By Vanessa Salvia
The American College of Phlebology (ACP) has changed its name to the American Vein & Lymphatic Society (AVLS). The organization is still working on its new logo. The American College of Phlebology Foundation will be known as the Foundation for Venous and Lymphatic Disease, or FVLD.
During the closing presentations of the 2018 ACP Congress in Nashville on Nov. 10, Neal Khilnani, MD, president of the ACP Board of Directors, unveiled the organization’s new name. After the announcement, the room erupted with a standing ovation.
“It is a name that describes what we do and where we are along the timeline of our progress more so than the name we had before,” Dr. Khilnani said in his speech. “It clearly defines our area of specialty and it shows we’ve grown beyond our role as the college. Our moniker will become AVLS.”
Over the years, the American College of Phlebology has moved away from being a “college” and is now a well-rounded research, education and advocacy organization. Dr. Khilnani said the word phlebology in the name had also begun to feel limiting. As a result, the organization polled its leadership, industry partners and membership to find the core identities that a new name and logo should convey.
“We took all of that information in and identified core elements that were very important to us,” Dr. Khilnani explained. “Displaying an American heritage was important to us in the context of where we’re from and the system we work in. We wanted as much as possible to link ourselves to the organization that was formerly known as the ACP and at the same time it was important to say who we are today very clearly.”
The new name needed to include the concept of phlebology but minimize the hurdles that the words phlebology, vein and venous emphasized. It was also important to bring in the lymphatic community.
“We wanted to move away from the limitations of phlebology and introduce the importance that we place on the affiliation and association of lymphatic care for our particular organization and also for the patients, who at this point do not have a place where they can go to get doctors who can give them advice and care in the lymphatic area,” he said. “It’s going to become clear where to go for resources and expertise.”
Dr. Khilnani enjoyed the rare moment of being both the last president of the American College of Phlebology, as well as the first president of the American Vein & Lymphatic Society.
More than 1,200 guests and exhibitors were at the 2018 Annual Congress, of which 896 were registered attendees. The 2019 Annual Congress will be Nov. 7-9 at the J.W. Marriott in Phoenix.
STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN VEIN AND LYMPHATIC SOCIETY
Dec. 11, 2019
The members of the American College of Phlebology (ACP) have voted to change their name to the American Vein and Lymphatic Society (AVLS). The name change is a part of the Society’s mission and vision to provide advocacy efforts, research opportunities and superior education to members and the field of venous and lymphatic medicine. It is important for the identity of the society and its members to address and provide appropriate treatment to lymphatic patients, as well as venous patients. Thus, the leadership of the organization determined a name change was essential for the AVLS’ continued growth as a medical society. In addition, the American College of Phlebology Foundation will become the Foundation for Venous and Lymphatic Disease.
“Our goal with this name change is for our members and the medical world at large to better understand who we serve and how we will serve them,” said Dr. Marlin Schul, President of the AVLS. “We are a society, a place for venous and lymphatic healthcare professionals to gather, exchange ideas, research and learn from each other.”
While the ACP had strong recognition within the field of vein disease, outside of the field the term “phlebology” was less known. As the society worked to increase recognition within the AMA and with public and private payors, the leadership realized a switch in terminology would help our society continue to grow in these arenas.
The board of directors and other leaders spent several months discussing in depth what our name means and what elements in a name are essential. After hours of discussions, member surveys and conversations with our membership, the board of directors unanimously voted to change the name to American Vein and Lymphatic Society. The membership was informed at the 2018 ACP Annual Congress in Nashville, Tennessee and received the news with a standing ovation. The announcement was followed by a member vote that passed by an overwhelming majority.
“This is a pivotal moment in the identity of our Society,” said Dean J Bender, Executive Director of the AVLS. “We are embracing both venous and lymphatic medicine as well as expanding our influence to include not only education, but also advocacy and research in our field.”
About the American College of Phlebology/American Vein & Lymphatic Society
The American College of Phlebology (ACP), now the American Vein & Lymphatic Society (AVLS) is the largest association for physicians and allied health professionals concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of venous and lymphatic disorders, such as varicose and spider veins, venous ulcers and DVT. Comprised of almost 2,000 members, the AVLS is a forum to exchange medical knowledge, best practices and the latest treatment options, as well as offering continuing live and online education and training aimed at improving the quality of patient care. For over 30 years, the AVLS has been an advocate for the advancement of vein and lymphatic care through education, resources and research.
For more information about the American Vein and Lymphatic Society, visit www.veinandlymph.org.
