Organization Structure

FITE'S MISSION

FITE's Mission

To advance healthcare outcomes by enhancing the field of interventional and therapeutic endoscopy to provide cost effective, safe and minimally invasive procedures. 

Our Vision

The foundation will enhance & promote the expansion of the field of advanced therapeutic endoscopy thereby increasing access to specialized endoscopic procedures while reducing cost and morbidity for patients in a manner that promotes uniform quality, training and credentialing in order to optimize healthcare value and outcomes for patients.

We recognize that therapeutic endoscopy will play a greater role in the care of digestive diseases, cancers, and obesity in the future. The foundation will function to develop awareness, research, and pathways for complex procedures. This includes: standardization of training, creation of criteria for uniform credentialing and privileging, advocating for reimbursement codes for niche interventions, research collaborations and support dedicated to interventional endoscopy, and accelerate development of devices or performance of procedures necessary to enhance the growth of the field and patient care. The foundation would strive to improve or eliminate obstacles or barriers in order to provide better care for all patients.

FITE'S GOALS

TRAINING STANDARDS

Establish standards for training in interventional endoscopy in collaboration with interventional endoscopy program directors and practitioners.

ACCREDITATION

Establish standards for accreditation & work on creating an officially accredited specialty of interventional GI endoscopy.

GUIDELINES

Establish standards for hospital privileging and “accreditation” through credentialing guidelines and certification process.

COMMUNICATION

Create a platform for communication of matters important in the field of interventional endoscopy among GI practitioners and societies.

COLLABORATION

Foster collaboration with existing GI, surgical, & oncology societies to further common goals. This would include ACG, AGA, ASGE, AASLD, ABOM, etc

ADVOCACY

Work with advanced endoscopists, patients, and payers to help determine optimal reimbursement for complex and novel endoscopic procedures.

RESEARCH

Establish interventional endoscopy research standard operating manuals and create multi-site collaborations for large sample sized trials.

INDUSTRY RELATIONS

Promote mutually beneficial partnerships with endoscopy companies to advance the field and improve clinical outcomes for patients.

FITE'S 5 YEAR VISION

5 YEAR VISION

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

CERTIFICATION Establish a 5-year roadmap leading to a board certification. Establish certification criteria for individuals, AEF programs, endoscopy units, and procedures Establish criteria for FITE COE designation for hospitals and programs Pursue the road map for IE to become an officially accredited specialty Engage legal consultation for the processto establish IE as an officially accredited specialty
Engage similar subspecialty groups in discussions on the process to move to certification Create universal guidelines for hospital privileging & “accreditation” of hospitals through a certification process Establish criteria for FITE COE designation for hospitals and programs Establish IE training as an officially accredited education track with the ACGME Establish a board certification process for IE
Determine the levels of certification for individuals, AEF programs, endoscopy units, and procedures Provide a certificate template for qualifying 4th year training programs
Establish a roadmap for an easy system to serve as a repository for data collection and maintenance for trainees and physicians
ADMINISTRATIVE Create platform of communication via FITE Reassess roles and responsibilities and expand as needed Finalize appropriate reimbursement for complex and novel work
Initiate marketing plans: website, brochures, social media
Establish a calendar of meetings with councilors and committees
Accept initial reports to the executive committee members to the governing board
Define individual executive responsibilities for operations
Establish a document repository for committee work.
CLINICAL CARE/ GUIDEINES Identify areas in need of clinical guidelines Quantify and define metrics for practice and delivery of IE on a consensus basis Establish a platform of collaboration to enhance the presence of IE in oncology and other key specialties Establish a platform of collaboration to enhance the presence of IE in oncology and other key specialties Provide pathways for improvement in programs where quality metrics are beneath benchmarks
Implement quality metrics guidelines with respect to the practice and delivery of IE Establish value-based care models with 3rd party payers
MEMBERSHIP Engage advanced IE program directors, interventionalists in establishing expectations Actively recruit interventionally trained endoscopists Engage other countries for broadening the mission and vision of FITE
Initiate marketing plans: website, brochures, social media Have social media lead defined
Define criteria for levels of membership including grandfathering process, affiliate levels, full membership Define leadership roles for allied health care providers
RESEARCH Establish a FITE research account for industry sponsored studies Establish research PIs for registry trials and multi-site research collaborations Engage other countries for broadening the mission and vision of FITE
Determine need for a research consultant Initiate a study with FITE members
Create a roadmap for developing a collaborative research group Establish data collection tools for collaborative research
Establish a FITE research account for industry sponsored studies Create a national registries platform for programs and society members
Determine need for a research consultant Establish endoscopy research ethics guidelines/SOPs
INDUSTRY RELATIONS Establish and cultivate types of collaborative industry relationships Establish connection with payers for the purpose of creating platforms for reimbursement Establish connection with payers for the purpose of creating platforms for reimbursement Engage other countries for broadening the mission and vision of FITE
Define the financial structure to accept industry support Define an “industry liaison” who will be a relationship manager Define a roadmap for bringing new technologies to market using the power of FITE

Directors and Co-Founders

Governing Board 2021-2022

Committees

For nominations and general queries, please email: [email protected]

Call 804-852-5570

 

Ambassadors

For nominations and general queries, please email: [email protected]

Nominations are closed.