In the last APSF Newsletter and in the April issue of the journal of Clinical Monitoring (page 148), we described the origin and background of the Society for Technology in Anesthesia (STA). Since the last advisory, STA has progressed rapidly, and it is now possible to be more specific regarding upcoming STA events.
STAs first Annual Breakfast Panel will be held at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), in New Orleans on Wednesday, October I 8, from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. The subject will be “Who Deserves the Credit for the Recent Improvement in Anesthetic Mortality and Morbidity?” Each member of the outstanding panel will try to convince you that his area can take the credit. Panel members and their topics are as follows: Moderator. N. Ty Smith, M.D.; The Monitors: William New, Jr., M.D.; The Educators: Susan L. Polk, M.D.; The Clinicians: William K. Hamilton, M.D.; The Standards Makers: Frederick W. Cheney, Jr., M.D.; The Researchers: Jeffrey B. Cooper, Ph.D.; the Anesthesia Patient Saldy Foundation: Ellison C. Pierce, Jr., M.D.; The Insurance Companies. Mark Wood; The lawyers: Richard F. Gibs, M.D., J.D.; and The Anesthetic Agents: George Griffiths.
STA will hold its Second Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, October 14 from 5:00 to I 0:00 p.m. It will begin with a hosted reception from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., followed by a dinner from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. Following the dinner will be a business meeting which will run until approximately IO.-OO p.m. We shall cover several important topics, including the annual scientific meeting, society bylaws, future directions of the society, and what the society can do for its members. The recommendations of the Board of Directors in these and other arm will be presented. Those who attend the business meeting and join STA at or before the meeting will be designated charter members.
The STA newsletter wig be headed by two very capable editors, Drs. Dwayne Westenskow and Jim Philip, representing the technical side and the clinical arena; respectively. The Fu3t Annual Scientific Meeting of STA has tentatively been set for early spring, 1991, in Disney World, Florida.
STA has engaged the services of the International Convention and Travel Service, Inc., a professional group that will provide excellent services for the members of the society, including membership fulfillment, the use of credit card payment for membership dues, a toll-free telephone service for members, maintenance of administrative correspondence with members, and the handling of all meeting arrangements, including air transportation.
STA is strongly considering implementing an information clearinghouse for its members. There are many other ways in which the society could serve its members. Any member of the board of directors (see the April, 1989, issue of the Journal of Clinical Monitoring, page 148) will be delighted to hear from members or prospective members about this or any other pertinent subject. This is your society, and we want to make it as useful as possible to you.
Dr. Smith, V.A. Medical Center, San Diego, is President of the STA and an APSF Director.