The college viewpoint

Our changing health care environment presents new challenges to the surgica l profession. This article examines those concerns, including strains on su rgeons' professional values, financial pressures resulting from federal law s and regulations, the expansion of managed care, and demands for improved continuing education opportunities. This article illustrates how the Americ an College of Surgeons has been helping surgeons cope with the shifts in ba lance taking place around them. It further highlights how the American Coll ege of Surgeons is moving forward in all areas of concern to surgeons by pr omoting standards for surgical care, educating third-party payors about the effects of financial constraints, expanding its educational programs, and seeking innovative methods to fulfill its mission.