January
2002
Volume 66 |
Number
1
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2001
Annual Meeting
House of Delegates Summary |
The House of Delegates of the American Society of Anesthesiologists
met during the Society’s Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana,
October 13-17, 2001. Included in the significant actions of the
House of Delegates were the following:
Officer Elections
Elections were held and the following officers will serve during
2002:
President — Barry M. Glazer, M.D.
President-Elect — James E. Cottrell, M.D.
Immediate Past President — Neil Swissman, M.D.
First Vice-President — Roger W. Litwiller, M.D.
Vice-President for Scientific Affairs — Bruce F. Cullen,
M.D.
Secretary — Thomas H. Cromwell, M.D.
Treasurer — Orin F. Guidry, M.D.
Assistant Secretary — Peter L. Hendricks, M.D.
Assistant Treasurer — Roger A. Moore, M.D.
Speaker of House of Delegates — Eugene P. Sinclair, M.D.
Vice-Speaker of House of Delegates — Candace E. Keller, M.D.
Special Awards
Alan D. Sessler, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota,
was named as the recipient of the 2001 Distinguished Service Award.
David C. Warltier, M.D., Ph.D., Medical College of Wisconsin,
was presented with the 2001 Award for Excellence in Research.
Rhonda Rowland, producer at CNN television and Betsy McCaughey,
Ph.D., a writer for America Outlook magazine, were announced as
recipients of the 2001 Media Awards.
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President Bush Addresses
ASA’s Delegates
Members of the ASA House of Delegates watch a videotaped
message from President George W. Bush during the opening
session on October 14. Referring to the outpouring of public
support in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the
President told the delegates: “I want to thank all
of you in the American Society of Anesthesiologists for
doing your part during the difficult past few days. Whether
it was the doctors who worked overtime to help victims in
New York and Washington or those who gave money and offered
prayers, our nation is blessed by so many dedicated health
care professionals.” (Photography by Chad Evans
Wyatt)
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Membership
for Anesthesiologist Assistants
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous action approving
a new category of Educational Membership for the purpose of making
educational opportunities available to anesthesiologist assistant
members of the anesthesia care team.
Budget
Approved the 2002 Budget, which includes a total income of $19,541,500
and expenses of $19,241,100.
Dues
The following 2002 membership dues were approved:
Active members
$450
Affiliate members $225
Educational members $225
Resident members $25
Medical Student members $10
Again in 2002,
dues may be charged to members’ VISA and MasterCard accounts.
In addition, members may pay their dues online. [You can access
this feature on the ASA Web site <www.ASAhq.org> by clicking
on “Professional Information” and going to “Members
Only Login.”] Appearing on the 2002 dues statement and membership
card will be an acknowledgement that membership in good standing
of ASA requires adherence to the ASA “Guidelines for the
Ethical Practice of Anesthesiology.”
By previous
action of the Board of Directors and House of Delegates, 2002
dues payments will again include support for the Wood Library-Museum
of Anesthesiology, the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and
Research and the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.
Political
Action Committee
Received information that 4,509 ASA members contributed to the
ASAPAC in 2001, with total contributions amounting to $947,862.
Practice
Parameters
Approved the “Practice Advisory for Preanesthesia Evaluation”
and “Practice Guidelines for Postanesthetic Care.” Also
approved the updated practice parameter “Practice Guidelines
for Sedation and Analgesia by Non-Anesthesiologists.” These
practice parameters will be published in the journal Anesthesiology
in spring 2002, and copies are currently available from the ASA
Executive Office.
Guidelines
and Statements
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous approval of the
newly revised American Medical Association (AMA) “Principles
of Medical Ethics” to replace the current AMA principles
appearing in the ASA document “Guidelines for the Ethical
Practice of Anesthesiology.”
Ratified the
Board of Directors previous approval of revisions to the statement
“The Anesthesia Care Team” and “Ethical Guidelines
for the Anesthesia Care of Patients with Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders
or Other Directives that Limit Treatment” and the new “Statement
of Support for Respiratory Therapists.” Also approved revisions
in “Guidelines for Patient Care in Anesthesiology” and
approved a new document “Statement of Principles: Critical
Care and Trauma Medical Services.”
Task Force
on Graduate Medical Education
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous approval of several
recommendations from the Task Force on Graduate Medical Education,
including that ASA contract with a consultant to assist in collecting
various supply/demand data that could be used as a reference when
the total number of residency positions is considered. Also approved
recommendations that the ASA Committee on Governmental Affairs
and the ASA Washington Office study the issue of reimbursement
of practice-employed residents and the cap on the number of funded
residency positions. Approved that these issues be pursued with
federal government agencies if it appears achievable and politically
appropriate. In addition, referred to a committee of the President’s
choice was the consideration of developing a program that would
allow debt forgiveness of graduating residents in exchange for
a limited commitment to academic medicine.
Task Force
on Structure and Governance
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous approval of a number
of recommendations of the Task Force on Structure and Governance,
including the establishment of a new position of Vice-President
for Professional Affairs. Also approved a revision in ASA’s
organizational structure calling for the establishment of new
sections on Administration, Professional Standards, Professional
Practice and Society Subspecialties. These and other recommendations
were referred to the Committee on Bylaws for implementation in
October 2002. Referred to a committee of the President’s
choice a recommendation to study the size and composition of the
Board of Directors and the Administrative Council.
Relative
Value Guide
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous approval of a number
of additions and revisions to the 2002 Relative Value Guide. (Copies
of the 2002 Relative Value Guide will be available in February
2002 through the ASA Executive Office.)
Also ratified
the Board of Directors’ previous approval of a new “Statement
on Transesophageal Echocardiography” (TEE), which is intended
to address funding issues and is not a detailed clinical or scientific
treatise concerning TEE.
Bylaws
Approved Bylaws language for the establishment of a standing Committee
on Rural Access to Anesthesia Care. Also approved new Bylaws language
governing oversight of the Society’s reserve funds. In addition,
new language was approved to allow ASA’s Board of Directors
to participate in a meeting by way of conference telephone or
similar equipment.
Continuing
Medical Education
Approved a recommendation from the Section on Education and Research
for the development of an educational product for the purpose
of providing information to supervising surgeons regarding perioperative
medical management. There was further consensus that the course
material should be available in a variety of formats and that
ASA should define the curriculum but should avoid certifying medical
direction.
Section
on Fiscal Affairs
Approved a recommendation that a committee of the President’s
choice give consideration to alteration of the dues structure
for anesthesiologists financially affected by the war on terrorism.
Web Site
Editorial Board
Ratified the Board of Directors’ previous approval of the
establishment of a new Web Site Editorial Board to consist of
one member each from the committees on Communications, Newsletter,
Outreach Education and Electronic Media and Information Technology.
Board of
Directors
Following adjournment of the House of Delegates on October 17,
2001, the Board of Directors met in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Board members
were elected to serve on the Board of Directors committees on
Administrative Affairs, Finance, Legislative Review and Scientific
Affairs.
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