May 2001
Volume 65 |
Number 5
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| Board
of Directors Interim Meeting Summary |
The ASA Board of Directors held its interim meeting in Chicago,
Illinois, on Saturday and Sunday, March 3-4, 2001. The Board Committees
on Administrative Affairs, Finance, Legislative Review and Scientific
Affairs met as Review Committees on Saturday to review reports
for consideration by the Board of Directors on Sunday. Among the
actions taken by the Board of Directors were the following:
HCFA Proposal
In order for ASA to continue its effort to reverse a decision
by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) that would
remove the Medicare program's requirement for physician supervision
of nurse anesthetists, additional funding was approved for lobbyists,
consultants and media placements.
Drug Shortages
Received information that ASA members and staff have been working
with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement
Administration and pharmaceutical manufacturers to uncover reasons
behind the shortage and to propose solutions.
Reimbursement
Received information that ASA has persuaded HCFA to increase
the Medicare conversion factor for 2001 to $17.83 from the originally
proposed $17.26. This amounts to a projected $1,846.80 increase
of Medicare reimbursement for the average practicing anesthesiologist.
This increase was the result of ASA's challenge of the calculations
used by HCFA in establishing the original $17.26 figure.
Educational Mission Statement
Revised, subject to ratification by the House of Delegates, ASA's
Educational Mission Statement that was previously approved in
1999. This statement is in accordance with Essential Area 1 of
the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education that
states: the provider must have a written statement of its continuing
medical education (CME) mission that includes the purpose, content
areas, target audience, type of activities provided and expected
results of the program.
National Center for Clinical Outcomes Research
Approved a resolution that ASA accept an invitation from the
National Center for Clinical Outcomes Research (NCCOR) to send
an observer to participate in future deliberations of the NCCOR
Governing Board. It was emphasized that the acceptance of this
invitation would not be construed as an endorsement of NCCOR or
any commercial organizations that provide NCCOR with financial
support, and that this acceptance of observer status will be on
a trial basis and subject to regular periodic reconsiderations
by ASA.
2001 Budget
Amended the 2001 budget to provide income of $19,489,000 and
expenses of $20,214,000.
Fiscal Management Policy
Approved a new Fiscal Management Policy as a compilation of ASA's
policies and procedures that govern how the Society's finances
are managed. It is anticipated that this document, prepared by
the Section on Fiscal Affairs, will regularly be updated as the
bylaws, administrative procedures or business practices change.
Separate Component for Federal Employees
Referred to an ad hoc committee of the President's choice, with
representation from at least the Committees on Bylaws, Membership
and Uniformed Services and Veterans’ Affairs, a resolution for
ASA to create a separate component for members under the employ
of the federal government, with a report to the Board of Directors
at its meeting in August 2001.
Task Force on Graduate Medical Education
Received information that ASA President Neil Swissman, M.D.,
has appointed a Task Force on Graduate Medical Education to study
ways that ASA can support academic anesthesiology in accomplishing
its mission of educating the next generation of anesthesiologists.
Speakers Bureau
Approved a recommendation from the Committee on Communications
that ASA establish a Speakers Bureau, which will be a compilation
of skilled and informed speakers who would be available to speak
on a wide variety of both scientific and nonscientific topics.
Audiences could include other specialty societies or other appropriate
organizations for medical and lay audiences. The committee intends
to liaison with the ASA Scientific Council to develop this list
of speakers.
Specialty Society Exhibits
Approved a recommendation from the Committee on Communications
that ASA sponsor an exhibit booth at the American College of Surgeons’
meeting in October 2001, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and at the
American Society of Plastic Surgery November 2001 meeting in Orlando,
Florida.
Ralph M. Waters, M.D., Jubilee
Approved a resolution, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
that ASA proclaim and celebrate the year 2002 as the 75th anniversary
of the founding of academic anesthesiology by Ralph M. Waters,
M.D.
Practice Parameters
Received information that updates of the Guidelines for Management
of the Difficult Airway, Guidelines for Pulmonary Artery Catheterization
and Guidelines for Sedation and Analgesia by Non-Anesthesiologists
are scheduled to be presented at the October 2001 ASA House of
Delegates for approval.
Statement on Transesophageal Echocardiography
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification, a new Statement
on Transesophageal Echocardiography that is intended to address
bundling issues.
Statement of Support for Respiratory Therapists
Approved, subject to ratification by the House of Delegates,
a “Statement of Support for Respiratory Therapists that expresses
ASA's support of National Board for Respiratory Care-credentialed
therapists using physician-approved, patient-driven respiratory
protocols to provide the highest quality, safest and most efficacious
respiratory care under the direction of a knowledgeable physician.
Task Forces
Received information on the appointment of a Task Force on Rural
Access to Anesthesia Care, chaired by Robert S. Crumrine, M.D.,
the reappointment of a Task Force on Office-Based Anesthesia,
chaired by Rebecca S. Twersky, M.D., and a Task Force on Structure
and Governance, chaired by Burton S. Epstein, M.D.
Certificate in Business Administration Program (CBA)
Received information that 84 ASA members have enrolled in the
Certificate in Business Administration Program sponsored by the
ASA Committee on Practice Management.
Liaison with Capnography Society
Approved a recommendation from the ASA’s Committee on Standards
of Care that ASA establish liaison with the Capnography Society.
Randolph H. Steadman, M.D., a member of the Committee on Standards
of Care, was appointed to a two-year term as ASA liaison representative.
Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER)
Received information that year-2000 contributions totaled $1.8
million. ASA contributed $1,050,000 to FAER in 2000. In addition
to ASA’s contribution, it was reported that more than 350 individual
anesthesiologists and private practice groups contributed, as
well as five new corporations. Ten returning corporations increased
their donations.
Anesthesia Consultation Program
Due to increased costs related to various administrative services
associated with conducting anesthesia consultations, a recommendation
from the Committee on Quality Management and Departmental Administration
was approved to increase fees for a two-day and three-day anesthesia
consultation to $17,000 and $21,000, respectively. It was emphasized
that these fees continue to be well below the cost of similar
services in the marketplace, but still allow the program to maintain
its self-funded status.
Annual Meeting Site 2013
Selected San Francisco, California as the location of the ASA
Annual Meeting in October 2013.
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