Peter J. Davis, MD
Peter J. Davis, MD
SPA President
Children's Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
The key to the success of any organization is for its members to feel as though they derive value from their membership. Although the world is constantly changing and value is a relative term, nonetheles, I feel the value of a SPA membership continues to increase.
One form of value that SPA members derive from membership is its three yearly newsletters. The Society through its newsletter editor, Rita Agarwal, produces three hard copy issues per year. These three issues, with their articles, reviews, and Point/Counterpoint discussions are only the tip of an informational iceberg. The content of these newsletters are further amplified in the SPA website. Thus, the newsletters serve as an educational teaser for its members.
As SPA advances into the 21st Century, use of the SPA website has become an integral component of our society's communication. The SPA website (www.pedsanesthesia.org) attracts about 1000 hits a day. The website contains a directory of pediatric anesthesia fellowship programs, a members' directory and listing of job postings. The SPA website also serves as an informational resource. Recently Quentin Fisher and members of the society's international committee completed a listing of different international programs that are available for medical volunteers.
Another aspect of SPA value comes through SPA's commitment in providing two educational meetings a year. For the past two years the annual meeting has been organized by Frank Kern of Duke University, while the 3 day winter/spring meeting has been organized by Jim Steven of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Both Frank and Jim in conjunction with members of the education committee have continued the tradition of developing outstanding educational programs. Feedback of these meetings from the attendees has been instrumental in the planning and programming of subsequent programs. Thus member input is the driving factor in the success and by definition value that these meetings deliver. Although the quality of these meetings has never been better, these meetings run at a financial loss. Over the years, these deficits have been offset by corporate sponsorship. But as mergers and acquisitions occur in the pharmaceutical world, these business decisions have had a trickle-down effect on SPA. Corporate sponsors are no longer as numerous or as generous as they have been in the past. Therefore, SPA must look at new ways to remain fiscally responsible. The SPA Board, in an effort to maintain meeting and program quality as well as membership value, is evaluating different ways to be fiscally responsible to its membership.
Fiscal responsibility involves evaluating both the expense and the revenue sides of the society's financial ledger. On the expense side it was noted that the printing costs of the syllabus for two meetings is enormous. In an effort to control expenses, the SPA board has decided to place the contents of the both the fall and winter/spring meeting syllabus on computer disks and on the SPA website. Thus, the SPA meeting syllabus will now be available before the meetings. Members who are registered for the meeting will be able to access the syllabus prior to the meetings. In addition, disks of the syllabus will be distributed at the meetings. As for the revenue side of the ledger, SPA dues have not been raised in over 10 years. As with any organization, membership dues are an integral component of the Society's financial bottom line. Society dues have remained unchanged over the past 10 years. According to the consumer price index, what cost $100 in 1991 would cost $127 in 2000. Thus, in an effort to maintain the value of SPA, (and the dollar value of your 1991 dues!) the SPA Board unanimously decided to increase dues to $125 for the coming year. We sincerely hope that members will view this $25 increase as a necessary step in maintaining the mission and value of SPA.
Finally, last but by no means least, is that the real value of SPA membership comes from its sense of community, namely its members. This is an organization, that through its members, provides educational opportunities and social introductions. It is an organization whose members are satisfied with their career choices and whose members value the thoughts and opinions of others. SPA is an organization whose members volunteer their time, money and resources to keep the society's mission on course. It is the special quality of SPA members that creates value to the organization as well gives value to its members.
Peter J. Davis, MD
SPA President