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| 2007 JASN IMPACT FACTOR 7.111 | HOME AUTHOR INFO EDITORIAL BOARD SUBSCRIBE FEEDBACK ALERTS HELP | |||
| CURRENT ISSUE | ARCHIVES | JASN Express | ONLINE SUBMISSION | |
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| 2007 JASN IMPACT FACTOR 7.111 | HOME AUTHOR INFO EDITORIAL BOARD SUBSCRIBE FEEDBACK ALERTS HELP | |||
| CURRENT ISSUE | ARCHIVES | JASN Express | ONLINE SUBMISSION | |
ASN NEWS |
By now, all of you have received an ASN Committee Call for Nominations. This represents an opportunity for you to either indicate your own interest in serving on an ASN standing committee or advisory group or nominate another ASN member for committee participation. Much of the work of ASN is accomplished through the energetic activity and input of committees, so this is a way for YOU to become involved in future planning and decisions that will influence the effectiveness and quality of membership services offered to all ASN members.
The ASN web site offers information about each of the ASN committees and advisory groups, including current members, the committee’s charge, membership criteria, and terms of appointments. Committee membership becomes effective with each year’s Annual Meeting. In addition, there is a Council and a staff liaison listed for each committee. These are people who can be contacted for additional information or clarification on committee activities and responsibilities.
Committees for which ASN is seeking new members include:
Awards Committee.
This committee reviews nominations for the Peters and Scribner awards and presents the three top-ordered candidates for each award to the ASN Council.
Finance Committee.
The charge to the Finance Committee is to advise the Council on investment policy and performance. The committee meets at regular intervals and reviews the following: (1) overall investment policy; (2) the level of reserve funds with reference to annual Society expenses; (3) the performance and investment strategies of individual fund managers; (4) the distribution of funds between investment managers.
Basic Science Committee.
This committee is responsible for: (1) developing basic science educational programs, such as ASN’s Advances in Basic Science Conference; (2) recommending to Council initiatives that will enhance the activities of basic scientists in the Society; (3) interacting with the Postgraduate Education Committee in educational activities in basic science; and (4) responding to special requests by the ASN Council in areas related to basic science in nephrology.
Clinical Science Committee.
This Committee is responsible for: (1) providing input to the Program Committee and the Postgraduate Education Committee on the content of various programs and curricula related to clinical epidemiology, clinical trials, and outcomes research; (2) advising Council on the creation of ASN-sponsored clinical research awards; (3) promoting and publicizing the accomplishments of existing clinical trial groups, registries, and large-scale observational studies; and (4) advising Council on research methods and strategies useful to answering significant clinical questions related to renal research.
Transplant Advisory Committee.
The Transplant Advisory Committee is responsible for: (1) consulting with the ASN in its thinking about transplantation at multiple levels, including advocacy, government relations, and interactions with other societies/foundations—particularly transplant societies/foundations; (2) formalizing the process in relation to joint educational and programmatic activities; (3) establishing liaison committees such as the transplant training committee and others; and (4) establishing jointly sponsored research and fellowship grants.
Clinical Practice Committee.
This joint ASN-RPA committee is responsible for: (1) recommending new areas to pursue in the clinical practice area; (2) monitoring and developing policy as needed on nephrology work force issues; (3) monitoring technological advancements and their impact on delivery of care; (4) defining and promoting the role of nephrologists as principal providers of care for pre-ESRD and ESRD patients.
Physician Accountability Committee.
This is another joint ASN-RPA committee. It is responsible for: (1) developing policy on clinical practice guidelines; (2) developing a proposal for programs in the area of physician accountability that the RPA Board should consider implementing; (3) developing implementation strategies for physician performance measures; (4) reviewing and revising as necessary RPA’s current policies on credentialing and scope of practice issues, evaluating the need for revisions with the advent of nephrologist performance of ultrasound, interventional access procedures, etc.
Again, please think carefully about your interest in serving on any of the above groups and respond to the Call.
Important Dates
The deadline for electronic submission of abstracts is rapidly approaching. The Call for Abstracts was mailed in February, and the due date for electronic submissions is May 8th.
Make your plans NOW to attend the ASN Official Board Review Course, which has been moved back to the popular San Francisco area this year. The BRC is scheduled for August 24th–30th to allow course participants the option of adding a few days to just relax and enjoy all that San Francisco has to offer immediately after the course and over the Labor Day weekend.
Finally, Richard Glassock and his talented associate editors have put the finishing touches on the first issue of NephSAP, which will be distributed along with your copy of JASN in July of this year. This bimonthly publication is being provided at no additional charge to ASN members. In addition, those who choose to use these review and study materials, submitting answers to the 25 questions associated with each issue’s topic, will be eligible for CMEs.
Congressional Resolution Proposed for Kidney Disease
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) is planning to introduce a concurrent resolution calling for increased awareness in kidney disease education, treatment, research, and prevention. As you may recall, Congressman Cummings has been a strong supporter of increased federal funds for kidney disease research and has been the lead Democratic co-sponsor of the Congressional Kidney Health Fair for the last two years.
Clinical Trials Cooperative Meeting held in Washington, DC
On March 7 and 8, 2002, ASN, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), conducted a productive two-day meeting in Washington DC to discuss the structure and scope of various models to enhance the operation of clinical trials for kidney disease. These concepts ranged from implementation of a full-scale kidney cooperative group to a more focused system modeled on existing NIH networks of universities devoted to the study of specific research initiatives. About fifty nephrologists from around the nation participated in the meeting. This meeting was the culmination of a year-long effort by ASN Government Relations, which included House and Senate approval of report language in the FY ’02 Appropriations bill that encouraged NIDDK to take the necessary steps to plan and implement a new system for kidney disease clinical trials.
ASN Expresses Concern over New Proposal for Vitamin D Therapy
In a letter to the medical director of AdminaStar, ASN expressed concern with the carrier’s proposed restrictions on Vitamin D therapy for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Dr. Roland Blantz, ASN President, wrote, "we are deeply concerned and unable to support a policy which suggests that nephrologists must administer either an oral Vitamin D medication which has been virtually abandoned by the renal community due to its lack of effectiveness or an older and/or less effective form of intravenous medication." As a result of the volume of concern expressed about the proposed restrictions, the policy appears to have been put "on hold" indefinitely. To read the entire letter, go to the ASN web site at http://www.asn-online.org/government/vitamind.cfm.
Life Options Web Site Adds Chronic Kidney Disease Information
The Life Options Rehabilitation Program has added a new section on chronic kidney disease (CKD) information to its web site, www.lifeoptions.org. Now in its 10th year, Life Options is expanding its focus to encompass CKD, or predialysis. The new ‘Kidney Disease Info’ link offers information about risk factors for kidney disease, symptoms, lab test values, patient quotes, answers to frequently asked questions, and action steps.
Administration: Budget for FY ’03
The President’s budget for FY’03 included a proposed funding level of $27.2 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a 15.7% increase over FY 02. While this amount is consistent with the current 5-year effort to double the NIH budget, it is important to note that there are significant earmarks, or set-asides, included within this macro number that do not portend large increases for all of these respective institutes at NIH.
Under the President’s budget, for example, NIDDK would receive $1.7 billion, or a 9.4% increase. ASN will continue to fight this year to secure an appropriate increase for NIDDK that reflects the intent to double the budget by 2003.
ASN Staff Spotted Wearing Hard-Hats!
ASN staff are watching with great anticipation the progress being made on construction of the new ASN headquarters in Washington DC. It is anticipated that the staff will be moving to their new facilities in late June. The headquarters will be located in the Farragut Center in the heart of DC, about six blocks from the White House.
Computers and network servers, along with a new telephone system, will be installed on or about June 17th, with furniture scheduled to arrive later that week. In the meantime, staff are busily converting data systems over to new software to ensure that this move is seamless from a member perspective and that it doesn’t interrupt services and communication with members. Watch for our "We’re Moving!!" announcement, coming soon and listing our new address and phone numbers.
New Association Management Software
One of the exciting decisions that ASN Council and staff made recently was the selection of new (and VERY sophisticated) association management software, which will replace our current membership database. This new software, which includes an e-commerce set of modules, will allow ASN and its members to communicate and transact business more efficiently and effectively using the internet. Other modules are designed to support (1) committee interactions and communications, (2) maintenance of our speaker databases, and (3) monitoring and tracking of CME activities and awarding of CME credits. In addition, this new software will allow individual members, through a secret login name and password, to access to their own membership history and update their membership file on-line. It will also become possible for ASN to electronically invoice members for annual dues and purchases of syllabus materials and tapes (complete with a little "shopping cart"!!). As payments are processed electronically, individuals will receive e-mail notification that their transaction is complete, including a confirmation number and receipt.
Work has already begun to appropriately configure this software to ASN’s specific needs, and we look forward to beginning to communicate with and serve our members with this new set of tools.
Videotape on CRI
ASN’s new "video stars" are close to the official release of the ASN videotape on early renal disease, produced by Pat Summerall Productions. As you may recall, six ASN members—Roland Blantz, Bill McClellan, John Sedor, Bill Keane, Josef Coresh, and Tom Hostetter—participated in a one-day videotaping session to discuss various aspects of CRI. The final script and associated graphics and visuals have been approved, and we are anxiously awaiting the final product, which will be used to raise public awareness of the dangers of early kidney disease and the need for early detection. The video will also be viewable via the internet...more details to come.
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  P. D. Wilson Polycystic Kidney Disease N. Engl. J. Med., January 8, 2004; 350(2): 151 - 164. [Full Text] [PDF]
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