From the President
Dear Colleagues,
Before I pass the gavel to incoming President David B. Peden, MD, MS, FAAAAI, at the Business Meeting in Atlanta, I would like to reflect once more on my initiatives and provide updates on their progress.
For the past year, I have concentrated my presidential initiatives around the concept of “Planning for Our Future.” Based on this principle, I identified four major objectives as the focus of my presidential initiatives:
- Facilitate development of the next generation of allergy and immunology educators and investigators
- Enhance advocacy for and visibility of allergy and immunology
- Expand the scope of practice for the allergy and immunology specialist
- Increase efforts to develop leaders in allergy and immunology
Facilitate Development of the Next Generation of Allergy and Immunology Educators and Investigators
The highly successful Chrysalis Project that introduces medical students and pediatric and internal medicine residents to our specialty has received continued support to strengthen the future of allergy and immunology. The next group of participants will meet at the AAAAI Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
In response to encouragement by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, FAAAAI, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and this year’s Annual Meeting keynote speaker, the Board of Directors has approved funding for and will re-initiate a senior FIT/young faculty hypersensitivity school in 2018. In previous remarks to the AAAAI Board, Dr. Fauci singled out this program as extremely successful in facilitating productive academic careers in allergy and immunology.
Finally, I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Division Directors Task Force, which is chaired by Aidan A. Long, MD, FAAAAI. The task force has been working to produce several tangible outcomes: a resource package for new division directors that would help with specific areas of need, a new comprehensive directory of division directors and increased communication platforms to facilitate success. One of the biggest pieces of the third outcome is a mentoring program that will assist recently appointed directors in the many aspects of their new position and in doing so tap into the vast experience and knowledge among more senior division directors.
Enhance Advocacy for and Visibility of Allergy and Immunology
The AAAAI, together with the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and the American Medical Association, continues to vigorously advocate to protect patient access to care by fighting for physician in-office compounding. This issue has been and continues to be a center piece of our current advocacy efforts.
The AAAAI has also been greatly strengthened by the decision to engage both Hart Health Strategies and Washington Health Advocates. These two complementary groups actively monitor and champion relevant issues impacting our specialty at the legislative, regulatory and funding level in Washington, DC, and work extremely effectively with members of the AAAAI Office of Practice Management.
Clearly there is strength in collaboration. To this end, AAAAI leadership is now working with ACAAI leadership to develop joint responses and strategies to deal with current and future issues facing the specialty. My February eNews message further expanded on this topic.
Expand the Scope of Practice for the Allergy and Immunology Specialist
The extraordinary level of discovery in allergy/immunology has already produced changes in clinical practice, and the reality is that these changes will only increase. Meanwhile, within our field there remain a number of unmet or under-met practice areas. Although our initial focus was on drug hypersensitivity, which is the educational theme of the 2017 Annual Meeting, another area of practice opportunity for the A/I specialist has also been identified: allergic skin diseases.
A new initiative linked to expanding the scope of practice will bring together leadership from the Federation of Regional, State and Local Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Societies Assembly, members of the current Expanding the Scope of Practice Task Force, leaders from medical systems of varying sizes and senior AAAAAI leadership. Our goal is to solicit feedback from all of these stakeholders and strategize optimal areas to emphasize in this effort including implementation models that address different types of practices. Expect to hear more on this strategic initiative from David Peden.
Increase Efforts to Develop Leaders in Allergy and Immunology
The efforts of the Division Directors Task Force that I discussed earlier are certainly relevant and overlap with this particular initiative. My second prong of increasing leadership development has been publicizing and supporting the continued evolution of the AAAAI Leadership Institute currently under the direction of James T. Li, MD, PhD, FAAAAI. The objective of this program is to engage, recruit and inspire future member leaders; inform, guide and equip current member leaders; and develop a pipeline for senior leadership. For an example of how the Leadership Institute has been working to provide a valuable experience for participants throughout the year, read the latest issue of Impact for an article on its unique mentorship program.
A complement to all of this is ongoing leadership development efforts for the AAAAI Board and other senior leaders. A big step forward in our leadership development strategy took place at the November 2016 Board meeting. To ensure we have a highly functioning Board to steer the organization, we employed a consultant to take the Board through a self-assessment which culminated in a special session at the November Board meeting. It was an excellent exercise and provided ideas on how to enhance the Board’s current performance.
As I complete my year as AAAAI President, I wish to extend my gratitude to the AAAAI Board of Directors, the EDI staff and you—the members—for continual guidance and support throughout my term. Thank you for your outstanding efforts in maintaining a strong voice in medical schools and medical professional organizations, contributing to the clinical, translational and basic science that benefits our patients, and fostering the careers of future allergy/immunology professionals.
Sincerely,
Thomas A. Fleisher, MD, FAAAAI
AAAAI President