The celebration of togetherness and camaraderie for the betterment of patient care continues this morning at Clinical Congress.

Newly installed ACS President E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, MAMSE, presides over today’s Opening Ceremony, which begins at 8:00 am in Hall F and will be livestreamed on the virtual meeting platform.

Following the color guard and national anthems for the United States and Canada, Dr. Ellison will share his thoughts and goals for the coming year, introduce the newly inducted Honorary Fellows, and recognize ACS officers (past and present), along with a few special guests and honorees.

ACS Executive Director and CEO Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, will then provide the annual state of the College overview, highlighting major accomplishments over the past year and offering insights on her vision for 2023 and beyond.

She also will describe a new Quality Campaign that will launch in January, with the aims of driving deeper adoption and recognition of ACS Quality Programs by hospitals across the country and raise awareness about ACS Quality Programs among patients, lawmakers, regulatory agencies, and payers. These efforts will continue to elevate the surgeons’ role as quality leaders in today’s healthcare system. 

The Opening Ceremony is open to all, and masks are required.