Society News Now, Issue #10

A monthly update on activities occurring on behalf of the members of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science

Issue 10 June 2015

In this Issue:

Annual Meeting News │ASCLS Governance at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta

July is fast approaching, and that means the ASCLS Annual Meeting in Atlanta is just around the corner. This is a not-to-be-missed event for members and non-members alike, and you can still register at a cost savings through July 5^th. Take advantage of this extended deadline and register now to attend the 83^rd ASCLS Annual Meeting, Advanced Management Institute and Exposition. Rooms may still be available at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, the ASCLS headquarters hotel, and you have until July 6^th to receive the ASCLS discounted room rate. Reserve your room today !

ASCLS Governance at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta:

Do you wonder how decisions are made on your behalf in ASCLS? When you are in Atlanta, take advantage of these opportunities to learn about the workings of ASCLS.

ASCLS Board of Directors Meeting, Tuesday morning, July 28: The ASCLS Board of Directors only meets in-person twice a year – once prior to the Legislative Symposium and at the Annual Meeting. All members are welcome to attend, to listen to the Board’s deliberations, and to take part in discussions.
ASCLS Committee Meetings, Tuesday afternoon, July 28: Most of the ASCLS standing committees have their in-person meetings scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, and you don’t have to be a committee member to attend. Want to learn more about the Patient Safety Committee? What about Promoting the Profession or Government Affairs? Check the governance schedule and attend those meetings that interest you.
Issues Update and Forum, Thursday morning, July 30: This session is where Cindy Johnson, ASCLS Secretary-Treasurer will provide a financial report, the President-Elect candidates will give their speeches, and other issues of importance to members will be presented.
Regional Caucuses, Friday morning, July 31: Be sure to attend your Regional Caucus for an opportunity to discuss the candidates for election, and to talk about the issues that are coming to the House of Delegates for action.
Elections, Friday morning, July 31, right after your Regional Caucus: ASCLS delegates will elect a President-Elect, Regional Directors, a Judicial Committee member, and members of the Nomination Committee. State Presidents need to make certain that their delegates are credentialed before elections. If you have questions about Credentials, contact Charlie Francen, Credentials Chair.
ASCLS House of Delegates, Saturday morning, August 1: In addition to the standing agenda items, this year ASCLS delegates will be voting on a Patient Safety Position Paper, and discussing the ASCLS Diversity Task Force’s definition of diversity. Come prepared with your comments and suggestions. Let’s have some lively discussion on the floor of the House this year!

Opportunities to Pay it Forward at the ASCLS Annual Meeting:

The ASCLS Education & Research (E & R) Fund Silent Auction will be held in conjunction with the President’s Reception on Wednesday evening, July 29. Constituent societies are once again encouraged to donate to the auction and reminded to notify the ASCLS office about their donations so these donations can be promoted. I still use my beautiful carved wooden pitcher/wall art and proudly wear my Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins jersey. Proceeds support the E & R scholarships and grants.
This year StandUp For Kids – Atlanta has been selected as the HOPE project by the ASCLS Promotion of the Profession Committee (PPC). StandUp For Kids works to end youth homelessness in Atlanta. ASCLS will be helping to provide hygiene kits containing such items as travel sized deodorant, soap, shampoo and toothpaste. You can also make a monetary donation through the ASCLS website, or on-site at the meeting. Details can be found on the ASCLS website.
The Student Forum and New Professionals and New Members Forum will also hold a silent auction during the First Timers’ and Students’ Reception on Tuesday evening, July 28. The proceeds from this silent auction support travel and educational scholarships for worthy students.

Awards:

Don’t miss out on the ASCLS Awards Ceremonies this year, when we honor our industry partners, and our members and Constituent Societies who have done great things for ASCLS. Industry awards are presented on Wednesday morning; the other awards are presented on Thursday at 5:30 pm, and at the House of Delegates on Saturday morning.
The Cardinal Health 2015 urEssential Award winner is ASCLS member, Microbiology Scientific Assembly Chair, and Incoming TACLS President, Dr. Rodney Rohde. Rodney has touched the lives of many over the years, as a teacher/mentor and researcher, as well as an active member of ASCLS. He is very deserving of this award. Other finalists for the Cardinal award were Dr. Patricia Tille (SD) and Marcia Armstrong (HI), also members of ASCLS.
ASCLS members were recently featured in the blog, MedicalTechnologySchools.com, as one of the “20 Professors of Clinical Laboratory Science You Should Know“. The list is comprised of outstanding professors in the field and recognizes their great contributions to academia; all 20 are ASCLS members! Congratulations to Sue Beck, Rodney Rohde, Nadine Fydryszewski, Yazmen Simonian, Linda Smith, Mary Ann McLane, Sally Pestana, Karen Chandler, Lynne Williams, Shauna Anderson Young, Kathy Doig, Cathy Otto, Pat Tille, Kay Rasmussen, Linda Pifer, Kathy Kenwright, Karen Honeycutt, Tera Webb and Tim Randolph. It is always great to see our educators recognized for outstanding service!

Committee and Forum News:

Although everyone is gearing up for the Annual Meeting and the transition to the 2015-16 year, the ASCLS Committee work continues. Here are some highlights:

Membership Committee: The renewal of your ASCLS membership continues to be a priority. If you haven’t had a chance to renew your VOICE and VISION for the laboratory profession, take the time to do so now. We value your membership! Your continued support, through membership, allows ASCLS to work for you and for the profession. The Membership Committee has been working on a recognition program for members – spotlighting those ASCLS Voices under 40. This program will be addressed at the Tuesday, July 28 ASCLS Board of Directors meeting so come and participate in the discussion. The goal is to increase awareness of the efforts and successes of this very promising group of individual
Government Affairs Committee: The GAC continues to follow and respond to issues involving legislation and government regulations that affect the practice of laboratory medicine. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legality of subsidies under the ACA (also known as Obama Care). For us and all healthcare providers it means the new patients you have been seeing (if that is the case) will continue to have health insurance and access to affordable healthcare. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees each have approved their FY 2016 Labor-HHS-Ed spending bills, which provides $477.67 million (House) or $450.97 million (Senate) for Title VII and Title VIII combined, compared to the President’s FY 2016 budget of $469.45 million. Title VII and Title VIII funds are used to support educational opportunities for those in healthcare related fields.
New Professionals and New Members Forum: This forum has developed a pilot mentoring program in conjunction with the Leadership Development Committee to meet the needs of students and young professionals in ASCLS. This mentoring program will be made available to those students and new professionals who have been appointed to national, regional or state ASCLS committees and want to understand their responsibilities and have a positive experience.

Announcements:

Reminder: The ASCLS National Office and helpful staff are ready to assist you if you have any comments, questions or concerns. This can include membership renewal, preparations for the Annual Meeting, or general questions. Please contactascls@ascls.org or 571-748-3770.
ASCLS Leadership Academy: The latest class of emerging leaders in the ASCLS Leadership Academy will be graduating at the Annual Meeting and will be presenting their infographics project at a session titled Explore ASCLS through Infographics: A visual collaboration of the Laboratory Profession and Professional Representation on Thursday July 30 at 12:30 pm. As Class #8 graduates, a new class of leaders will begin their year-long activities at the Annual Meeting. Show your support for this successful program entering its ninth year preparing our future leaders for positions not only in ASCLS but in their workplace.
Proposals for the 2016 Annual Meeting and/or Advanced Management Institute : Do you have an idea for an education session at the 2016 Annual Meeting and/or Advanced Management Institute (AMI)? If so, please submit your proposal by August 11^th. Proposals can be submitted electronically at the following website:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ASCLS2016AM. Or if you prefer to submit your proposal manually, you can access the form on theAnnual Meeting website.