This is my fifth and final update on the Division of Professional Affairs. It has been a privilege to serve as your Vice President for Professional Affairs. In reviewing my first update from 2014 and thinking upon where we are today, I wanted to describe the progress we have made to date and review some of the lessons I have learned over the last five years.
As physicians, we are most compelling when we advocate for our patients. We see patients when they are most vulnerable, facing the burden of their disease and fearful of treatment. They seek assurance that their care and safety is our highest priority. We are most effective in advocating for our specialty when we focus upon what is in the patient’s best interest.
Advocacy and quality and payment are linked. ASA’s Advocacy and Practice Division, led by Chief Advocacy and Practice Officer Manuel Bonilla, has...