen readiness for their next review. This session may be of interest for teams responsible for accreditation preparation and compliance.
BO25: Improving Cancer Care in Rural Communities
Session ID: BO25
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: HOT
Cancer care delivery in rural settings presents unique challenges and opportunities for both patients and providers. This session explores innovative approaches to delivering high-quality cancer care in rural communities and examines the impact on patients and staff. Attendees will also receive an in-depth review of the new Commission on Cancer (CoC) rural accreditation category. Participants will leave with practical insights to support high-quality, accessible cancer care in rural environments.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO27: Quality Improvement in Action: One Goal, Many Settings: Advancing Quality Across a Diverse Cancer Network, by University of Maryland Cancer Network
Session ID: BO27
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session highlights how the University of Maryland Cancer Network aligns academic, rural, and community cancer programs around a unified, system-wide quality improvement goal. Attendees will learn how cross-setting collaboration, shared data, and coordinated leadership drive measurable improvements across diverse practice environments. Participants will leave with practical strategies for building alignment and sustaining performance across multiple sites. This session may be of interest for leaders managing multi-site cancer programs.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO34: Value through Accreditation: Examples from Cancer Programs
Session ID: BO34
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
In this session, speakers will share real-world examples of both the tangible and intangible benefits of meeting accreditation requirements. Through these stories, attendees will gain insight into the broader value of accreditation and the impact of effectively communicating that value to stakeholders. Participants will leave with practical approaches to demonstrating impact and securing institutional support.
BO35: Improving Patient Care Through NCDB
Session ID: BO35
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: DATA
The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is home to a library of reports and tools to support data-driven decision-making. This session examines how measures are constructed, interpreted, stored, and leveraged to impact cancer care delivery.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
BO37: Improving Surgical Cancer Care for Older Adults
Session ID: BO37
Program Track: CAN, GSV
Content Track: TEAM
Older adults with cancer face many complex challenges, and surgical decisions must balance survival with quality of life, independence, and patient satisfaction. This session provides an overview of these considerations and insight on how to leverage existing multidisciplinary care efforts to increase awareness for safe, effective cancer treatments available for older surgical adults.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO42: Integrating Quality, Accreditation, and Multidisciplinary Care for Breast Cancer
Session ID: BO42
Program Track: ADU, CAN
Content Track: TEAM
This Rapid Insights breakout session examines how comprehensive breast cancer care depends on coordinated collaboration across surgical, oncologic, and reconstructive specialties. Faculty will highlight how the Cancer Accreditation Program and ACS Quality Programs support all teams in delivering patient-centered, outcomes-driven care. New data comparing breast reconstruction outcomes at accredited versus non-accredited sites will be presented, demonstrating how adherence to established cancer standards and quality infrastructure is associated with improved perioperative outcomes. Framed through the patient journey, from diagnosis and shared decision-making through treatment and reconstruction, the session will illustrate how multidisciplinary coordination and accreditation standards translate into measurable improvements in clinical outcomes and overall care quality, including insights from a patient speaker who will share firsthand experiences and bring a quality improvement perspective to the discussion.
BO48: Cancer QI Office Hours LIVE!
Session ID: BO48
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
This small-group discussion provides attendees the opportunity to troubleshoot a current QI initiative or plan a future project. Attendees will receive real-time feedback from QI experts and peers while refining goals, methods, and implementation strategies. Participants will leave with clearer next steps and practical guidance to strengthen their QI projects.
BO49: Ask the Experts: Cancer Accreditation Site Visit Q & A
Session ID: BO49
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: AV
This interactive question-and-answer session brings together Site Reviewers from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) to support site visit preparation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, and address common challenges encountered during reviews. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen readiness and confidence ahead of their next site visit.
BO50: Patient-Centered Outcomes in Cancer Care
Session ID: BO50
Program Track: CAN
Content Track: QIPS
Putting the patient and their goals first is an important pillar of patient-centered care. This session explores strategies for collecting and using patient-reported outcomes, along with practical prompts to strengthen meaningful communication with patients. Attendees will have the chance to share their thoughts and engage in interactive discussion with peers from across the country.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Children's Surgery Verification and NSQIP Pediatric (CSV)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Wake Up Safe QI and Safety Workshop - Advancing Quality and Safety
Session ID: ADV
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: PRE
This interactive, multi-part workshop provides a comprehensive overview of modern patient safety frameworks, human factors science, and systems-based approaches to safer care. Through expert-led case examples, practical exercises, and advanced analytic tools, attendees will explore risk-based thinking and causation analysis, including the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) and Causal Analysis based on System Theory (CAST). This session is designed for quality and safety professionals seeking a deeper understanding of systems thinking in patient safety.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO21: Communicating the Advantages and Benefits of the Programs
Session ID: BO21
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This session demonstrates how participating NSQIP Pediatric and CSV hospitals articulate the value of program involvement to inform funding decisions. Attendees will learn practical approaches to communicating outcomes, impact, and return on investment to institutional leaders. Participants will leave with actionable strategies they can adapt to strengthen financial and organizational support at their own institutions. This session may be of interest for leaders responsible for sustaining pediatric quality programs.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO33: Finding Solutions to Challenging Problems in Children's Surgery
Session ID: BO33
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: AV
This expert-led group discussion focuses on emerging trends and recurring challenges related to standards. Participants will leave with clearer insight into evolving expectations and approaches to strengthening compliance and performance. This session is intended for professionals responsible for standards implementation and oversight.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO38: Quality Improvement in Action: A Practical Approach to Getting the Most Out of ACS Quality Programs, by Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Session ID: BO38
Program Track: CSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
Hospitals participating in the NSQIP Pediatric and the Children's Surgery Verification (CSV) Program collect extensive clinical data yet translating that data into sustained improvement requires intentional strategy. This session examines how to leverage ACS Quality Programs data including NSQIP Pediatric, CSV standards, and process measures to strengthen surgical quality infrastructure and demonstrate measurable outcome improvements.
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Emergency General Surgery Verification Program (EGS-VP)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO05: EG$ Economics
Session ID: BO05
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores the financial dimensions of Emergency General Surgery (EGS), focusing on strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and measurable value. Attendees will review recent EGS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) findings, examine efficiency-centered quality initiatives, and analyze data-driven approaches to understanding the true cost of EGS care. Participants will leave with practical tools to communicate program impact, support resource allocation, and strengthen long-term sustainability.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO13: Quality Improvement in Action: Scaling EGS: Turning Verification and Data into System-Wide Impact at Atrium Health
Session ID: BO13
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session showcases how Atrium Health has implemented Emergency General Surgery (EGS) as a coordinated service across a multihospital health system, leveraging the ACS EGS Verification Program and the NSQIP EGS Registry. Speakers will describe their experiences engaging surgeons and care teams across diverse hospital settings, using NSQIP EGS data to identify variation in outcomes and prioritize improvement efforts, and developing standardized EGS pathways to promote consistent, high-quality care. Practical lessons will be shared on fostering collaboration, translating data into action, and sustaining system-wide EGS quality improvement.
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO31: Leading Quality Through EGS: An Open Forum Discussion for EGS Program Leaders
Session ID: BO31
Program Track: EGS-VP
Content Track: AV
This interactive roundtable offers Emergency General Surgery (EGS) professionals an open forum to discuss current challenges and practical solutions. Program leaders will share strategies for applying for verification, organizing program resources, leveraging verification reports to advocate for institutional support, and meeting standards such as Patient Advocacy and Education. Through peer discussion and shared experience, attendees will gain actionable ideas and a clearer roadmap for strengthening their EGS programs. This session may be of interest for leaders overseeing EGS program development and verification efforts.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO41: NSQIP EGS Data Demystified: Practical Tools for Success
Session ID: BO41
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP
Content Track: DATA
This interactive session demonstrates how to turn ACS Emergency General Surgery (EGS) NSQIP data into a powerful tool for improving care and efficiency. Speakers will review smart sampling strategies to focus on high-impact diagnoses, demonstrate how to interpret the EGS Summary Report for timely insights, and provide guidance on using the Site Assessment Report (SAR) to drive meaningful improvement. Attendees of all skill levels will leave with practical tools and increased confidence in applying data.
BO45: Emergency General Surgery in Older Adults: The Cost and Outcomes of Unrecognized Knowledge Gaps
Session ID: BO45
Program Track: EGS-VP, GSV
Content Track: QIPS
There are several key concepts in the care of geriatric emergency general surgery patients that can influence care and outcomes—some not as intuitive as others. This panel explores the impact of frailty, nutrition, delirium, mobility, and social determinants of health on outcomes in geriatric emergency general surgery patients. Attendees will gain practical insight into incorporating these concepts into clinical decision-making and care planning.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Geriatric Surgery Verification Program (GSV)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
The Future of Age-Friendly Care: Driving Value Through AI & Innovation
Session ID: AFHM
Program Track: ADU, GSV
Content Track: PRE
Join us for this year's dynamic preconference session focused on advancing Age-Friendly care through technological innovations, the utilization of artificial intelligence in the clinical setting, and practical implementation strategies. The session will open with an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Age-Friendly Hospital Measure presented by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, offering critical insight into regulatory alignment and national priorities shaping health care delivery. Through a blend of expert-led presentations, interactive breakout discussions, and actionable implementation tools, participants will explore how technology and artificial intelligence can enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency for older adult surgical care. The session will examine the significance of the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure and its implications for health systems, while outlining strategies to align Age-Friendly initiatives with organizational priorities, quality metrics, and financial sustainability. Participants will also gain clarity on the business case for engaging in Geriatric Surgery Verification programs and enrolling to drive measurable, system-wide impact. Designed to move beyond theory into practical application, this session equips attendees with the insight and strategies needed to lead meaningful change in surgical care for older adults.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO07: Technology Innovations in the Care of Older Surgical Adults
Session ID: BO07
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: DATA
As technology evolves, so does its potential to improve the perioperative experience for older adults. This panel brings together clinical leaders and technology innovators to discuss how monitoring tools, digital platforms, and coordinated virtual support can optimize outcomes, improve safety, and enhance quality of life for older surgical patients. Attendees will gain insight into practical applications, implementation considerations, and emerging models of care.
BO10: Hot Topics in Cancer QI: Collaborations
Session ID: BO10
Program Track: CAN, GSV, MB
Content Track: HOT
This session examines how collaboration across quality programs strengthens surgical standards and improves patient outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into partnerships among Cancer Programs, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSQIP), the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program, and the American Cancer Society, and how these collaborations advance accreditation, data-driven improvement, and comprehensive care.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO14: Quality Improvement in Action: Making the 4Ms Work For Us, by Northwell
Session ID: BO14
Program Track: GSV
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session will highlight Northwell Health's implementation of the 4Ms, a core framework of age-friendly care developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The 4Ms framework ensures that care for older adults is aligned, evidence-based, and focused on what matters most. The 4Ms include What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility, and provide a practical approach for integrating patient-centered, team-based care into everyday clinical practice.
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
BO37: Improving Surgical Cancer Care for Older Adults
Session ID: BO37
Program Track: CAN, GSV
Content Track: TEAM
Older adults with cancer face many complex challenges, and surgical decisions must balance survival with quality of life, independence, and patient satisfaction. This session provides an overview of these considerations and insight on how to leverage existing multidisciplinary care efforts to increase awareness for safe, effective cancer treatments available for older surgical adults.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO45: Emergency General Surgery in Older Adults: The Cost and Outcomes of Unrecognized Knowledge Gaps
Session ID: BO45
Program Track: EGS-VP, GSV
Content Track: QIPS
There are several key concepts in the care of geriatric emergency general surgery patients that can influence care and outcomes—some not as intuitive as others. This panel explores the impact of frailty, nutrition, delirium, mobility, and social determinants of health on outcomes in geriatric emergency general surgery patients. Attendees will gain practical insight into incorporating these concepts into clinical decision-making and care planning.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MB)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO02: Quality Improvement in Action: Advancing Post-Bariatric Care to Reduce Preventable Emergency Department Visits at Geisinger Health System
Session ID: BO02
Program Track: MB
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This roundtable spotlights how the Geisinger Health System tackled a critical gap in post-bariatric surgery care, specifically preventable emergency room (ER) visits. Through a targeted quality-improvement initiative focused on patient education, care coordination, and early intervention, the team achieved a significant reduction in ER utilization while improving the patient experience. Panelists will share practical strategies, data-driven insights, and lessons learned that can be applied across health systems. Please join our conversation to learn how alignment from the C-suite to the bedside can enable the redesign of post-surgical care and drive better outcomes after bariatric surgery.
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO04: Making Sense of Your Data
Session ID: BO04
Program Track: ADU, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB
Content Track: DATA
This hands-on workshop style session will help participants make sense of their data and use it more effectively to guide quality improvement efforts. Using real-world scenarios, collaborative group activities, and rapid decision-making exercises, attendees will learn how to identify meaningful opportunities for improvement, even when performance appears to meet expectations, understand when to use raw versus risk-adjusted data, and validate results before taking action. Participants will leave with a practical framework and tools to interpret reports with confidence and translate insights into purposeful, data-driven decisions.
BO10: Hot Topics in Cancer QI: Collaborations
Session ID: BO10
Program Track: CAN, GSV, MB
Content Track: HOT
This session examines how collaboration across quality programs strengthens surgical standards and improves patient outcomes. Attendees will gain insight into partnerships among Cancer Programs, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSQIP), the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program, and the American Cancer Society, and how these collaborations advance accreditation, data-driven improvement, and comprehensive care.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO20: Applying Practice Guidelines and Evolving Evidence: Recent Perioperative Guidelines and GLP-1 Considerations for Surgical Teams
Session ID: BO20
Program Track: MB, SS
Content Track: HOT
This panel examines key recommendations from recent American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines on anesthesia care for older adults and regional analgesia for acute postoperative pain, and their implications for patient safety and surgical outcomes. Speakers will also discuss emerging evidence on GLP-1 inhibitors and its influence on perioperative decision-making. Attendees will gain practical insights to support interdisciplinary collaboration in developing local policies aligned with current evidence. This session may be of interest for surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and perioperative leaders.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO32: Where QI Dreams Come True: A Bariatric Fireside Chat
Session ID: BO32
Program Track: MB
Content Track: QIPS
This session brings together bariatric QI experts for a laid-back conversation about current trends, challenges, and emerging strategies in the field. Speakers will share wins, challenges, and fresh ideas for boosting outcomes, no roller-coaster ride or statistics required. Bring questions and curiosity for this upbeat, engaging chat that will leave participants inspired to level-up their programs.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO43: Insights & Impact: Tangible Takeaways from the Field
Session ID: BO43
Program Track: MB
Content Track: AV
This discussion-based session brings together Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Site Reviewer Surgeons and Bariatric Data Abstractors (MBSCRs) for expert-led discussion. Participants will reflect on successes, address challenges, and examine the real-world impact of quality improvement initiatives. Through guided discussion, attendees will share strategies, compare experiences, and identify opportunities to enhance outcomes. This session is designed to foster continuous learning and strengthen quality improvement efforts across bariatric programs.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
ACS Quality Verification Program (QVP)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO01: Quality Improvement in Action: From Review to Resolution: Practical Tools for Streamlined Case Review and Accountability, by Elliot Hospital
Session ID: BO01
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Elliot Hospital's development of a unified case review system that identifies opportunities for improvement in surgical care while ensuring accountability for follow-through. By integrating event reporting, action item tracking, and loop-closure processes, the hospital established a reliable pathway from case review to corrective action, contributing to its designation as a QVP Comprehensive Hospital. Participants will learn practical strategies for translating case review findings into sustained, measurable improvement.
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO17: Evolving Excellence - What's New in the Quality Verification Program
Session ID: BO17
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
The ACS Quality Verification Program (QVP) continues to evolve, strengthening its framework and expanding its global reach. This session highlights recent program enhancements, perspectives on international participation, and emerging data insights generated through QVP engagement. Attendees will gain a forward-looking understanding of how QVP supports hospitals worldwide in advancing quality, safety, and performance improvement. This session may be of interest for leaders engaged in or considering participation in QVP.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO46: Optimizing Patients, Maximizing Value: Smarter Preoperative Processes That Improve Outcomes and Cut Costs
Session ID: BO46
Program Track: QVP
Content Track: AV
Preoperative optimization represents a high-value opportunity to improve surgical outcomes. In this session, speakers from leading institutions will present models for risk stratification, screening, and geriatric optimization that enhance patient outcomes while reducing delays and costs. Attendees will gain practical frameworks and implementation strategies to integrate optimization into surgical workflows. This session may be of interest for teams seeking to strengthen perioperative care for higher-risk patients.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Surgical Spectrum (SS)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO08: Supporting Surgical Team Members in Rural Areas Through Remote Mentorship and Skill Development
Session ID: BO08
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Workforce shortages continue to affect healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities with limited access to surgical care. This session examines strategies to support surgical team members pursuing rural practice, with a focus on mentorship, technical skill development, case selection, and systems-based efficiency. Attendees will explore models for local and remote mentorship and learn from real-world pitfalls and best practices. Participants, especially early career surgical team members, will leave with actionable strategies to build a resilient, effective, and sustainable rural practice.
BO09: Excelling in Quality and Safety: A Primer for Physician Leaders
Session ID: BO09
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
This session presents diverse perspectives on the physician leadership journey in quality and safety, spanning early- to mid-career stages. Through insights from physicians and healthcare leaders who partner closely with them, attendees will explore pathways to leadership, common challenges, and strategies for growth. Participants will leave with practical considerations for advancing their role in quality and safety initiatives. This session is intended for physicians and healthcare leaders interested in leadership development.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO18: Moving Beyond the Checkbox: Leveraging Policy to Make Meaningful Change for Patients
Session ID: BO18
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
Health systems face a complex network of regulatory requirements related to quality and safety. This session reviews select current requirements and explores how they can be leveraged to drive meaningful improvements in patient care. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn how clinicians can align regulatory expectations with practical quality initiatives. Participants will leave with strategies to turn compliance obligations into opportunities for measurable improvement.
BO20: Applying Practice Guidelines and Evolving Evidence: Recent Perioperative Guidelines and GLP-1 Considerations for Surgical Teams
Session ID: BO20
Program Track: MB, SS
Content Track: HOT
This panel examines key recommendations from recent American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines on anesthesia care for older adults and regional analgesia for acute postoperative pain, and their implications for patient safety and surgical outcomes. Speakers will also discuss emerging evidence on GLP-1 inhibitors and its influence on perioperative decision-making. Attendees will gain practical insights to support interdisciplinary collaboration in developing local policies aligned with current evidence. This session may be of interest for surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and perioperative leaders.
BO22: Optimizing Preference Cards for the Planet and Profit: Reducing Waste, Improving Care, and Lowering Costs
Session ID: BO22
Program Track: SS
Content Track: HOT
This session will explore how optimizing surgical preference cards reduces waste, improves operating room efficiency, and lowers healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. Attendees will learn practical strategies to review and standardize preference cards, engage multidisciplinary teams and industry consultants, and align supplies with actual procedural needs to support both sustainability and cost-effective surgical care.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2026 QSCC Keynote 2
Session ID: GS07
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the second keynote speaker, who will share a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and resilience through the lens of their experience as a patient. This deeply personal session will challenge attendees to look beyond clinical care and consider the full lived experience of those they serve, highlighting the critical role of empathy, resilience, and human-centered care in advancing quality and safety.
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
BO39: Reimagining the Surgical Workforce: AI, Autonomy, Locum Tenens, and a Calling to Serve
Session ID: BO39
Program Track: SS
Content Track: TEAM
Surgical team members are increasingly seeking new ways to regain control of their professional lives while maintaining high-quality patient care. This session examines how locum tenens models, telepresence-enabled coverage, and AI-driven decision support may relieve workforce strain and enhance autonomy. Speakers will highlight use cases across practice settings, barriers to adoption, and implications for quality and safety. Special emphasis also will be on the current sentiment from many team members that healthcare is now a job, rather than a calling. The session will explore this emotion and its evolution further in the hopes to reignite the passion that we all (should) feel and the gratification that hopefully comes with what we do every day. The discussion also will help attendees consider how these tools can support long-term career satisfaction and organizational resilience.
BO40: The Hidden Burden: Surgical Adhesions and Their Impact on Quality Outcomes
Session ID: BO40
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: HOT
Developed by the primary contributors to the ACS Surgical Consortium for Adhesions Research (SCAR) workgroup, this session will examine the significant clinical and quality implications of surgical adhesions across the patient population. Adhesions remain a pervasive yet often under-recognized consequence of surgery. These downstream effects carry measurable impacts on patient outcomes, utilization, and cost of care.
This session will provide quality improvement professionals with a practical understanding of how adhesions present within data, documentation, and performance indicators. Experts will review how adhesions impact the quality of care, metrics that may signal adhesion-related issues, and what to do as a QI professional. Participants will gain insight into how to identify patterns, assess risk factors, and collaborate with surgical teams to integrate prevention and mitigation strategies into QI initiatives.
BO44: Using the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and ACS Quality Data to Drive Resident-Led Improvement
Session ID: BO44
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This interactive session introduces the Quality in-Training Initiative (QITI) and demonstrates how residents can leverage ACS Quality Program data to meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements, strengthen patient safety efforts, and enhance clinical training. Through case discussions and practical examples, attendees will explore how QITI insights can support resident-led quality improvement (QI) projects and help overcome common implementation barriers. Surgeons and program directors will also gain practical strategies to integrate QITI into teaching, mentorship, and structured QI curricula—fostering a culture of continuous improvement within training programs. This session is designed for residents, program directors, surgeons, and others involved in resident education and quality improvement.
BO47: Making Quality the Business Case: Perioperative Nursing Leadership, Measurement, and Responsible AI
Session ID: BO47
Program Track: SS
Content Track: QIPS
This facilitated, executive-level discussion examines leadership and value-focused perspectives on quality and the use of artificial intelligence in the perioperative setting, including within quality programs. Attendees will explore governance, accountability, risk management, and the role of nurse leaders in ensuring safe, ethical, and effective AI adoption. Through select scenarios, participants will translate strategic principles into informed, organization-level decisions.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.
Vascular Verification Program (V-VP)
July 30
8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
QI Essentials - AM Session
Session ID: QIE1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
QI Essentials - PM Session
Session ID: QIE2
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
New this year! QI Essentials is a refreshed, fast-paced evolution of the traditional QI Basics Workshop designed for today's busy healthcare professionals. This condensed format delivers the most essential quality improvement concepts in a shorter, highly focused experience. Attendees will gain practical tools, updated frameworks, and real-world examples they can apply immediately. This workshop is for those interested in quality improvement or looking for a modern refresher. QI Essentials offers a streamlined, engaging introduction to QI, reimagined for how we learn and work today. Please note: The QI Essentials Workshop registration fee is $125 per person. The QI Basics Online Course is available for an additional fee and is not included in the workshop registration cost. A 50% discount on the online course is available to registered workshop participants in the following member categories: Fellow, Associate, APFEL US/Canada; Fellow, Associate, APFEL High; Nonmember Fellow US/Canada; and Nonmember Fellow High, Mid-Low, and Low. The discount is non-transferable, and a promotional code will be provided following completion of the workshop.
Microsoft Excel Basics
Session ID: EXCEL1
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This introductory workshop equips quality improvement professionals with foundational Microsoft Excel skills for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing improvement data. Through guided, hands-on instruction, attendees will build confidence in core Excel functions and tools that support everyday QI work. Participants will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to data management and reporting tasks. Attendees must bring a laptop or device with Excel installed to fully participate.
Elevating Your Data Skills
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This intermediate-level workshop guides quality improvement professionals in using Excel pivot tables, pivot charts, and Power Query to analyze and combine complex data sets. Through step-by-step, hands-on practice, attendees will strengthen their data manipulation and visualization skills for more efficient analysis. Participants will leave with practical techniques to manage larger data sets and generate clearer insights. Basic Excel knowledge is required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed. *Limited space available for this workshop.
Advanced Excel for QI: Build your own Dashboard
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: PRE
This advanced workshop guides experienced Microsoft Excel users in designing dynamic dashboards to support complex quality improvement analyses. Through hands-on practice, attendees will learn how to integrate multiple data sources, apply advanced functions, and build interactive visual tools that support decision-making. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can use to create and maintain dashboards for QI reporting and analysis. Intermediate Excel skills are required, and attendees must bring a laptop with Excel installed to fully participate.
July 31
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
General Session 1: Welcome to the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference
Session ID: GS01
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Welcome to the inaugural American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality, Safety, and Cancer Conference. Dr. Clifford Ko and Dr. Ronald Weigel will open the meeting with a dynamic session that sets the vision for the days ahead. Together, they will highlight the conference theme, discuss key priorities shaping the field of surgical quality and safety, and underscore the collaborative efforts advancing measurable improvements in patient outcomes across all practice settings.
The session will also feature a conversation with Dr. Weigel, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about his leadership and the impactful work of the nationally recognized ACS Cancer Programs.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
General Session 2: From Data to Decisions: How AI Is (and Isn't) Changing Quality Improvement
Session ID: GS02
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering the quality improvement space, promising faster insights, smarter analysis, and real-time feedback. What can AI actually do to advance surgical quality improvement, and where does human expertise remain irreplaceable?
This session explores how AI is being used today to accelerate quality improvement in surgery, from identifying performance variation and supporting root cause analysis to automating control charts and pattern detection. Through practical examples and candid discussion, speakers will separate hype from reality, highlighting where AI adds value, where it falls short, and how teams can responsibly integrate AI into improvement work without losing the human elements that drive meaningful change.
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM
BO03: The Evolution of AI to Enhance Quality Improvement
Session ID: BO03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping both how abstractors work and how they contribute to quality improvement. This session examines lessons from early AI implementations and the evolving role of abstractors as Quality Professionals. Attendees will explore where AI has delivered meaningful time savings, where it has limitations, and how to use AI-enabled insights to interpret trends, validate signals, and collaborate more effectively with clinicians and quality improvement teams. Participants will leave with practical guidance to strengthen both organizational impact and professional growth.
BO06: How Vascular Excellence Shapes the Hospital's Bottom Line
Session ID: BO06
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
In this session, attendees will examine how participation in the Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP) strengthens both quality of care and financial performance. Through proven strategies and real-world examples, speakers will demonstrate how verification translates into measurable economic value for vascular programs. Participants will leave with practical insights to align verification efforts with both clinical and operational goals.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
General Session 3: 2026 QSCC Keynote 1
Session ID: GS03
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will hear from the first of two dynamic keynote speakers, setting the tone for an energizing and forward-looking conference experience. This session will explore the rapid innovation and evolution of artificial intelligence, highlighting how its true success depends not only on advanced algorithms, but also on empathy, ethical stewardship, creativity, and trust.
Participants will leave inspired and empowered with a renewed perspective on navigating today's technology-driven landscape, equipped to embrace change thoughtfully, lead with confidence, and harness AI in ways that elevate both performance and the human experience.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
BO15: AI at the Point of Care
Session ID: BO15
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
Artificial intelligence (AI) at the point of care can enhance clinical decision-making when thoughtfully designed and integrated into existing workflows. This session examines strategies to deliver decision support without contributing to alert fatigue, compares predictive models with rules-based approaches, and reviews methods for measuring AI's downstream impact on quality and outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing AI tools responsibly and effectively. This session is intended for clinical and quality leaders evaluating AI-enabled decision support.
BO16: EPoSSI Lab: Plan It, Build It, Launch It
Session ID: BO16
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This dynamic workshop style session gives participants the opportunity to apply the EPoSSI framework to their own surgical quality improvement ideas in a collaborative, small-group setting. Through guided discussion from our EPoSSI experts and structured exercises, attendees will sharpen their thinking, gain new perspectives from peers, and explore practical ways to strengthen their approach. Participants will leave with greater clarity, a more systematic path forward, and actionable next steps to advance their QI projects.
BO19: How Vascular-VP Helps You Hardwire and Demonstrate Your Vascular Centers' Success
Session ID: BO19
Program Track: V-VP
Content Track: AV
This session highlights actionable strategies from Vascular Verification Program (VVP) verified hospitals that successfully secured institutional resources, embedded sustainable quality processes, and demonstrated the impact of verification. Through specific examples, attendees will learn how to translate verification efforts into organizational support and measurable results. Participants will leave with practical approaches to strengthen their own vascular programs. This session may be of interest for leaders involved in vascular quality and verification initiatives.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
General Session 4: Fireside Chat: Understanding How the C-Suite Prioritizes QI in the Chaos of Medicine
Session ID: GS04
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
There is a financial responsibility for everything we do in health care and quality improvement is no exception. Yet too often, quality and safety initiatives are framed as costs rather than investments, creating tension between mission, margin, and morale.
This candid fireside conversation brings together multiple C-suite perspectives to help attendees understand QI from the C-suite perspective. Expert leaders will unpack their experiences to discuss how organizations can prioritize quality improvement, protect mission and happiness, and still meet fiduciary responsibility.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
General Session 5: An Escape Experience
Session ID: GS05
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Attendees will join colleagues in a dynamic, hands-on escape room experience designed to challenge their thinking. As the clock ticks down, participants will analyze clues, uncover hidden patterns, and "crack the code" by identifying breakdowns, testing assumptions, and applying problem-solving approaches to move from confusion to clarity.
This interactive session transforms learning from failure into an engaging, high-energy experience while reinforcing the power of curiosity, communication, and systems thinking in driving meaningful improvement.
August 1
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
General Session 6: The Gift of Getting it Wrong
Session ID: GS06
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Healthcare is complex, and failure is inevitable. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not those who avoid failure, but those who learn from it and use it to drive improvement. Through candid stories of professional failure, missteps in quality improvement, and initiatives that did not go as planned, speakers will explore why failure is not only inevitable but essential to growth. Attendees will examine how organizations can learn from failure without blame, how leaders build resilience through setbacks, and why experience with failure should be viewed as a qualification rather than a liability.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
BO26: Quality Improvement in Action: First Case On Time Starts, by Emory Healthcare
Session ID: BO26
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: ACT
The Quality Improvement in Action sessions are a new conference spotlight designed to celebrate real-world QI and the multidisciplinary teams who make it happen. Attendees will hear from frontline clinicians and staff who drive change in daily workflows, quality leaders who design and sustain initiatives, and executive and C-suite champions who align strategy and resources.
This session shines a spotlight on Emory Healthcare's approach to first-case on-time starts, a critical, high-impact metric for operating room efficiency.
BO28: Building Trust, Transparency, and Accountability with AI
Session ID: BO28
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: DATA
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare and quality workflows, establishing trust and accountability is essential. This session focuses on best practices for managing discrepancies, maintaining transparency through audit trails, and determining when human judgment should override AI-driven outputs. Attendees will gain practical guidance to support responsible AI governance and oversight. This session may be of interest for clinical, operational, and quality leaders implementing AI tools.
BO29: ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE!
Session ID: BO29
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
ACS Quality Grand Rounds LIVE brings the popular webinar series to the conference in an interactive, in-person format. Attendees will work through a real case study to examine quality challenges, explore improvement strategies, and apply the essential steps of QI planning process. Mirroring the collaborative spirit of the virtual series, this session creates space for practical discussion and cross-program learning that welcomes all attendees. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a clearer understanding of how to structure and advance QI initiatives.
BO30: Turning Protocols Into Practice
Session ID: BO30
Program Track: ADU, EGS-VP, GSV, QVP, V-VP
Content Track: AV
A strong protocol is only effective when it is successfully implemented. This session examines the essential elements of high-quality protocols for specific procedures and phases of care outside the OR, and explores practical strategies for streamlining complex processes. Attendees will gain tools to assess, refine, and operationalize protocols within their own settings. This session may be of interest for clinicians and quality leaders seeking to improve care standardization and execution.
BO36: Operationalizing Data to Enhance Patient Education
Session ID: BO36
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: QIPS
This session explores how to collect data to drive cost-effective development and delivery of patient education materials, including considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence. Panelists will discuss methods for identifying gaps in care, such as through using quality program data, and designing efficient education pathways. Attendees will also learn strategies for securing organization-wide support for patient education initiatives.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
General Session 8: Do We Still Need to Learn? How Education is Reshaping Quality
Session ID: GS08
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Education has always been central to quality improvement, but the way we learn in health care is colliding with a world of limited time, shrinking attention spans, increasing clinical complexity, and instant access to information. At the same time, AI tools promise answers on demand, raising uncomfortable questions about what clinicians really need to know versus what they can simply look up. This session explores how education improves quality, what educational approaches still work, and what needs to change. Through candid discussion and real-world examples, speakers will challenge assumptions about adult learning, examine the evolving role of education in the age of AI, and offer practical guidance for quality leaders who are expected to teach, lead, and improve systems they are still learning themselves.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Abstract Sessions 1–13
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
August 2
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Abstract Sessions 14-26
A series of abstract sessions will be hosted with an array of topics relating to surgical quality improvement initiatives. The abstracts presented were accepted for the 2025 ACS Quality and Safety Conference. Join one of the sessions that will focus on one (or more) of the following categories: Bariatric, Cancer, Emergency General Surgery (EGS), Future of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Surgery, Pediatrics, QVP, Robotics, Surgical Infection Control, Surgical Technology and Innovation, Surgical Potpourri, Trauma, and Vascular.
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session 9: What's Heating Up? Hot Topics in Quality, Safety & Cancer
Session ID: GS09
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: GEN
Surgical quality is being reshaped by forces far beyond the operating room. This Hot Topics session brings together experts to explore how current policies impact quality improvement, what extreme environments like space can teach us about surgical reliability and teamwork, and how health systems can advance cancer quality and access in rural settings. Each segment highlights practical lessons, emerging opportunities, and the realities that quality leaders must confront today.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
Program Track: ADU, CAN, CSV, EGS-VP, GSV, MB, QVP, SS, V-VP
Content Track: General
Attendees are invited to join Dr. Clifford Ko for a final general session that celebrates the energy, insights, and connections built throughout the week. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, a place known for its magic, imagination, and unforgettable experiences, this closing session will reflect on the journey attendees will have taken together and the impact that continues beyond the conference walls. Because while all good things must come to an end, the momentum, inspiration, and commitment to excellence sparked here are only just beginning.

Navigate Your Way Through the Program Agenda

Preconference Workshops Browse by Day: Friday, July 31 Browse by Day: Saturday, August 1 Browse by Day: Sunday, August 2 Browse by Content Track Track Legend Schedule at a Glance