SAGES/ACS Fundamentals Of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Program Receives Landmark Grant From Covidien

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 04 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), a joint educational program from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), has received a $1.8 million grant from Covidien, a leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, to launch The Covidien Educational Fund. Covidien will be supporting surgical residency and fellowship training by providing an opportunity for surgeons-in-training to utilize the FLS program to study and to certify their basic skills in laparoscopy before going into clinical practice. The Covidien Educational Fund will allow the FLS program to be provided to over 250 surgical residency programs in the United States and Canada, reaching thousands of surgeons-in-training.

"We are proud to extend our partnership with SAGES and ACS by supporting the Fundamentals of Laparoscopy Surgery program," said Scott Flora, President, Surgical Devices, Covidien. "This Covidien grant will allow thousands of physicians in training to be certified in laparoscopic skills which will ultimately lead to new innovative surgical procedures and better patient outcomes," added Flora.

The FLS program, developed by SAGES and now jointly supported by the ACS, is a comprehensive and validated educational module designed to teach the physiology, fundamental knowledge and technical skills required in basic laparoscopy that allows practice in a safe environment without putting patients at risk. FLS consists of two multi-media CD-ROMs (soon to be web-based), a hands-on skills training component and an assessment tool. Upon completion of the didactic and manual skills training portion of the course, participants take a proctored, two-part exam that covers cognitive knowledge, clinical judgment and technical skills.

Recognizing the importance of improving surgeon's technical skills and enhancing patient safety, as well as the need for on-site training and testing, Covidien provided a generous, multi-year gift to the FLS program which will bring no-cost training and testing in FLS directly to general surgery residency programs for the next three academic years. It will also cover MIS/HPB/colorectal fellowships for one academic year.

In implementing the Covidien Educational Fund, SAGES and ACS will provide access to the didactic content, an FLS Trainer Box with manual skills training accessories, plus test vouchers and access to regional or on-site FLS-proctored testing. Visit http://www.flsprogram.org for more information, or call 310-437-0544, ext. 130.

About Covidien Ltd.

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in four segments: Medical Devices, Imaging Solutions, Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Supplies. With 2007 revenue of nearly $9 billion, Covidien has more than 43,000 employees worldwide in 57 countries, and its products are sold in over 130 countries. Please visit http://www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

About the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) was founded in 1981 to foster, promote, support and encourage academic, clinical and research achievement in gastrointestinal Endoscopic surgery. The Society has grown from fewer than 50 original members to almost 6,000 from every U.S. state and over 80 countries. SAGES provides signature guidelines for training, standards of practice and granting of privileges which promote patient safety and the best clinical outcomes. Visit http://www.sages.org for more information.

About the American College of Surgeons (ACS)

Founded in 1913, the College is dedicated to improving the care of the surgical patient and to safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment. The ACS has more than 64,000 Fellows and is the premier educational resource for surgeons and offers numerous activities for continuous professional development including Clinical Congress, CD-ROMs, Web casts, and e-learning modules. Visit http://www.facs.org for more information.

About the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Program

Developed by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery program (FLS) includes cognitive and hands-on skills training components, and a validated assessment focusing on the physiology, fundamental knowledge, and technical skills required in basic laparoscopic surgery.

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery