"As we have accumulated experience with ambulatory anesthesia, it has evolved and become a large portion of many people’s practice. Advances in anesthetic agents and techniques, particularly newer more flexible drugs and the incorporation of regional anesthetic techniques, have allowed us to broaden the landscape of cases and patients acceptable in the ambulatory setting. Perhaps in light of this, it is no longer a subspecialty in the way that it was 20 years ago when ambulatory practice was a true niche. However, I would maintain that it is still a true specialty in requiring knowledge of what can safely be done in the ambulatory setting, ability to provide rapid emergence with a low side effect profile, and attention to efficiency and to positive interactions with patients during high volume work."

..........read more from Dr. Lucy Everett's Presidential Address at SAMBA's 20th Annual Meeting here.

NEW COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES - TOP

Although the clinical practice of ambulatory anesthesia is diverse, SAMBA has formed several clinical committees to offer focused attention on rapidly expanding areas, including Office-based Anesthesia and Regional Anesthesia. Other possibilities for SAMBA’s support in administrative areas are being explored. An Ad Hoc Committee for Medical Directors, which will serve as a resource to individuals in that role, has recently been formed.

In response to significant membership interest the SAMBA President, Dr. Lucy Everett, will be appointing a task force to examine SAMBA’s approach to clinical guidelines. The SAMBA board has endorsed support for revision of the consensus guidelines on postoperative nausea and vomiting prepared several years ago by Dr. TJ Gan and colleagues.

TAKE THE SAMBA SURVEY ON DROPERIDOL - TOP

SAMBA is conducting a survey on the use of droperidol since the issuance of the FDA Black Box warning. Please take a moment to complete this brief, but important, survey. The survey consists of 20 questions and takes approximately two minutes to complete. Please participate in the survey here.

Maintaining a vibrant organization requires input from our membership. The “SAMBA Survey” will become a regular feature on this site that will help us better assess the needs of the membership as well as to get basic survey information on various practice issues.

2005 ANNUAL MEETING ABSTRACTS - TOP

Did you miss the 2005 SAMBA Annual Meeting? Well, it's not too late to view the abstracts. The abstracts are now available online.

NEW RESIDENT SECTION - TOP

SAMBA has always placed a high value on resident education with research and travel awards to the annual meeting.  We are fortunate to have the Abbott Chief Resident Symposium presented in conjunction with the SAMBA meeting, and we welcome resident attendees to our programs and workshops.  For the last several years SAMBA has provided a panel/discussion session geared for residents, and this year a Resident Section was formed to better meet the needs of our resident members and to offer them enhanced exposure to organized medicine and to leadership roles.

RESEARCH - TOP

SAMBA’s support of research includes the SAMBA Outcomes Research Award grant, a two year grant awarded on a competitive basis. The first recipient in May 2000 was Dr. Lee Fleisher whose research was on the impact of location of care and patient factors on the rate of complications and readmission after outpatient surgery. Dr. Karen Nielsen received the second Outcomes Research Award in May 2004; her study is on the impact of depth of anesthesia and dexamethasone on postoperative cognitive dysfunction. SAMBA also supports research awards for abstracts submitted to our annual meeting. Areas of possible further research are being evaluated, including benchmarking data and/or an outcomes research database.

In next month's newsletter we will feature a story about the SAMBA 2005 research awards.

FUTURE MEETINGS- TOP

Make plans now to attend the SAMBA 2005 Mid Year Meeting. It will be held in the exciting city of New Orleans, Louisiana on October 21, 2005 (one day before the ASA Annual Meeting).

The meeting program is available here.

Dr. TJ Gan will chair next year's Annual Meeting, with Dr. Peter Glass as vice-chair.  Plan now to attend SAMBA's 21st Annual Meeting which will be held Thursday, May 4 - Sunday, May 7, 2006 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SARA J. CHILDERS, M.D. - TOP

Sara J. Childers M.D., Chicago, Illinois, was selected to receive a complementary registration to the SAMBA 21^st Annual Meeting on May 4-7, 2006, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel.  Dr. Childers’ name was selected from a random drawing of those participants at the SAMBA 20045 Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, who turned in their evaluation forms at the meeting registration counter before departing.

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