Gregory K. Unruh, M.D.

As Chair of the Committee on Credentials of the House of Delegates, I have the privilege of working with a group of dedicated individuals who rise early on Sunday and Wednesday mornings of the Annual Meeting. They make sure the House is properly seated by the time the Speaker of the House calls on the Assistant Secretary for notice of a quorum. The check-in process also assures the Speaker of the actual number of seated delegates to compare to votes cast for candidates or on issues before the House.

After many years of using “credential cards” to seat the House, we did away with them last year and replaced them with a roster system. It seemed like many delegates misplaced or forgot to bring their cards or attended the House without them, with resultant snafus. The new system worked very well. The roster is populated by the Secretary of each component society and provided to ASA staff prior to the Annual Meeting. The Committee on Credentials resolves any questions about whom to seat, including seating of alternate delegates and alternate directors. If you or your component society plans to seat someone other than the individual listed on the roster, please bring a letter from your component secretary informing us of your plans.

The House is considering many important issues this year, including the report from the Task Force on Payment Methodology. We anticipate that this one issue will require a great deal of education, discussion and consideration. ASA President Roger W. Litwiller, M.D., has appointed a fifth reference committee this year for just this one report. This reference committee will meet at 12:30 p.m. for a presentation and ensuing discussion. The other reference committees will convene at 2 p.m. to begin their deliberations. To get everything accomplished, the House will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday this year. The Committee on Credentials respectfully encourages you to arrive early to be properly credentialed and seated. We appreciate your cooperation! Please also thank the hard-working, efficient and early-rising members of the Committee on Credentials for their efforts!

As I write this article, I have just returned from the ASA Board of Directors meeting in Chicago. As always, it is a pleasure to be involved in a meeting with so many bright and enthusiastic individuals who work hard on behalf of the Society. It is always amazing to observe the discussion and see how others come at each report from different angles and constituencies. In addition to the Task Force on Payment Methodology report at the Annual Meeting, look for reports and debate on sedation guidelines, medical student involvement in the Resident Component, Task Force on the Future of Critical Care, ASA support for small component societies, the BUDGET (!!!) and a whole host of other issues. It should be a great meeting.

Dr. Litwiller and the Executive Committee, along with selected other individuals, have been conducting regular meetings with a similar group of leaders from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). I have been following the reports from these meetings with skeptical optimism. Prior to the August board meeting, I participated in the joint meeting of the ASA Administrative Council and the AANA Board of Directors. Under the tutelage of facilitators from the ThoughtBridge Company, I learned some listening and communication techniques and some approaches to negotiation as well as some ideas about interests, options and legitimacy of opposing parties. I learned to know some members of AANA as people. I am hopeful that the process will yield some results that will benefit both societies and allow ASA to divert time, money and effort away from some of our recent battles. The process may be long, arduous and contentious, but it is at least beginning, and I believe that is a good thing.

In my NEWSLETTER article last year, I made the following observation: “The thing that continues to make the biggest impression on me about ASA is the volunteerism. Watching the officers, committee chairs and members, task forces, directors, delegates and alternates all giving of their time, talents, efforts and monies to better ASA, medicine and the practice of anesthesiology is truly awesome.” I continue to feel this way about all of these people. This is a great Society, and it is because of you, the members and the folks I have described above. When you see these people giving of their time and efforts to help ASA accomplish its mission on behalf of our members and our patients, please remember to thank them and tell them we all appreciate them! Thanks go to you, the members, for your support, vision and communication to allow this Society to represent you in the best possible way.


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