AAST 2026 Conference Shortlist: 5 Sessions We’re Excited About

Heading to Dallas for the 85th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) & Clinical Congress of Acute Care Surgery?

The meeting brings together trauma and acute care surgery leaders for education, research and conversations about the future of trauma and emergency general surgery.

With a full program to choose from, we’ve shortlisted five sessions that caught our attention for their connection to EHR workflows, trauma registry efficiency, AI, EGS verification and quality improvement.

And see below how NQS is bringing trauma and EGS registry, PI and reporting workflows together for trauma and EGS programs.

1. 5 AAST Sessions to Watch

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Making the EHR Work for You

Wednesday, September 16 | 12:50–2:00 PM

Why this caught our attention:

Trauma teams depend on information that often lives across the EHR, registry and other systems.

A session focused specifically on making the EHR work better connects closely to an important challenge for trauma programs: reducing the friction involved in finding, entering and using the information teams need to do their work.

Augmenting Trauma Registry Abstraction with Artificial Intelligence: A Value-Added Proposal

Wednesday, September 16 | 5:10–5:30 PM

Why this caught our attention:

Trauma registry abstraction is detailed, time-intensive work, making it an especially interesting area for practical applications of AI.

This research presentation looks specifically at using AI to support trauma registry abstraction. It is a particularly relevant conversation as trauma programs consider where automation can reduce manual effort while maintaining the quality and usefulness of registry data.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Surgical Practice

Thursday, September 17 | 2:45–5:45 PM

Why this caught our attention:

AI is quickly becoming part of the conversation across clinical care, data, workflows and healthcare operations.

For trauma and EGS programs, the important question is not simply what AI can do, but where it can practically help teams reduce burden, make better use of information and improve existing workflows.

We’re interested to hear how that broader transformation is being viewed through the lens of surgical practice.

The Nuts and Bolts of Emergency General Surgery Verification: Building, Implementing, and Maturing EGS Programs

Friday, September 18 | 12:15–1:30 PM

Why this caught our attention:

Building and maturing an EGS program requires more than clinical expertise. Programs also need the processes, data and infrastructure to support quality work and continued development.

A session specifically focused on the practical side of EGS verification feels particularly relevant as organizations formalize and strengthen their EGS programs.

Fostering Resilience in Geriatric Acute Care Surgery: Integrating ACS Geriatric Surgery Verification Principles Into Trauma and Emergency General Surgery Quality Programs

Friday, September 18 | 12:15–1:30 PM

Why this caught our attention:

This session title brings together several important areas: geriatric surgical care, ACS verification principles, trauma, EGS and quality programs.

That intersection highlights a broader challenge for trauma and EGS teams: turning standards and specialized care requirements into quality processes that can be consistently tracked, reviewed and improved.

Note: This session takes place at the same time as the EGS verification session above, so attendees will need to choose between the two.

View more info on the full AAST 2026 conference information and program

2. Demo the NQS Trauma Registry + EGS Registry + PI Flex at Booth #522

September 16–18 at AAST 2026

NQS will be at Booth #522, showcasing its Trauma and EGS Registries alongside its PI Flex integrated performance improvement software designed to support the way each hospital manages PI and loop closure.

Stop by to meet our team and explore how NQS brings registries, PI and reporting together across trauma and EGS programs.

At the booth, attendees can:

• Explore the NQS Trauma and EGS registries
• See how PI Flex connects registry and performance improvement work
• Learn how PI Flex is configurable around your hospital’s process
• Try the PI Planner free tool to design your PI process
• Use reporting and dashboards to understand outcomes, trends and program performance
• Request a sandbox version to try with your team

Not attending? You can still connect

If you’re not attending AAST 2026, you can still learn more about NQS Trauma Registry, NQS EGS Registry, and PI Flex, or try it before committing.

See You at AAST 2026

Events like AAST highlight how trauma and emergency general surgery continue to evolve.

New technology, AI, EHR workflows, verification requirements, quality improvement and better use of program data are becoming increasingly connected.

For trauma and EGS programs, one practical opportunity is clear:

Make it easier for teams to access trusted data, manage their workflows and turn information into action.

If you’ll be at AAST 2026, consider adding these sessions to your schedule and visiting NQS Booth #522 to meet the NQS team.