VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS
TSA HOUSE OF DELEGATES
September 12, 2021

  1. Opened the 2021 House of Delegates Meeting with a welcome greeting by Speaker of the House Dr. U. Bhaskar Padakandla.
  2. Took a moment of silence for recently deceased members Drs. David C. Abramson, Richard D. Ankele, James W. Cottingham, Charles E. Cowles, Francis O. Davis, Ramon Gonzalez, Jr., Joseph Michael Jez, Carmelita Lapus, John F. Riquelme, Laurence Rosen, Sigurdur S. Sigurdsson, Vayden F. Stanley, and William T. Varner.
  3. Informed the members that the TSA has established the Charles E. Cowles Professional Citizenship Award. The award is intended to recognize a member with evidence of outstanding impact on patients, colleagues, community and society through their own high standards and ethical conduct, staunch accountability and advocacy for the profession and organization and effective community activity.
  4. Recognized Sherif Z. Zaafran, MD as the recipient of the 2021 Ray Callas Outstanding Key Contact Award.
  5. Recognized David E. Bryant, MD for his leadership during this unprecedented year.
  6. Recognized Asa C. Lockhart, MD as the 2020 Distinguished Service Award Recipient.
  7. Recognized Gabor B. Racz, MD as the 2021 Distinguished Service Award Recipient.
  8. Accepted all items remaining on the consent calendar for information only.
  9. Approved the recommendation that the TSA investigate a “cold-call” email campaign like the one initiated by the TMA this year. It should target non-member anesthesiologists in all districts and focus on all the good that TSA has done for all anesthesiologists, not just members.
  10. Referred the recommendations that a committee of the President’s choice evaluates the feasibility and develops language for the creation of a TSA Component Society to serve the needs of Texas anesthesiologists who provide regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine (RAAPM) in their practice; that language presented by said committee of the President’s choice be reviewed by the Bylaws Committee prior to the House of Delegates meeting in 2022; that the TSA Board of Directors provides input and feedback on the creation of a TSA Component Society that focuses on regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine (RAAPM) and that a designated member of said TSA Component Society be considered for a position (ex-officio or otherwise) within the TSA Board of Directors to function as a liaison and to provide meaningful input between the Component Society and the TSA Board of Directors.
  11. Received TSA committee appointments for 2021-2022.
  12. Approved recommendation that the TSA acknowledge the TSA staff.
  13. Approved recommendation that TSA create a quarterly TSA Health Policy Podcast, and that the Communications Committee takes this up in collaboration with the Governmental Affairs Committee as soon as possible to determine the scope, frequency and audience of the podcast.
  14. Approved the development of a TSA Advocacy Bootcamp.
  15. Approved the development of a Transparency and Patient-Center Health initiative.
  16. Approved that the TSA ensures initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion for anesthesiologists and/or the diverse groups of patients we serve.
  17. Approved alignment with the ASA’s REVIVEme initiative.
  18. Approved the transition of the Education Sub-Committee on Resident Training to a standing TSA Committee on Resident and Medical Student Education.
  19. Approved the 2022 projected budget.
  20. Approved nomination of Girish P. Joshi, MD to receive the 2022 Distinguished Service Award.
  21. Announced Adam C. Moore, MD as the recipient of the 2021 TSA James Adkins and Linda Adkins Resident Award.
  22. Approved recommendation That the TSA continues the policy of having 2 contract lobbyists for the 2023 legislative session.
  23. Approved recommendation that the TSA remains neutral on the legislation that attempts to modify current payment policies for dental anesthesia, with the exception of legislation that attempts to cut payment or expand scope of practice.
  24. Approved recommendations that the TSA work with the ASA to develop an entirely new modifier to indicate the complete absence of MD/DO Anesthesiologist involvement allowing the QZ modifier to return to its intended purpose of indicating some involvement of the physician Anesthesiologist and that the TSA request that the ASA provide specific clarification regarding the definition of the QZ modifier to alleviate the confusion therein.
  25. Elected the following:President-Elect- George W. Williams
    Secretary- Amr E. Abouleish
    Treasurer- Elizabeth Rebello
    Assistant Treasurer- Carlos Nicholas Lee
    Speaker of the House- U. Bhaskar Padakandla
    Vice Speaker of the House- Jeremie J. Perry
    ASA Director District 19- Scott E. Kercheville
    ASA Alt. Director District 19- Crystal C. Wright
    ASA Delegates:
    Place 3- Mary Ann Gurkowski
    Place 4- Crystal C. Wright
    Place 5- Scott A. Lindberg
    Place 9- Vincent G. Nelson
    Place 12- H. A. Tillmann Hein
    Place 13- John S. Scott, Jr.
    Place 15- Elizabeth Rebello
    Place 20- Amr E. Abouleish
    Place 21- Evan G. Pivalizza
    Place 30- Laura I. Dew
    ASA Alternate Delegates:
    Place 1- Jose M. Soliz
    Place 2- Jeffrey S. Richards
    Place 3- Bracken S. Kolle
    Place 4- Zachary S. Jones
    Place 5- Stacey L. Allen
    Place 6- Russell K. McAllister
    Place 7- Christopher R. Cook
    Place 8- Kristina L. Goff
    Place 9- Vijaya Gottumukkala
    Place 10- Xuan Tran Langridge
    Place 11- Scott Meril
    Place 12- Richard P. Dutton
    Place 13- Andrew L. Zak
    Place 14- Radha Arunkumar
    Place 15- Joe F. Bryan, II
    Place 16- Benjamin D. Harvey
    Place 17- Michelle Z. Koehler
    Place 18- Jeffrey W. Steiner
    Place 19- Brandy M. Bergeron
    Place 20- Vishal Raizada
    Place 21- Austin D. Street
    Place 22- Stacy L. Norrell
    Place 23- Ramy Mankarious
    Place 24- Brian Dewan
    Place 25- Jeremie J. Perry
    Place 26- Don J. Daniels
    Place 27- Anna M. Allred
    Place 28- Kristyn B. Ingram
    Place 29- Mark A. Margolis
    Place 30- Edward J. Prejean, III
  26. Referred resolution that the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, in collaboration with other medical societies, create and support a permanent, physician-led, independently funded organization dedicated to the balanced, nonpartisan study of health care policy; and that this entity maintain and promote an online platform to provide for balanced critique about general and specific policy proposals, health care reports, the most impactful public health issues and health care delivery systems primarily for the benefit of the general public to improve health literacy and fundamental knowledge necessary to evaluate proposed health care policy and legislation and that the Texas Delegation to the American Society of Anesthesiologists introduce a similar resolution to the ASA House of Delegates to support the aforementioned permanent, physician-led, independently-funded center for balanced, nonpartisan study of health care policy.
  27. Approved resolution that the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists (TSA), become active in the EMS community to assist with emergency issues, to further this aim, that the TSA appoint an ad-hoc work group to study current involvement and future opportunities for anesthesiologists in EMS training, leadership and organization, and that Christopher Stephens, MD, a TSA member board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and American Board of Emergency Medicine in the sub-specialty of Emergency Medical Services lead this group.
  28. Approved resolution that the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists (TSA), in its publications, policies, and conferences, shall cease using the term “provider” to describe board certified Anesthesiologists, substituting “Anesthesiologist”, “physician,” or “resident,” “fellow” or an appropriate term that recognizes the education, training and experience of its members and that the TSA educate, encourage and require the media, legislative and regulatory bodies, and the public to use the term “Anesthesiologist”, or “physician” instead of “provider” when describing board-certified anesthesiologists.
  29. Referred resolution that the TSA confirm that the mission statement includes an element on diversity specific to the Society.
  30. Expressed appreciation to the members of the Reference Committees particularly the Reference Committee Chairs Dr. Kristyn Ingram and Dr. Brian Dewan, the TSA staff Christina Bacak, Judy Garcia-Bigger, Jessica Shepherd, and Claire Foster, and TSA Webmaster Tina Haggard.
  31. Received a TSAPAC update from Dr. John Scott.
  32. Received a summary of the importance of advocacy and PAC support at the ASA level from Dr. Jeffrey Plagenhoef.
  33. Announced David W. Mercier, MD as the recipient of the 2021 Betty P. Stephenson Circle of Friends Award.
  34. Presented Melinda C. McMichael, MD the 2020 Cindy Zerwas Memorial Best Friend Award.
  35. Presented Sharon Kronberg the 2021 Cindy Zerwas Memorial Best Friend Award.
  36. Awarded the 2021 William H. King Advocacy Award to Paden Karnes, MD.
  37. Read the first resolution for the 2022 TSA HOD to Chris Bacak for her 20 years of service to the TSA.

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