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ASH Committee on Committees: Much Work in Progress
Journal of the American Society of Hypertension 1(6) (2007) 433– 434
Leadership Message
ASH Committee on Committees: Much Work in Progress Barry J. Materson, MD, MBA Secretary American Society of Hypertension, Inc. For two decades, the American Society of Hypertension, Inc (ASH) has been a tightly controlled oligarchy with little input accepted from those outside of its inner circle. Committees of the society existed, but there was little intellectual and functional traffic in either direction between the central node and the periphery. Some committees simply stagnated. Most members are well aware of the recent leadership changes in the society. The newly elected leadership, with the assistance of staff members, engaged the service of consultants in 2006 and embarked on a strategic review of the role, function, and operation of the society. As Suzanne Oparil, MD, ASH President, noted in her March 2007 leadership message,1 the outcome of this undertaking was “a major paradigm shift,” as the Board of Directors formed the Committee on Committees (COC) to review the present committee anatomy and physiology in relationship to this new strategic initiative and to make recommendations for appropriate revisions and restructuring that may be needed. Beginning this past spring with a series of telephone conferences, the COC fine-tuned an inclusive method by which every member of every committee would have a say in its mission, role, and function. In implementing this initiative with society committees, the COC worked with ASH staff to distribute detailed spreadsheets to all committee chairpersons. These aligned the mission of the society with the current and potential mission of each committee and provided historical background information and charges from the Board of Directors. In August 2007, committee chairs and members of the COC participated in telephone conference calls to outline the process for committee members to submit their critiques and recommendations by early fall. Much of this initial work has been completed, and the results have been astonishingly gratifying. Committee members, who are now assured that their suggestions and ideas will be treated by the Board of Directors with the respect and attention they deserve, are thinking outside the box and are coming up with excellent ideas. Two new committees: the Practice committee and the Education committee, have been created. The former will deal with issues of those primary care clinicians who actually deliver the bulk of care to patients with hypertension. The latter will address issues of education apart from the tasks of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) committee. The next step is full participation of members of each of the committees in defining the details of their mission. This will go forward to the COC and then to the full board for implementation. This process of inclusion and involvement appears to have reenergized the committees; members of ASH should take note that things have changed for the better. In 1965, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse wrote “Feelin’ Good” for their Broadway show, Roar of the Greasepaint—Smell of the Crowd. Its chorus is: “It’s Reprinted with Permission from The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, Vol. 9, No. 10 October 2007, pg 814. 1933-1711/07/$ – see front matter © 2007 American Society of Hypertension. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jash.2007.10.009
434
B.J. Materson / Journal of the American Society of Hypertension 1(6) (2007) 433– 434
a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good.” Substitute “ASH” for “me” and “we’re” for “I’m” and we think you get the message. William B. White, MD Director-at-Large, American Society of Hypertension, Inc Sandra J. Taler, MD Director-at-Large, American Society of Hypertension, Inc
Reference 1. Oparil S. A major paradigm shift. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2007;9(3):232.
Leadership Message
ASH Committee on Committees: Much Work in Progress Barry J. Materson, MD, MBA Secretary American Society of Hypertension, Inc. For two decades, the American Society of Hypertension, Inc (ASH) has been a tightly controlled oligarchy with little input accepted from those outside of its inner circle. Committees of the society existed, but there was little intellectual and functional traffic in either direction between the central node and the periphery. Some committees simply stagnated. Most members are well aware of the recent leadership changes in the society. The newly elected leadership, with the assistance of staff members, engaged the service of consultants in 2006 and embarked on a strategic review of the role, function, and operation of the society. As Suzanne Oparil, MD, ASH President, noted in her March 2007 leadership message,1 the outcome of this undertaking was “a major paradigm shift,” as the Board of Directors formed the Committee on Committees (COC) to review the present committee anatomy and physiology in relationship to this new strategic initiative and to make recommendations for appropriate revisions and restructuring that may be needed. Beginning this past spring with a series of telephone conferences, the COC fine-tuned an inclusive method by which every member of every committee would have a say in its mission, role, and function. In implementing this initiative with society committees, the COC worked with ASH staff to distribute detailed spreadsheets to all committee chairpersons. These aligned the mission of the society with the current and potential mission of each committee and provided historical background information and charges from the Board of Directors. In August 2007, committee chairs and members of the COC participated in telephone conference calls to outline the process for committee members to submit their critiques and recommendations by early fall. Much of this initial work has been completed, and the results have been astonishingly gratifying. Committee members, who are now assured that their suggestions and ideas will be treated by the Board of Directors with the respect and attention they deserve, are thinking outside the box and are coming up with excellent ideas. Two new committees: the Practice committee and the Education committee, have been created. The former will deal with issues of those primary care clinicians who actually deliver the bulk of care to patients with hypertension. The latter will address issues of education apart from the tasks of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) committee. The next step is full participation of members of each of the committees in defining the details of their mission. This will go forward to the COC and then to the full board for implementation. This process of inclusion and involvement appears to have reenergized the committees; members of ASH should take note that things have changed for the better. In 1965, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse wrote “Feelin’ Good” for their Broadway show, Roar of the Greasepaint—Smell of the Crowd. Its chorus is: “It’s Reprinted with Permission from The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, Vol. 9, No. 10 October 2007, pg 814. 1933-1711/07/$ – see front matter © 2007 American Society of Hypertension. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jash.2007.10.009
434
B.J. Materson / Journal of the American Society of Hypertension 1(6) (2007) 433– 434
a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good.” Substitute “ASH” for “me” and “we’re” for “I’m” and we think you get the message. William B. White, MD Director-at-Large, American Society of Hypertension, Inc Sandra J. Taler, MD Director-at-Large, American Society of Hypertension, Inc
Reference 1. Oparil S. A major paradigm shift. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2007;9(3):232.