Vital Times 2021 - 11

ASA Director's Report
Paul Yost, MD, FASA | ASA Director
A
s your ASA Director
from California and
your representative
to our national organization
the American Society of
Anesthesiologists, it is my
pleasure to write a summary
of what the ASA has been
doing for you! Membership
in the CSA/ASA provides
three critical member benefits for your professional
development and practice: advocacy, education, and
connection with fellow anesthesiologists.
All three of these membership benefits were on full
display at the ASA's first in-person annual meeting in
San Diego, and I would like to tell you about it!
Using many COVID safety precautions, including the
Clear app, which tracked vaccination status, testing
status, and daily symptom reviews, as well as indoor
masking, more than 7,000 live and 2,000 virtual
attendees were able to safely experience the world-class
educational programs and in-person networking.
California was well-represented by our President,
Ron Pearl, MD, PhD, FASA, along with other CSA
leadership, making a full delegation of 32 members!
It was absolutely wonderful to see and feel an in-person
meeting with human contact! It has been a long 18
months!
Advocacy and governance highlights of the meeting are
as follows:
* A CSA reception that featured California's newest
physician member of the State Assembly, San Diego's
own Akilah Weber, MD, who spoke eloquently and
powerfully about physician involvement in advocacy.
* There was a great opening session on leadership in a
turbulent time by historian and author Doris Kearns
Goodwin. It was a refreshing and optimistic look at a
very unsettling time through the lens of history.
* Michael Champeau, MD, FASA, ascended to the office
of President-elect.
* Dan Cole, MD, FASA, received the ASA's highest honor,
the Distinguished Service Award.
* California won the Alabama Cup, which is awarded to
the state that contributes the most money to ASAPAC,
our voice in Washington, DC! Our delegation photo with
the cup was very special. I have never been prouder to
be a California Anesthesiologist!
* Paul Yost, MD, FASA, was named Chair of the ASAPAC
Board of Directors.
* Linda Hertzberg, MD, FASA, former California Delegate
to the ASA, was recognized for her many contributions
to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
* Jonathan Pregler, MD, FASA, was recognized for his
work on the Committee on Economics and its work on
the anesthesiology Medicare 33% problem.
* President Beverly Philip, MD, FASA, in an address to
the House of Delegates, outlined the challenges we
face, including out-of-network billing through the No
Surprises Act, looming Medicare cuts, the expansion of
nursing practice at the VA during COVID, and damaging
title misappropriation with nurses calling themselves
" nurse anesthesiologists " .
Annual Publication 2021 | 11
Vital Times 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vital Times 2021
