American Society of Plastic Surgeons
For Consumers
 

Spring Meeting pulls multiple programs together in Las Vegas

Las Vegas will again provide the backdrop for ASPS in March with a unique Spring Meeting that pools multiple educational resources for members and office staff in one location, maximizing value for attendees. Aesthetica, the Plastic Surgery Coding Workshop and Practice Innovations have been merged with the inaugural ASPS Spring Board Meeting from March 14-16 at Caesars Palace.

This year's Spring Board Meeting will be incorporated with various Society committee meetings slated to be held March 13 through March 16, with the ASPS/PSF Board of Directors scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. March 14.

"From a cost-effectiveness standpoint, this new arrangement is a great way to give members the most value for their time and dollar – it's multiple meetings under one roof," says ASPS President Alan Matarasso, MD. "From an educational standpoint, there's something here for everyone."

Aesthetica Super Symposium

Amy Alderman, MD, Dennis Hammond, MD, and James Zins, MD, return this year as Aesthetica co-chairs, and they again offer a lineup of nationally and internationally renowned, expert faculty that will take a deep dive on important aesthetic topics.

The two-and-a-half day program (March 14-16) has been designated for up to 18.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and will focus on key aesthetic surgical and nonsurgical breast, body-contouring and facial rejuvenation techniques and procedures. The educational program is designed to enable attendees to flow between two concurrent sessions, allowing everyone to customize an educational experience that's best for them.

Aesthetica incorporates two educational tracks, including a Complications track that will focus on preventing and managing complications – a track that will run through the entirety of Aesthetica. The second track focuses on Secondary Surgery, Dueling Perspectives, Rhinoplasty and Master Classes. The 2019 streamlined program offers something for everyone looking to improve patient outcomes and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

The Secondary Surgery track features modules including: "High SMAS Facelift and Fat-Grafting;" "How to Avoid Secondary Surgery: What the Masters No Longer Do;" and "How to Optimize Results and Avoid the Most Common Surgical Revisions in Body-Contouring Surgery."

Dueling Perspectives will explore diverse approaches on topics including liposuction; body contouring; one-stage vs. two-stage mastopexy; upper face; periorbital area; and facial rejuvenation.

The Saturday morning Rhinoplasty track will feature Bahman Guyuron, MD, Mark Constantian, MD, and Ashkan Ghavami, MD, who will share their expertise on this popular topic. To wrap-up the program, Saturday afternoon will feature an array of Master Classes addressing genital surgery, breast augmentation and rhinoplasty, which will be led by experts in the fields.

For a complete list of faculty and program details, go to PlasticSurgery.org/Aesthetica.

Coding Workshop

The Plastic Surgery Coding Workshop is the only live coding workshop that will be offered in 2019. ASPS, ASPSP and affiliate members, as well as residents, can take advantage of discounted registration fees available before March 6. Additional savings are also offered for those who register for both the workshop and Practice Innovations. Participating physicians can earn up to 12.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for the one-and-a-half-day program. The workshop has also been approved for Continuing Education Units by the American Academy of Professional Coders.

The Coding Workshop combines the knowledge of ASPS members, medical directors, veteran professional coders and our Coding and Payment Policy Committee. This peer-reviewed, comprehensive course focuses on the complex issues of reimbursement and documentation, and it delves into case-based instruction of the new coding standards.

The faculty for the workshop include Jeffrey Kozlow, MD (Coding and Payment Policy Committee vice chair); Scott Oates, MD (ASPS advisor for the RUC, and member of the Coding and Payment Policy Committee); David Schnur, MD (member of the Coding and Payment Policy Committee); and Catherine French, ASPS Director of Health and Payment Policy, and a member of the Coding and Payment Policy Committee.

Important updates to the Quality Payment Program, coding prepectoral implants, gender confirmation surgery, the use of modifiers, and changes to evaluation and management documentation will be covered.

In addition to learning best practices in coding surgical procedures, the workshop will provide interactive coding-case examples, as well as opportunities for participants to discuss their own challenging cases and solicit immediate feedback to their coding questions.

Each Coding Workshop registrant will receive a workbook of more than 300 pages to complement the most accurate and ethical specialty-specific coding instruction possible. The workbook is a valuable resource that attendees will reference long after the meeting.

Practice Innovations

This one-and-a-half day practice management program, slated to run March 14-15, is designed specifically for plastic surgeons and their office staff to benefit the entire practice. Expert faculty and industry-leading practice-management consultants will discuss various business challenges to help each team achieve peak practice performance.

In collaboration with ASPSP, the program provides tools to help plastic surgery practices develop metrics to measure business success – and motivate the team to meet established goals. Learn how to optimize your business strategy to efficiently improve client relationships, book more surgeries, boost marketing reach, enhance reputations and attract an elite staff. Participating physicians can earn up to 9.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this program.

Program Chairs Josh Korman, MD, Heather Furnas, MD, and ASPSP President Joanne Dennison structured a fast-moving program that features Dr. Matarasso; Francisco Canales, MD; Bernard Lee, MD; Brad Calobrace, MD; and Katerina Gallus, MD, among others. For complete details, go to PlasticSurgery.org/Innovations – and take advantage of the bundled registration discount when registering for both the Coding Workshop and Practice Innovations.

Industry connections

The Spring Meeting will bring together 50 industry partners and exhibitors who will display and provide a range of instruments, practice management solutions, implants, skin-care products and devices and more. Exhibits will open at 7 a.m. March 14, and will close at 3:30 p.m. March 16. The Society has arranged for ample dedicated time with exhibitors throughout the meeting, thus allowing attendees uninterrupted opportunities to see new products and services, as well as to network with various industry partners.

Platinum support for this year's Spring Meeting is provided by Allergan.