title: An Assessment of the Industry-Faculty Surgeon Relationship Within Colon and Rectum Surgical Training Programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Industry funding of surgical training programs poses a potential conflict of interest. With the recent implementation of the Sunshine Act, industry funding can be more accurately determined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the financial relationship between faculty surgeons within colon and rectal fellowship programs and industry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of industry funding based on the first reporting period (August-December, 2013) using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services online database.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACGME certified colon and rectum surgical fellowship programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overall, 343 Faculty surgeons from 55 colon and rectum surgical fellowship programs were identified using the American Board of Colon and Rectum Surgery website. There was complete identification of faculty surgeons in 47 (85.5%) programs, partially complete identification (i.e., >80%) in 6 (10.9%) programs, and inadequate identification of faculty in 2 (3.6%) programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Industry funding as defined by the Sunshine Act included general payments (honorariums, consulting fees, food and beverage, and travel), research payments, and amount invested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 69.1% of program directors and 59.4% of other faculty received at least one payment during the reporting period (Δ9.7%, 95% CI: -4.4% to 23.8%, p = 0.18). Program directors received higher amounts of funding than other faculty ($7072.90 vs. $2,819.29, Δ$4,253.61, 95% CI: $1132-$7375, p = 0.008). Overall, 49 of 53 (93%) programs had surgeons receive funding, with a median of 3.5 surgeons receiving funding per program. A total of 65 companies made payments to surgeons, with 80.1% of the funding categorized as general payments, 16.2% as investments, and 3.7% as research payments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Industry funding was common. This financial relationship poses a potential conflict of interest in training fellows for future practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York; Department of Surgery, Kingston General Hospital/Queens University, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: patels2@kgh.kari.net.
authors.forename: Sunil V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klingel
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Toyooki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sonoda
mesh_terms: D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D030881:Disclosure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000191:economics*; D005378:Financial Support; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D014481:United States
keywords: Colorectal fellowship; Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; Professionalism; faculty; industry funding; residency program