Disclosure Information

In accordance with the ACCME Accreditation Criteria, the American College of Surgeons must ensure that anyone in a position to control the content of the educational activity (planners and speakers/authors/discussants/moderators) has disclosed all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest (see below for definitions).

Commercial Interest

The ACCME defines a “commercial interest” as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services used on or consumed by patients. Providers of clinical services directly to patients are NOT included in this definition.

Financial Relationships

Relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected. ACCME considers relationships of the person involved in the CME activity to include financial relationships of a spouse or partner.

Conflict of Interest

Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of a commercial interest with which he/she has a financial relationship.

The ACCME also requires that ACS manage any reported conflict and eliminate the potential for bias during the educational activity. Any conflicts noted below have been managed to our satisfaction. The disclosure information is intended to identify any commercial relationships and allow learners to form their own judgments. However, if you perceive a bias during the educational activity, please report it on the evaluation.

Faculty Disclosures

Dr. Ryan McCabe, PhD - Nothing to disclose 
Currently the Senior Manager of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) since 2014, he was previously the director of clinical and research informatics for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Before beginning work in health care research, Dr. McCabe was a software developer and entrepreneur. He completed a PhD in computer science from the University of Minnesota focusing on machine learning, computational modeling and validation, probability theory, and computational neuroscience. He has published research in the areas of chronic disease, medical informatics, and quality of life in cancer patients. He is interested in creating and integrating information tools for clinicians and patients with cancer to help inform the decision-making process of screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

Susanne Kessler, MSM, RHIT, CTR - Nothing to disclose
As the manager of the NCDB Information and Data Standards since 2018, she has been instrumental in the support of the new platform Rapid Cancer Reporting System and the STORE v2021 release.

Delores Akins, CTR - Nothing to disclose
As a NCDB User Support Specialist, she addresses NCDB mailbox emails, CAnswer Forum, NCDB tools, STORE, and provides ratings for Standards 6.2 Data Submissions and 6.3 Data Accuracy.

Cindy Traylor-Richards, CTR - Nothing to disclose
Cindy the newest member of the NCDB User Support team. Her previous experience includes CTR Compliance Coordinator at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network. Ms. Traylor-Richards has experience in both Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited and non-accredited facilities with experience also in Kentucky’s central registry. She has extensive experience assisting both small and large facilities with CoC accreditation as well as assisting seasoned programs with CoC re-accreditation and deficiency resolutions. Ms. Traylor-Richards provided registry and CoC guidance to 21 facilities within Kentucky and will be providing suggestions on how to transition to concurrent abstracting.