The ASA
Board of Directors held its annual meeting in Chicago,
Illinois, on Saturday and Sunday, August 16-17, 2003.
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:
Strategic Public Outreach
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
a recommendation that ASA plan, support and oversee
a state-level, proactive communications pilot project
in one or two targeted states. In addition it was
recommended that a budget be created to aid component
societies when special circumstances call for specific
public outreach initiatives. It also was recommended
that the ASA President appoint a dedicated ad hoc
committee to address professional conduct in “physicianship”
specific to the practice of anesthesiology.
Military Component Society
Approved a recommendation that a charter be issued
to the Uniformed Services Society of Anesthesiologists
as a new component society of ASA. Also approved was
a recommendation that ASA provide a start-up grant
of $10,000.
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ASA President James E. Cottrell,
M.D., takes the podium at the ASA Board of
Directors Annual Meeting on August 16-17,
2003, in Chicago, Illinois.
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Standards, Guidelines and Statements
Twenty of ASA’s standards, guidelines and statements
were reviewed by various committees and were affirmed,
revised or referred back for further study. These
actions are subject to House of Delegates approval,
after which the finalized version of each document
will be published in 2004.
Study of Foundation Support
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
six general principles to govern the future funding
of ASA’s foundations, as follows: 1) The foundations’
governance should never be independent of ASA; 2)
It is unlikely that any of the foundations will achieve
financial independence; 3) Financial independence
should no longer be a primary goal of the foundations
or ASA; 4) Barring severe financial difficulty, ASA
should guarantee foundation operating expenses, and
it should be a line item in the ASA budget as described
above; 5) The foundations’ endowments should
be enhanced when ASA or foundation finances permit,
and the foundations must be encouraged to continue
to seek outside support; and 6) On occasion, the foundations
may use their unrestricted endowments to maintain
services during those periods when expenses exceed
ASA and outside support.
2003 and 2004 Budget
Approved amendments to the 2003 budget to provide
for total expenditures of $20,094,380. The 2004 expense
budget of $21,091,875 was approved and will be forwarded
to the House of Delegates for adoption. The 2004 budget
includes funding for the Anesthesia Patient Safety
Foundation (APSF), the Foundation for Anesthesia Education
and Research (FAER) and the Wood Library-Museum of
Anesthesiology (WLM) as follows:
| APSF: $400,000 |
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| FAER: $1,050,000 |
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| WLM: $400,000 |
2004 Dues
Recommended that the House of Delegates approve the
following 2004 membership dues:
| Active Members: $450 |
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| Affiliate Members: $225 |
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| Educational Members: $225 |
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| Resident Members: $25 |
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| Educational Student Members: $25 |
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| Medical Student Members: $10 |
Public Policy Fellowship
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
the establishment of a Public Policy Fellowship whereby
funding would be provided to an ASA member early in
his or her career to pursue an opportunity to work
in the office of a member of Congress. This would
be modeled after the successful program of the Congress
of Neurological Surgeons.
Governmental Affairs Award
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
the establishment of a Governmental Affairs Award
to be bestowed upon an ASA member or other individual
who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution
to advancing the interests of the specialty in its
relationship with one or more governmental entities.
Honorary Membership
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
a recommendation from the New York State Society of
Anesthesiologists to bestow ASA Honorary membership
upon Hugo K. Von Aken, M.D., of Munster, Germany.
Military Anesthesiology
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
the following resolution: RESOLVED that all military
medical centers organize departments of anesthesiology
that are separate from departments of surgery, that
are directed by an anesthesiologist and that contain
all anesthesia providers, and be it further RESOLVED
that the leaders of ASA advocate this policy to leaders
of the military services and members of Congress.
Role of Anesthesiologists/Intensivists in
the Intensive Care Unit
Approved, subject to House of Delegates ratification,
the following resolution: RESOLVED that ASA reaffirm
its support that critical care medicine is part of
the practice of anesthesiology; and be it further
RESOLVED that ASA, through its Critical Care Medicine
and Trauma Medicine Committee (CCMTMC), monitor the
validity and recommendations of the Leapfrog Group;
and be it further RESOLVED that CCMTMC report back
annually to the ASA House of Delegates on the activities
of the Leapfrog Group and the Joint Commission of
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, specifically
with respect to recommendations regarding intensive
care unit practice; and be it further RESOLVED that
the ASA President appoint a task force to develop
ASA’s strategy on the role of critical care
medicine within our specialty and ways to improve
it.
Administrative Procedures
Approved new or amended administrative procedures:
1) governing the selection of the ASA auditor; 2)
establishing the policies and processes for all requests
for electronic surveys to be conducted by ASA committees;
and 3) adapting a formal rapid response plan for the
Society to address important issues in a timely manner.
Liaison Representatives
Jan Ehrenwerth, M.D.,was elected
to a three-year term as representative to the American
Board of Anesthesiology-ASA-American Medical Association
Joint Committee. Roy G. Soto, M.D.,
and Tripti C. Kataria, M.D., received
three-year terms to the Young Physicians Section of
AMA as Delegate and Alternative Delegate, respectively.
Donald E. Martin, M.D., was elected
to a one-year term as representative to the American
Society for Testing and Materials, Committee F-29.
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