Summer 2010 Newsletter
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Summer 2010 Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. scope Newsletter Mid-year report: GSA by the numbers James E. “Jet” Toney, Executive Secretary In the less-traveled areas of the our state to help improve patient rural South, country folk like to say “It outcomes. ain’t braggin’ if you done it.” There’s The Summer Meeting, July 16- a great deal of wit and wisdom in this 18 at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Lake philosophy, and it has been adopted in Oconee (Dr. Colin Brinkmann, Activity contemporary political and government Director) features “meat and potatoes” circles as politicians and regulators content which should benefit the point to results (whether anticipated or practice of a majority of GSA members actual) to demonstrate their metal. and improve patient care. The faculty Similarly, as the GSA approaches includes ASA leaders who will relate mid-year, a good results-driven current issues at the federal level to Then State Sen. Lee Hawkins,(left) approach to assessing the Society’s how anesthesiologists practice their a Gainesville dentist, campaigned performance is in order. As the staff profession locally. In addition to the for Rep. Deal’s Congressional seat at the GSA Winter Forum. person assigned to chronicle the convenient mid-state location, quality global activities and services of the facility and outstanding speakers on Society, I enjoy the unique privilege practical topics, the mid-summer date of observing the varied successes of is intended to be attractive to GSA the organization throughout the year. members throughout the state. Armed with that perspective, I submit Issue Advocacy the following report: Education and advocacy met at GSA is a professional organization the Winter Forum when candidates for that is dually driven by the goals U.S. Congress and Governor presented of providing member benefit and during the noon business meeting. protecting patient safety through This political forum was one of the advocacy and education. The first such opportunities afforded a Then U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal,(left) a activities which promote attainment candidate in the 2010 gubernatorial GOP gubernatorial candidate, met of the individual goals are mutually race and former U.S. Representative GSA members at the January 23 beneficial. Nathan Deal took advantage of the Winter Forum in Peachtree City. Already in 2010, GSA, under time to address federal health care the attentive leadership of Dr. Rick issues. Ninth Congressional District measures demonstrate that members Hawkins, is accomplishing its goals. candidate, State Sen. Lee Hawkins, a of the legislature would like the Quality, Relevant Continuing dentist, also presented. Georgia Composite Medical Board to Education During the 2010 Session of the take on the responsibility for adopting The January Winter Forum CME Georgia General Assembly, GSA either regulations or guidelines for curriculum (Dr. Paul Garcia, Activity advocacy for patient safety reached assuring patient safety in office-based Director) provided members relevant another milestone when House surgery. If the Board adopts such information about how new research Resolution 1449 (Rep. Sharon Cooper, standards, then Georgia would join in anesthesia will benefit patients. sponsor) and Senate Resolution 1222 more than half of the states which Notable presenters brought cutting- (Dr. Don Thomas, sponsor) were have created standards of patient care edge knowledge and application to adopted. Though non-binding, the for procedures done by physicians in offices. It is worth noting that the state dental board has already begun such proceedings. Also during the session, GSA’s 913 $48,000 20 advocacy team and its leaders worked GSA members, GSA-PAC contributions GSA members in coordination with the Medical all classes to state legislative attended the ASA Association of Georgia to pass SB 62/ candidates in July 20th Washington Legislative primary Conference on April 26 continued on page 10 Editor’s Corner Kathryn Stack, MD, Chair, Communications Committee, Editor, GSA scope I hope you are all well the sanctity of the patient- doctor relationship – as summer humidity has all this may have left you a bit dizzy and weary. settled in. What a wild But as they say – “Keep your eye on the ball” launch to a new year and and prepare for the marathon not the sprint. 2010 decade. There are many There will yet be many opportunities to active and important participate in the formation of policy and law. issues culminating in a Stay tuned, stay informed, and stay involved. multitude of challenges Many thanks to Dr. Hawkins and the dedicated ahead. The recent physician leadership of the GSA who, in Spring passage of healthcare reform; the mandates addition to carrying out their daily professional of newly revised CMS guidelines which have responsibilities, work tirelessly for the benefit of snuck up on most of us; the death of tort the GSA members, fellow Georgian physicians, reform in Georgia with the declaration by the and the patients we serve. Many thanks also to state’s Supreme Court that capped damages Jet Toney and his team for exceptional work on are unconstitutional; as well as important behalf of the Society and its missions. endeavors underway within the state to protect The GSA 2010 annual Winter Forum, patient safety during office-based procedures, “New Research into the Fundamentals of resist excessive taxes and fees levied upon physicians, and endorse measures to preserve continued on page 4 2010 Officers President Timothy N. Beeson, MD 2/13 Resident Section Officers The GSA Newsletter is published Rickard S. Hawkins, Jr, MD 2/11 [email protected] President quarterly by the Georgia Society of [email protected] Mike Hodge, MD Bruce Hines, MD 2/13 Anesthesiologists, Inc. Opinions [email protected] expressed in this publication do not President-Elect [email protected] Timothy N. Beeson, MD 2/11 Vice-President necessarily reflect the official position of Rickard S. Hawkins, Jr. MD 2/13 [email protected] Matt Patterson, MD the Society. Direct correspondence to: [email protected] [email protected] Vice-President GSA Newsletter Steven Walsh, MD 2/11 ASA Alternate Delegates Secretary/Treasurer 1231-J Collier Rd. NW [email protected] Edwin D. Johnston, Jr, MD 2/11 Danika Little, MD Atlanta, GA 30318 [email protected] [email protected] Phone 404-249-9178 Immediate Past President Fax 404-249-8831 Bruce Hines, MD 2/11 Steve Tosone, MD 2/11 Resident Liaison to the www.gsahq.org [email protected] [email protected] Government Affairs Committee Secretary-Treasurer Katie Meredith, MD 2/11 Tom Gallen, MD, MPH Jay Johansen, MD, PhD 2/12 [email protected] Editor [email protected] [email protected] Kathryn Stack, MD Mary Arthur, MD 2/11 [email protected] Immediate Past President ASA Director [email protected] Mark T. Lofye, MD Peggy Duke, MD 2/12 [email protected] Senior Editor [email protected] MAG Delegates Carolyn Bannister, MD Rickard S. Hawkins, Jr. MD 2/11 ASA Alternate Director [email protected] [email protected] Howard Odom, MD 2/12 [email protected] William R. “Bob” Lane, MD 2/11 Executive Secretary [email protected] James E. “Jet” Toney ASA Delegates [email protected] Howard Odom, MD 2/11 MAG Alternate Delegates [email protected] Stacie Wong, MD 2/11 Member Services Manager [email protected] Cynthia Thomas Jay Johansen, MD, PhD 2/11 [email protected] [email protected] Dale McMillon, MD 2/11 [email protected] William R. “Bob” Lane, MD 2/11 Letters to the Editor may be sent to [email protected] Barry Barton, MD 2/11 [email protected]. [email protected] Jason C. Williams, MD 2/12 [email protected] 2 scope Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Newsletter President’s Letter Patient safety is top priority Rickard S. Hawkins, MD, GSA President As most of approved in the Health and Human approved 10 Core Principles of OBS those reading Services committees of both the state and these were endorsed by over this already House and Senate which urges the 30 professional medical societies know, the Georgia Composite Medical Board and accrediting bodies including the specialty of to establish medically accepted ASA, AMA, American Academy of Anesthesiology standards of care for Office Based Cosmetic Surgery, American Academy is widely Surgery (OBS). of Dermatology, AAAHC, JACHO, recognized as Over the past two years, the Federation of State Medical Boards, a pioneer in the leadership of the GSA has placed a and others. The first Core Principle area of patient medical safety. The high priority on the establishment states: “Guidelines or regulations Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation of OBS guidelines/regulations here should be developed by states for (APSF) was begun in 1985 as the in Georgia. For offices that do not office based surgery according to first independent multi-disciplinary have accreditation from recognized levels of anesthesia defined by organization tasked to help avoid organizations (JACHO, AAAHC, etc), the...ASA’s “Continuum of Depth of preventable adverse outcomes there are no established minimum Sedation...” We believe strongly that from anesthesia. The tremendous standards for monitoring, credentials, it is a patient safety issue for the positive influence of this safety etc, in Georgia for surgical procedures citizens of Georgia that OBS minimal movement within anesthesiology was that utilize sedation/anesthesia in standards be instituted. recognized in the 1999 Institute of offices. There are also no requirements We concluded from our research Medicine report on errors in medicine. to report any adverse outcomes. that the most effective, flexible, and Anesthesiology was the only specialty The Georgia Legislature attempted clinically relevant guidelines were that was praised for its improvement to establish regulations in 2001, those that were established by the in patient safety. In 2005, a front page but the bill failed to pass.