SAMBA'S 22ND ANNUAL MEETING: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (MAY 3-6, 2007) - TOP

We would like to invite you to attend SAMBA's 22nd Annual Meeting in May. Program information and registration is available on-line at www.sambahq.org.   

DON'T FORGET SAMBA'S SOCIAL EVENING, SATURDAY, MAY 5TH AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO - TOP

The San Diego Zoo has long been recognized as one of the city’s most treasured and endearing landmarks. Guests can explore the 100-acre Zoo on a three-mile guided bus tour, or on foot through miles of paths and walkways. Experience an up-close encounter with exotic animals and have a chance to speak with their trainers during the SAMBA-exclusive Animal Presentations! Nothing completes an event at the Zoo like a furry (or feathered or scaly) guest of honor! Participation in this event is included in your meeting registration; dinner, tour and animal shows are included. Additional spouse, adult and children’s tickets are required for this event.

We look forward to seeing you in San Diego, California.

Tong J. Gan, M.D.
Program Chair

Peter S. A. Glass, M.B., Ch.B.
Program Vice-Chair

SAMBA-BAXTER RESIDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE - TOP

Both SAMBA and Baxter understand the importance of resident education and the future of residents in anesthesiology. With a generous grant from Baxter Healthcare, SAMBA has designed a program that will continue to provide leadership, educational and networking opportunities for senior residents demonstrating leadership potential.

The Resident Leadership Conference will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2007, immediately prior to the SAMBA 22nd Annual Meeting at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina in San Diego, California, May 3-6, 2007.

In addition to the Resident Leadership Conference, SAMBA has provided complimentary registration for these residents to attend the entire SAMBA meeting, where prominent physicians from a wide range of practices will discuss current issues in ambulatory anesthesia. A special session for residents on Saturday afternoon will focus on academic vs. private practice issues facing physicians as they enter practice.

SAMBA is actively seeking resident involvement with the recent addition of a resident component session, which will also meet in San Diego, California. We have continued our long history of making available a limited number of $1,000 travel awards to residents whose abstracts have been accepted for presentation. As in previous years, clinical reports will be considered in addition to research-based abstracts.

OPEN FORUM ON FIRE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT - TOP

This open forum is hosted by the ASA Committee on Practice Parameters. All participants at the SAMBA meeting are welcome to attend. No pre-registration is required.

Saturday, May 5th
6:00 – 7:00 a.m.

The open forum will be the first public presentation of the proposed ASA Practice Parameter on OR Fire Prevention and Management. The audience will be invited to comment on all aspects of the proposed practice parameter. This commentary will be carefully noted and used to refine the final recommendations that will be submitted to the ASA Reference Committee and House of Delegates in October 2007. The presentation will include an overview and rigorous synthesis of existing literature and expert opinion.

Please join us for this important event.

OFFICE-BASED ANESTHESIA MEET AND GREET - TOP

The Office Based Committee of SAMBA invites all fellow attendees to an informal networking session of fellow anesthesiologists with similar interests in OBA. Come join us for our first session on Thursday, May 3 from 5-6:30pm at the annual meeting.

• Give the committee your input
• Open minded conversation
• Meet fellow OBA docs
• Unwind after the Friday session
• Complimentary beverages and bites

OFFICE-BASED SURGERY SUMMIT - TOP

A Patient Safety Summit was organized by AAAASF and funded by a grant from AHRQ. It was attended by representatives of four accreditation organizations (AAAASF, AAAHC, Joint Commission, and American Osteopathic Association-Accreditation Division (AOA)), AHRQ, FSMB and representatives of a number of professional societies including SAMBA and ASA (Drs. Maurer, Philip, Joshi and Vila). Thomas Russell, MD, Director, American College of Surgeons, moderated the conference.

The goals of the conference were to establish baseline information on the status of accreditation as a strategy by which to improve the level of safety in OBS settings; create a series of initiatives that the accrediting agencies can collaborate on a continuing basis that will improve patient safety in OBS, and; provide evidence and a value equation that accreditation of OBS practices enhances patient safety.

The conference was very positive with significant interest from all the attendees in improving patient safety in the OBS setting. It was generally agreed that there is a need for requiring accreditation of OBS practices. However, it was also pointed out that there is a lack of data showing that accreditation of OBS practices enhances patient safety. Thus, the accrediting agencies were given the charge to gather such data. Also, it was generally agreed that all accreditation organizations and the professional associations should join hands in advocacy and educational activities emphasizing the need for accreditation of OBS practices. Furthermore, it was suggested that professional specialty societies should require office accreditation for their members practicing OBS. A formal report of the conference
will be provided in due course.

LIVE BROADCAST OF JOURNAL CLUB - TOP

As a follow-up to an article in the January 2007 SAMBA Newsletter, Securing SAMBA’s Future Using Our Most Important Resource: Our Residents, which discusses the importance of using innovative ideas to help promote ambulatory anesthesia to residents, we have expanded our audience to our journal clubs.  We are currently in the process of evaluating the benefits of broadcasting our sessions in real-time over the internet with the ability of having remote attendee participation.  Our next session, The Role of Statins in the Perioperative Period, will be broadcast on May 14th at 7 PM EST. I am inviting anyone who has interest in this topic to join in on the discussion by emailing me at jahana@ccf.org. I will send instructions detailing the sign-in process allowing you to participate. Space is severely limited so please e-mail as soon as possible.  And again, I challenge all to actively help promote our field and welcome your ideas.

Ali Jahan, MD
Editor of eNewsletter