1. The Passions and Actions of Our Lives: Changing the World Around Us
Jeffrey B. Rich, MD 
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 
Volume 98, Issue 3, Pages (September 2014)
DOI: /j.athoracsur
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

2. Fig 1 Congressional testimony. (SGR = sustainable growth rate.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

3. Fig 2
Collaboration with the American College of Cardiology in applying for a national coverage determination (NCD) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

4. Fig 3
Health care spending, American style. Up, up, and still up. Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (GDP = gross domestic product.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

5. Fig 4
At 17.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, US health spending is one and a half as much as any other country, and nearly twice the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average. Total health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product, 2010 (or nearest year). Source: Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development Health Data 2012.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

6. Fig 5
Hospital Insurance Trust Fund balance at beginning of year as a percentage of annual expenditures.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

7. Fig 6
The Virginia Cardiac Surgery Quality Initiative (VCSQI) membership map.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

8. Fig 7
Additive cost of complications: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) only, 2011–2012, n = 5,079. (A-Fib = atrial fibrillation; Op Mort = operative mortality; Perm = permanent; ReOp = reoperation; Vent = ventilation.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

9. Fig 8
Aggregate costs, 2003–2012: Virginia Cardiac Surgery Quality Initiative. Additive costs of complications. (A) All procedures; (B) coronary artery bypass grafting only.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

10. Fig 9
Putting the genie back in the bottle. (STS = Society of Thoracic Surgeons.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

11. Fig 10
In the Commonwealth of Virginia and the states of Michigan, Texas, and Washington, we are continuing to collaborate to provide higher-quality care and focused cost-reduction initiatives.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

12. Jeffrey B. Rich, MD
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions