Revenge of the Nerds: STA Comes of Age

In the movie “Revenge of the Nerds,” a group of, shall we say, somewhat offbeat fraternity brothers find acceptance on campus based upon their accomplishments in a competition with another fraternity. Not to push the analogy too literally, the Society for Technology in Anesthesia (STA) grew out of the need to publish and discuss research that did not find an audience in the established journals and anesthesiology meetings of the time. It is therefore a milestone for STA to be invited to contribute to this issue of the ASA NEWSLETTER along with the more traditional subspecialty societies.

Almost 20 years ago, a small group of anesthesiologists founded STA. At that time, standards for intraoperative monitoring had not been established, yet the increasing role of technology in anesthesiology practice was obvious. The founding group recognized the importance of dialogue between clinicians and developers of medical technology as well as the need for scientific investigation into the role of technology in clinical practice.

From its humble roots, STA has grown to be a vibrant organization. STA members are clinicians, educators, students, engineers, marketers, executives and virtually anyone with an interest in the use of technology in anesthesiology care. STA now organizes a breakfast panel each year at the ASA Annual Meeting, and there are numerous abstracts in the technology section. STA also is a component society affiliated with Anesthesia & Analgesia, with representation on the editorial board and numerous manuscripts submitted to the journal’s section on technology and computing.

STA sponsors several programs each year intended to foster dialogue about the role of technology in clinical practice. The Annual Meeting is the major event for STA each year and a metaphor for the Society as a whole. Attendees find a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere, combined with a stimulating program and an audience given to sharing expertise and critically examining how technology impacts patient care. Topics such as human performance, new monitoring technologies, novel approaches to therapy, simulation, physiologic modeling and clinical information technology are explored in formal lectures, scientific sessions, workshops and small-group discussions. STA also sponsors a meeting devoted solely to computing in anesthesiology immediately following the ASA meeting each year.

Supporting research is an important aspect of the STA mission. The STA research award program is designed to provide seed money to young investigators starting research programs that explore the use of technology in clinical practice. A $5,000 award is available annually, and the funds add up each year the grant is not awarded. STA also recognizes important research with awards presented at both the ASA Annual Meeting and the STA Annual Meeting. In addition STA makes annual contributions to the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research and the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.

One recent STA accomplishment involves the birth of the Society for Medical Simulation (SMS). The simulation movement has strong roots in anesthesiology, and in its early stages, it faced the challenge of finding a meeting venue to share research and meet with colleagues. After several years of nurturing simulation as a component of the STA Annual Meeting, the simulation group has grown to encompass numerous medical specialties. Attendance at the simulation meeting has grown to the point where an independent annual meeting is warranted. STA is proud to have played a role in creating SMS, which is destined to grow into a vibrant organization in its own right.

The influence of technology on anesthesiology practice continues to be significant. The national interest in patient safety has highlighted how poor equipment design can lead to medical errors and also how technology can help to prevent them. Whereas patient monitoring was a major topic in the early years of STA, technology topics now encompass simulation, medical informatics, human factors, operating room management systems, information technology, online educational programs and credentialing. We are currently faced with major changes in anesthesia delivery systems as well as questions about the role of ultrasound in anesthesiology practice and how to best integrate information systems into clinical practice. Closed-loop drug delivery and wireless systems are just around the corner.

At the conclusion of the film “Revenge of the Nerds,” a large group of students leaves the bleachers to join the nerd fraternity. STA is not just a society for “techies” but offers something for everyone involved in the practice of anesthesiology. Indeed many STA members can be found on the membership rolls of other subspecialty societies. We welcome new members and hope that you will join us at one of our events this year. Specific information about the meetings, research awards and other STA programs can be found on the STA Web site at <www.anestech.org>.

Jeffrey M. Feldman, M.D., is Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.