American College of Surgeons

What American College of Surgeons does

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a U.S.-based nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1913 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, operating as the "House of Surgery" for U.S. surgeons and the hospitals in which they practice. ACS serves a membership of more than 95,000 surgeons and trainees, including 68,000 Fellows (FACS), 2,600 Associate Fellows, plus Resident, Medical Student, and Affiliate members, and its institutional customers include hospitals participating in trauma, cancer, bariatric, pediatric, geriatric, vascular, and emergency general surgery accreditation programs. Beyond credentialing individual surgeons, ACS runs an integrated portfolio of more than 25 accreditation, verification, registry, and education programs (CoC, NSQIP, TQIP, MBSAQIP, NAPBC, NAPRC, Trauma VRC, CSV, EGS, GSV, Vascular Verification), data registries (NSQIP, TQIP, NCDB, Firearm Injury Dataset), clinical decision support tools (adult, pediatric, and bariatric Surgical Risk Calculators), and educational platforms (ATLS, SESAP, ACS LMS, JACS, Simulation in Surgical Education Course), supported by an ACS Quality Portal and an ACS Store for standards and publications.

ACS generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership dues from individual surgeons, recurring hospital participation fees for quality and accreditation programs, and event and educational program revenue (notably Clinical Congress and the QSCC), supplemented by publication, merchandise, and philanthropy through the wholly-owned ACS Foundation. Its go-to-market is enterprise-grade and membership-led, reaching members through accredited institutions, regional and international chapters in approximately 35 countries, Clinical Congress and QSCC conferences, the peer-reviewed JACS journal, the ACS Bulletin and ACS Brief newsletters, the Operative Word podcast, social channels, and patient-facing Find a Surgeon / Find a Hospital directories. Strategic depth is reinforced by joint programs with peer societies, most prominently the MBSAQIP partnership with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), and by advocacy infrastructure including federal and state policy tracking and SurgeonsPAC.

Name

American College of Surgeons

Legal name

American College of Surgeons

Website

https://facs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The American College of Surgeons is a Chicago-based nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1913 that sets surgical standards, accredits hospital programs, runs national outcomes registries (NSQIP, TQIP, NCDB), and serves 95,000+ surgeon members across 35 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Surgical Association & Healthcare Accreditation

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC), Healthcare Providers (EDABALAN)

Keywords

• Surgical accreditation services
• Medical quality improvement
• Surgical education programs
• Healthcare standards development
• Professional medical association

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Fees: ACS generates revenue primarily through membership dues from Fellows, Associate Fellows, Resident Members, Medical Student Members, and Affiliate Members across various categories
2. Accreditation and Verification Fees: Hospitals and surgical programs pay for accreditation services including Commission on Cancer, NSQIP, TQIP, MBSAQIP, and various verification programs
3. Educational Programs and Courses: Revenue from simulation courses, surgical skills courses, online education (SESAP), CME programs, and conference registrations including Clinical Congress
4. ACS Store and Publications: Sale of standards manuals, guidelines, educational materials, and branded merchandise through the ACS Store

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The American College of Surgeons is a professional medical membership organization that delivers surgical accreditation, verification, and quality improvement programs to hospitals, alongside continuing education, clinical decision support tools, national surgical data registries, and standards development for surgeons and healthcare institutions. It also offers membership credentialing (Fellowship/Associate Fellowship), peer-reviewed publications, conferences, and humanitarian/global surgery programs under "THE HOUSE OF SURGERY®" trademark.

Product overview

The American College of Surgeons operates a portfolio of accreditation and verification programs, quality improvement initiatives, educational resources, and clinical tools rather than a single unified software product. The core programs include quality verification (QVP), surgical quality databases (NSQIP, NSQIP Pediatric), trauma programs (VRC, TQIP, ATLS), and cancer accreditation (CoC, NAPBC, NAPRC). Supporting infrastructure includes clinical decision support tools (Surgical Risk Calculators, Bariatric Risk Calculator), the ACS Quality Portal for data access, and education platforms (ACS LMS, SESAP, Simulation in Surgical Education Course). The organization also publishes the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and maintains cancer staging standards through the AJCC. ACS HOPE manages global humanitarian and volunteer surgical programs. These offerings function as a coordinated ecosystem of professional standards, measurement, and education programs for surgical practitioners and institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACS Foundation: Charitable foundation supporting the mission of the American College of Surgeons through fundraising and donor programs

Products and services

• Quality Verification Program (QVP) Comprehensive quality program providing criteria to help hospitals successfully complete quality improvement projects and achieve optimal surgical outcomes through verified standards. For hospitals and health systems seeking institutional quality improvement.
• National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Risk-adjusted surgical outcomes database and quality benchmarking program collecting standardized clinical data to measure and improve patient outcomes across participating hospitals. For hospitals participating in surgical quality improvement.
• NSQIP Pediatric Pediatric-specific version of NSQIP focused on surgical quality improvement for children's surgical care. For children's hospitals and pediatric surgical programs.
• Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Joint initiative with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery providing accreditation for bariatric surgery centers, ensuring standardized quality and safety standards. For hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers offering metabolic and bariatric surgery.
• Commission on Cancer (CoC) Accreditation Accreditation program ensuring multidisciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered cancer care through standards for cancer programs, research, and quality improvement. For hospitals and cancer treatment centers.
• National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) Accreditation for breast centers providing comprehensive breast care including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care. For breast centers and multidisciplinary breast care programs.
• National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Accreditation program ensuring high-quality, multidisciplinary care for rectal cancer patients with standardized treatment protocols. For hospitals and health systems offering rectal cancer surgery programs.
• Trauma Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program Program that verifies trauma centers through on-site reviews to ensure optimal patient outcomes across the continuum of trauma care. For hospitals seeking Level I/II/III/IV trauma center designation.
• Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) Quality improvement program collecting trauma data to benchmark outcomes and improve trauma care through evidence-based practices. For trauma centers participating in quality benchmarking.
• Children's Surgery Verification (CSV) Program Verification program ensuring children's surgery programs have appropriate resources, personnel, and capabilities for pediatric surgical patients. For hospitals with pediatric surgical services.
• Emergency General Surgery (EGS) Verification Program Verification program establishing standards for emergency general surgery care ensuring hospitals have necessary resources for acute surgical conditions. For hospitals providing emergency general surgery services.
• Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) Program Verification program ensuring hospitals have resources and protocols to provide optimal surgical care for older adult patients. For hospitals with geriatric surgical programs.
• Vascular Verification Program Verification program establishing standards for vascular surgery programs ensuring appropriate resources and capabilities for vascular patients. For hospitals with vascular surgery services.
• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Internationally recognized trauma education course teaching standardized approaches to trauma patient assessment and management. For physicians and surgeons treating trauma patients.
• ACS Simulation in Surgical Education Course 4-day course teaching fundamentals of surgical simulation teaching and feedback, including roundtable discussions on AI, Blackbox, simulation center administration, and DIY low-cost simulation models. For surgeons seeking to engage in surgical education and mentorship.
• Surgical Risk Calculator Web-based calculator that estimates postoperative complication risks based on patient preoperative information. For surgeons and surgical teams planning adult procedures.
• Pediatric Surgical Risk Calculator Risk calculator for estimating postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients. For pediatric surgeons and care teams.
• Bariatric Surgical Risk/Benefit Calculator Calculator providing estimates of bariatric surgery risks, complications, remission of weight-related comorbidities, and weight loss outcomes for four primary bariatric procedures. For bariatric surgeons and patients considering metabolic and bariatric surgery.
• Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) Monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing surgical research, clinical trials, and reviews. For surgeons, researchers, and medical professionals seeking current surgical literature.
• SESAP (Surgical Education Self-Assessment Program) Comprehensive self-assessment and continuing education program for surgeons covering essential surgical knowledge and competencies, delivered as an annual subscription. For practicing surgeons maintaining CME and self-assessment requirements.
• Cancer Surgery Standards Program (CSSP) Program developing and implementing operative standards for cancer surgery, including technical standards, protocols, and training resources. For surgeons and cancer programs performing oncologic surgery.
• American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging System Standardized cancer staging system used for classifying cancer severity, treatment planning, and prognosis determination, including the AJCC Staging Online platform and cancer staging protocols. For oncologists, cancer registrars, and cancer programs.
• National Cancer Database (NCDB) Comprehensive cancer database containing clinical and survival data from hospital cancer programs, used for quality improvement and research. For CoC-accredited cancer programs and oncology researchers.
• STOP THE BLEED National injury prevention program teaching bleeding control techniques to bystanders to improve survival from life-threatening bleeding. For the general public, first responders, schools, and workplaces.
• ACS HOPE (Humanitarian and Outpatient Program for Excellence) International and domestic humanitarian programs including global surgery partnerships, volunteerism awards, and clinical training initiatives in underserved areas. For surgeons engaging in global humanitarian surgery and ACS HOPE program participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% lower mortality rate at NAPRC-accredited hospitals
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USF Health Morsani College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Academic health system partnership with Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute that underpins research and clinical operations. Tampa General received $3.1 million NIH grant for colorectal cancer research under this partnership.
• Tampa General HospitalminorOthers · 10 April 2026Tampa General Hospital and Muma Children's Hospital renewed Level I Trauma Center verification by ACS Committee on Trauma, extending accreditation through January 2029.
• University of Kentucky Markey Cancer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Co-authored study on smoking cessation in cancer care published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. Research demonstrated the Beyond ASK quality improvement initiative developed by ACS Commission on Cancer.
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026Survey of 92 clinicians distributed through ASCO research network for melanoma immunotherapy study presented at ACS Clinical Congress. ASCO's research network provided access to oncology clinician respondents.
• Chest Wall Injury SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Endorsed the ACS Best Practices Guidelines for Managing Chest Wall Injuries. Society collaboration ensures guidelines meet clinical standards for rib and sternal fracture treatment.
• Orthopaedic Trauma AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Endorsed the ACS Best Practices Guidelines for Managing Chest Wall Injuries. Association provides orthopaedic trauma expertise for comprehensive guidelines.
• Singing River Health SystemminorOthers · 29 October 2025Singing River Health System earned ACS National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) certification, becoming the only health system in Mississippi with this distinction.
• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025Joint initiative with ACS to accredit metabolic and bariatric surgery centers through MBSAQIP (Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program). Both organizations jointly set standards and conduct accreditation reviews.
• MedStar HealthminorOthers · 19 August 2025MedStar St. Mary's Hospital received MBSAQIP re-accreditation for bariatric surgery and ACS Surgical Quality Partner designation.
• Veterans Health AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACS maintains Military Health System Strategic Partnership providing surgical quality standards, education, and collaboration with military healthcare facilities.
• ACS FoundationcoreOthersACS Foundation supports surgical education, research, and humanitarian programs through philanthropy. Named lectures, scholarships, and awards are funded through the Foundation.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Medical Association: The largest U.S. physician membership organization, overlapping ACS in advocacy, CME, and physician credentialing, but covering all specialties rather than surgery specifically. Comparable as a member-funded professional association with substantial publication and accreditation operations.
• The Joint Commission: Dominant U.S. hospital accreditation body competing with ACS on quality verification. Comparable revenue model (institutional fees for accreditation surveys) and overlapping customer base of U.S. hospitals.

Direct peers

• Society of Thoracic Surgeons: Surgical specialty society running the STS National Database, ACGME-aligned training standards, and member education. Directly analogous to ACS in mission, data-asset strategy, and member-funded economics.
• American College of Cardiology: Specialty college operating NCDR registries, accreditation programs (Chest Pain, Heart Failure), and member education. Highly comparable to ACS in combining clinical registries, hospital accreditation, and member subscriptions.
• American College of Physicians: The largest U.S. medical specialty college (internal medicine), operating the same member-funded, CME-driven, standards-setting model as ACS. Directly comparable in scale, governance structure, and revenue mix of dues, education, and publications.
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Specialty college for orthopaedic surgeons running parallel accreditation, education, annual meeting, and registry programs (AJRR). Closest surgical-subspecialty peer to ACS in operating model and member services.
• American Osteopathic Association: National professional society for osteopathic physicians operating member services, continuing education, and certification. Comparable in dues-funded, mission-driven operating model serving a defined physician community.

Emerging players

• National Committee for Quality Assurance: Independent nonprofit offering accreditation and quality measurement programs across healthcare. Comparable as a fee-based accreditation organization addressing similar institutional buyers and increasingly competing in value-based care quality programs.

Regional players

• Royal College of Surgeons of England: U.K.-based surgical college with parallel fellowship credential (FRCS), accreditation, and education activities. Comparable as an international counterpart addressing the same surgeon community with similar standards-based model.

Others

• Council of Medical Specialty Societies: Umbrella organization representing specialty societies including ACS itself. Comparable as an ecosystem participant but relevant mainly as a venue where ACS collaborates with peer specialty colleges on cross-cutting quality initiatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/amcollsurgeons
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AmCollegeofSurgeons
• Facebookfacebook.com/amcollsurgeons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-college-of-surgeons
• Instagraminstagram.com/amcollsurgeons

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American College of Surgeons