My Reflections of 2018
Gary Tzeng, MD
- After hard-fought legislative challenges, Illinois finally has significant Workman’s Comp reform that enforces the late-payment penalties and advances the process (beyond paper and mail delivery) into the digital realm.ISA is proud to have assisted ISMS in this important endeavor.
- While the APNs were able to advance limited expansion of their services, ISA is reassured that Legislators understand and acknowledge the uniqueness of anesthesia services and importance of the Anesthesia Care Team model and thus did not change any anesthesia-related regulations.
- Sadly, 2018 exacted a toll on ISA as we lost three of our former ISA Presidents this year. Like all ISA Presidents, each was devoted to our specialty but will be remembered for their unique legacies: Dr. John Szcewczyk as an extraordinary Parliamentarian, Dr. Usharani Nimmigadda as an amazing advocate for residents and research, and Dr. John Paul McGee as the gentle soul who strongly advocated involvement in ISA’s important missions.We will miss them dearly but remember them fondly by establishing Resident Advocacy Awards that will encourage and financially support chosen residents to attend the Annual ASA Legislative Meeting.If you would like to donate to support these awards, please contact ISA (contact @isahq.org).
So enough of the past, what about the future (at least for 2019)?
- ISA has and continues to address the challenges of its delegates for its Annual House of Delegates Meeting.As you hopefully have noticed, ISA has changed the nomination process into a self-nomination process to better respect individual wishes. So PLEASE REMEMBER to NOMINATE YOURSELF if you wish to remain or become a delegate!
- We hope this change will encourage greater member participation, especially by those members who feel somewhat detached and find it difficult to become involved.And while we hope that all members representing all regions of the state will attend, we understand that logistical impossibility and therefore have removed the geographical requirements/limitations for the future delegates.But we still hope that members from all regions of our great state will want to participate as a Delegate and have their voices heard.
- The Practice Management Dinners remain popular so stay tuned as we continue to develop future dinners.If there are topics that you feel we should address, please let us know.
- The Leadership Skills Workshops have not been as popular, so those will remain on hiatus as we re-allocate those funds into our expected Legislative needs (see below).
- We have many Legislative challenges!50+ freshmen legislators will be inducted in Springfield.Most, if not all, do not have any known experience with existing healthcare legislative issues.Therefore, education will be a paramount mission for ISA and thus, ISA needs all our members’ help to realistically achieve any progress.So please join us for Lobby Day in Springfield.
- The Medical Practice Act sunsets in 2019.This sunset along with the new legislature means that 2019 will be a very busy year for scope-of-practice issues.ISMS is expecting legislation from almost all allied healthcare providers including nurse anesthetists.
- As we expect a large legislative burden in 2019, I believe this year will be an opportune time to advance AA Legislation.Stay tuned as ISA continues to formalize its strategy.
- Lastly, ISA would like to thank Dr. Stephen Rublaitus for his years of service transforming ISA Today into its current modern iteration.As he steps down as Editor and I also step down as ISA’s website manager, ISA seeks members who are interested in continuing ISA’s media transformations.Please contact ISA if you are interested in becoming the Editor of ISA Today and/or managing ISA’s website.
Our mission for 2019 remains the same:advancing the specialty of Anesthesiology in our state and ensuring the safety of our patients. So please BE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED FOR 2019!ISA NEEDS AND THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
” A lot of people are looking to other people for solutions to the world we live in, pointing fingers.But we’ve all been called to do something for others.Everyone needs to pray about what to do.And to do it.”
–Sister Stephanie Baliga, Mission of Our Lady of the Angels in Chicago
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!