President's Update, September 15, 2009
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The late William H. King, MD received the TSA Distinguished Service Award at our Annual Meeting.
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John Zerwas, MD is running for ASA First Vice President in 2010. If elected, Dr. Zerwas would be in the direct queue to the ASA Presidency.
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Mary Dale Peterson, MD is running for ASA Assistant Treasurer in 2010.
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Susan Curling, MD announced her candidacy for Texas State Representative for District 127.
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United States Representative, Gene Green (D-TX, District 29-Houston) gave the Betty P. Stephenson Lectureship at the Annual Meeting.
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Maryland State Senator and practicing anesthesiologist, Andy Harris, MD, visited our Annual Meeting. Dr. Harris is running for U.S. Representative as a Republican from Maryland’s First Congressional District. If his campaign for election in 2010 is successful, he would be the first anesthesiologist member of the United States Congress.
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The Economics Committee, under the leadership of the new Chairman, David Bryant, MD, is beginning a new effort to address low Medicaid payment rates to anesthesiologists. Also, the Economics Committee is working with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) to assist them in creating a notification process to help keep TSA members informed of BCBS policy changes. The TSA’s involvement will be supplemental only, and will NOT replace BCBS’s obligation to communicate with its contracted physicians and physicians’ practices.
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The Professional Development Committee will work with the Education Committee and Anesthesiology Residency Programs in Texas to create a mechanism to provide education to residents about basic economic and political issues related to the specialty of anesthesiology. The Board endorses this activity as an investment in the future anesthesiologists of Texas.
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The Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) is making plans to attend the TMA Specialty Society Legislative Retreat in October. This is an important strategic meeting with our physician colleagues from other specialties. We want to publicize and shore up support for our issues and look ahead to the 82nd Texas Legislature. Some of our hottest legislative issues include scope of practice for CRNA’s, licensure for anesthesiologist assistants, the corporate practice of medicine, potential “Opt-out” for supervision of CRNA’s, and challenges to tort reform.
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The GAC is considering expanding Anesthesia Day at the Texas Capitol to a 2-day format. This would allow for a day dedicated to discussion and member interaction about active political issues, while reserving the second day for advocacy visits to our state legislators. The next Anesthesia Day (or Days) will coincide with the 82nd Texas Legislative Session in the first half of 2011.
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The Board discussed the disturbing, and increasingly common, situation of CRNA’s being employed by Ambulatory Surgery Centers and providing anesthesia care without the participation of an anesthesiologist. Roger Moore, MD, ASA President, sent a letter to the U.S. Inspector General (OIG) in March 2009 expressing ASA’s concerns about the “company model” and the detrimental impact on patient safety and quality of care, in addition to the potential violation of federal anti-kickback statues. To date, there has been no reply from the OIG. The TSA fully supports the ASA’s position, and will watch for a response to Dr. Moore’s letter.
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At the annual meeting, residents from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston won the “Resident Jeopardy” game show competition in a close, hard-fought battle with the residents from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Jim Arens served as the host and moderator (and wrote all of the questions). The extremely entertaining event reminded yours truly of 1) how smart today’s residents are and 2) how scary it must have been to be an “Arens resident”!
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