PLAN NOW TO ATTEND THE SAMBA MID YEAR MEETING! - TOP

2008 Mid Year Meeting Friday, October 17, 2008 Rosen Centre Hotel Orlando, Florida Program Information Early registration ($50 Discount) ends September 26th! Avoid long onsite registration lines by registering online.

SUGGESTIONS NEEDED: ASA 2009 AMBULATORY TRACK - TOP

We are pleased to offer to ASA members an online submission site for the October 17-21, 2009 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The calendar is being moved forward this year to try to have all suggestions submitted prior to the October 2008 meeting so that we can work on the program at this time. It would be very helpful to have suggestions from the ambulatory community about what topics, speakers, and formats would be helpful in the Ambulatory Track at ASA. Your input will help us keep the program fresh and to meet your needs.

The General Member Submissions Form can be accessed through the Welcome page of the ASA Members Only section at www.asawebapps.org. The link is identified as “Open Session Submissions for the ASA 2009 Annual Meeting.” Even though the submissions deadline is November 30, 2008 I would encourage your submissions prior to the 2008 Annual Meeting (October 18-22) in Orlando.

Thanks very much for your help.
Lucy Everett MD
2009 Chair, Ambulatory Track Content Subcommittee

WEB SITE OF THE MONTH - TOP

This month's featured website is the home page of the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society www.eyeanesthesia.org.

The purpose of the Ophthalmic Anesthesia Society is to ensure that the highest quality anesthesia care is provided to patients undergoing cataract and other ophthalmic surgical procedures. The web-site serves as a unifying center for educational and training purposes promoting the discussion of a variety of topics including patient care, the team approach, quality assurance, scientific endeavors and innovations.

Feedback
Please feel free to give us your feedback about this web-site and this new section (VSMOOT@anes.umm.edu).  Furthermore, if you have a web-site that you have found to be informative for the practice of anesthesiology, please let us know. Thanks.

Victoria Smoot, MD

COCAINE IN THE AMBULATORY SETTING - TOP

Our next real-time journal club discussion will be broadcasted on September 30, 2008 at 7 PM EST.

The topic of discussion will be Cocaine in the Ambulatory Setting. I am inviting anyone who has interest in this topic to join in on the discussion by e-mailing 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 educational activities and welcome your ideas.

Ali Jahan, MD

NEW 2008 PRE-ANESTHESIA CHECKOUT GUIDELINES - TOP


In 1993 a pre-use anesthesia machine checklist was developed and recognized as an important part of preparation for the delivery of anesthesia care. Since then, evidence suggests that the checklist is poorly understood and not used reliably. Furthermore, with the advancement in anesthesia delivery systems one checkout procedure may not work for all machines. Recognizing this, the ASA established a task force to revise the 1993 guidelines. The task force consisted of members of ASA, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, American Society of Anesthesia Technicians and Technologists and representatives of manufacturers of anesthesia delivery systems. The guidelines (found at www.asahq.org/clinical/fda.htm) make recommendations as to which items can be performed at the beginning of the day and those which should be performed before every case. Additionally, sample templates already in use are provided for several anesthesia delivery systems.

A MESSAGE FROM THE RESIDENTS SECTION CHAIRMAN - TOP

SAMBA is building a nationwide mentorship program to allow residents to have mentors in either private practice or academic institutions. This mentorship will be unique in that it will connect residents with mentors from other practices. This relationship can serve as a valuable tool in building long-lasting contacts. As an example, those wishing to move to a particular city after residency can choose a mentor from that city to help develop inroads into the anesthesia community there.

You must be a SAMBA member to enroll in this program. If you are a member of the IARS, you are automatically a SAMBA member. If not, dues for residents are lower than for attendings. Once you're a member, you can make your preference known, and we will work to pair you with someone appropriate. Understanding that this program is still "work in progress", please contact me if you are interested at guptar2005@yahoo.com. I would encourage all residents to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to develop relationships with members of our profession.

Ruchir Gupta, MD