Welcoming a Year of Change

Today, at the 2019 ACOG Annual Meeting in my hometown of Nashville, TN, I had the unique opportunity to stand before our peers as ACOG’s newly inaugurated 70th president. I’m honored and humbled to be able to serve as ACOG president and enjoyed seeing some of you at the Meeting. And, as I think about my time as ACOG president and what I’d like to accomplish, I can’t help but keep coming back to the common theme of refining and advancing our profession in times of change.

Obstetrics and gynecology is an ever-evolving profession. As the premier women’s health care association, ACOG has always been on the front lines of women’s health care as we develop new guidance, bring new perspectives, and advocate for our patients and our profession in the halls of Congress. But as obstetrics and gynecology continues to advance in leaps and bounds, we as physicians can’t just keep up with that progress …we have to get in front of it.

My presidential initiatives will focus on reenvisioning the system of delivery of surgical care to optimize patient safety and outcomes and supporting more research in women’s health care. So as I begin my year of presidency, I’d like to challenge us all to consider three questions:

• What is the best way to deliver the best care to our patients?
• What is the best way to prepare today’s trainees to deliver the highest-quality care in the future that maximizes safety and accessibility?
• How do we ensure the highest-quality health care for women for generations to come?

Levels of Gynecologic Care will help us answer those questions. This new concept, loosely modeled after the Levels of Maternal Care program, is centered on the robust and diverse task force I assembled to investigate what future practice patterns might best deliver the highest-quality and most effective gynecologic surgical care in the most efficient and safest manner. By anticipating the future, we can ensure that we are prepared to adapt to changing trends, patient needs, and new health care systems and processes.

While these initiatives are incredibly important to improving women’s health, I’m equally excited for the opportunity to get to know you, my colleagues. ACOG’s members are some of the most passionate, dedicated physicians out there and have helped shape the course of women’s health care throughout our history. I’m eager to hear from you about the work you’re doing to ensure health care of the highest possible quality for patients everywhere. Please connect with me on Twitter at @DrTedAnderson.