ASA President, AMA President-Elect fireside chat to explore big issues facing specialty
Economic concerns loom large
AMA and ASA: How Our Organizations Can Collaborate for Our Members and Patients
Saturday, October 22 | 1:15 - 2:15 p.m.
Room 203-205
This afternoon, two of the specialty’s most highly regarded leaders will hold a special fireside chat to explore the major issues facing anesthesiology specifically and medicine overall. Outgoing ASA President Randall M. Clark, MD, FASA, will sit with AMA President-Elect Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, to discuss “AMA and ASA: How Our Organizations Can Collaborate for Our Members and Patients.”
In these fast-moving and challenging times, there will be much to discuss. For Dr. Clark, economic issues loom perhaps largest.
“The threat to our economic foundation is extremely real. It has existed for a long time with governmental payors,” he said. “Now commercial payments are under attack. The AMA and ASA must work together to counter the problems in payment, for all physicians, not just anesthesiologists.”
A longtime leader within ASA since medical school, Dr. Ehrenfeld is already making history within AMA – he is the first anesthesiologist and will become the youngest AMA president (he is currently 43) in the association’s history. Dr. Ehrenfeld was active in the AMA Young Physician Section and Resident and Fellow Section and was elected to the AMA Board of Trustees in 2014, serving as its chair in 2019-2020.
His extensive involvement within both ASA and AMA represents an exceptional opportunity for collaboration and enhanced relations between the two organizations. Dr. Clark feels strongly that anesthesiologists are pivotal to the health of the nation’s largest association of physicians.
“As long as AMA is effective in representing the broad interests of physicians, it will be the voice of American medicine,” he said. “And anesthesiologists are essential to developing that voice. Without anesthesiologist participation in AMA, AMA would be poorer, and we would be less likely to see our interests met.”
Topics of discussion during the fireside chat include the goals of the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians, the AMA’s strategy toward fixing Medicare, advocacy for physician-led care, including at the VA, and where ASA and AMA can most effectively collaborate.
Drs. Clark and Ehrenfeld know each other well and have a deep appreciation for each other as leaders, advocates, and caregivers serving humanity – just one more element that should make this fireside chat especially memorable.
As he transitions out of the ASA presidency, Dr. Clark stressed that no one leads alone, and he expressed thanks to his colleagues on the Administrative Council, Executive Committee, each and every ASA member, and the ASA staff for their support. Speaking for all of ASA, he said Dr. Ehrenfeld can count on that same level of support.
“It’s wonderful to have one of our own in this high-profile and influential position – and ASA will be there to support him every step of the way.”
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