Mississippi Society Of Anesthesiologists

THE MISSISSIPPI SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS (MSA) WAS FOUNDED IN 1954 AND IS A COMPONENT OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS (ASA). THE MSA PROVIDES INVALUABLE REPRESENTATION AND SERVICE TO THE PRACTICE OF ANESTHESIOLOGY AND PAIN MEDICINE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED THROUGH 2021 AND AGAIN POSED SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES WITH REGARDS TO MEMBERSHIP OUTREACH, PLANNED EVENTS, AND LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS BOTH IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND NATIONALLY. THE SOCIETY WAS ABLE TO CONDUCT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING VIRTUALLY VIA WEBEX. AT THIS MEETING, SEVERAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL SPEAKERS ADDRESSED SEVERAL KEY ANESTHESIA TOPICS AND THE SOCIETY'S LOBBYIST GAVE A MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MSA CONTINUED TO EDUCATE MEMBERS ABOUT COVID-19 UPDATES AND WAYS TO BEST PROTECT THEMSELVES AND PATIENTS. THE SOCIETY CONTINUED TO KEEP MEMBERS UPDATED ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGISLATION THAT COULD AFFECT THEIR PRACTICES.THE STATE SCOPE OF PRACTICE CAMPAIGN WAS AGAIN SPONSORED BY THE MSA IN ADDITION TO OTHER STATE MEDICAL SOCIETIES. THIS CAMPAIGN ATTEMPTS TO EDUCATE LAW MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN TRAINING BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND MID-LEVEL PROVIDERS WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASED PATIENT SAFETY. THE BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO PRACTICE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI WITHOUT COLLABORATION WITH A PHYSICIAN WAS AGAIN DEFEATED AND WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED OUT OF COMMITTEE. FLYERS, POSTERS, BILLBOARDS, RADIO ADS, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL HELPED GET THE WORD OUT TO LEGISLATORS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON. THE SOCIETY WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION IN 2022.THE MSA APPLIED AND WAS GRANTED A $40,000 GRANT FROM THE ASA AT THE END OF 2021 FOR LEGISLATIVE AND LOBBYING EFFORTS DURING 2022. MSA PLANS ON USING THIS MONEY TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND HOW PHYSICIAN-LED CARE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE OPERATING ROOM IS THE SAFEST OPTION FOR ALL PATIENTS IN THE STATE OF MISSISIPPI. EACH YEAR THE MISSISSIPPI STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (MSMA) HOSTS A PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (PLA) AND TWO MSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE CLASS OF 2021-22, DR. CARL RAMSEY (MSA SOUTH REPRESENTATIVE) AND DR. HESS ROBERTSON (MSA PRESIDENT-ELECT). MSA WAS RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ASAPAC) AS #3 OF "TOP PARTICIPATING STATES" IN GIVING. THE GOVERNOR OF MISSISSIPPI ACKNOWLEDGED PHYSICIAN ANESTHESIOLOGISTS WEEK WITH SIGNED PROCLAMATION DURING THAT WEEK. MSA MEMBERS ALSO CONTINUE TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH MSMA AND THE ASA AND SEVERAL SIT ON COMMITTEES IN BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.