Dr. Michael H. Baumann, FCCP

As I write this article, I am looking out a hotel window at a very cold Chicago landscape (I’m talking really cold for a guy from Mississippi). We just completed a very productive CHEST 2014 Executive Program Committee meeting to plan our annual program for this October in Austin, Texas. This effort was expertly led by Dr. Mark Metersky and his vice-chairs, Drs. Alex Niven and Jean Bourbeau, with great contributions by a superb group of executive committee members and the CHEST staff. We have an exciting program planned for you this year in Austin! The planning meeting was followed by the traditional "thank you" dinner for the planning committee participants. One of my New Year’s resolutions went flying out the window, yet again: eating sensibly! Hard for me to resist great food.

CHEST

I bet I’m not alone. I am more than 2 months into the yearly "resolution game." Not one of my resolutions is intact – as usual. Like many of you, I bet, I set my sights a bit too high. My plans included eating more sensibly (not really that tough of a target, except cheese curls and french fries are irresistible), getting more regular exercise (my Nordic Track® often sits unused – yes, I’m that old – I actually own a Nordic Track), get home earlier each evening (there’s always something coming up at work), and not working as much on the weekends, or better yet, not at all (guess when I’m writing this).

Time for a resolution reboot! Yep, I "borrowed" that term from Headline News where I heard the phrase one early morning when the Nordic Track and I were getting reacquainted. I’d like to offer you several resolution ideas that should be easy to accomplish, and, yes, involve CHEST.

1 Come to CHEST World Congress in Madrid, March 21-24 (www.chestworldcongress2014.org/). I realize by the time this is published, time may be short. This is a fantastic program in collaboration with our partner, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and offers great and innovative content in a wonderful setting. Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful treasures of Madrid! One of those great treasures is the food! (There goes my resolution again.) Yes, this suggested CHEST resolution may be the hardest to accomplish, but the effort will be well rewarded.

2 Make your plans now to attend CHEST 2014 in Austin, Texas, (chestmeeting.chestnet.org). As noted, we just completed our program planning to include hands-on simulation, interactive sessions, and many more unique learning opportunities. Austin is a great city with much to offer, including world famous music, great barbecue, and other cuisine (food again – I better reboot that resolution, or just boot it).

3 Submit an abstract to CHEST 2014! This is a great way to show off the great care you have been providing for your patients!

4 Our new global headquarters opened in February. This fantastic facility offers an Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center that includes six simulation labs looking just like ICU rooms. Plan to attend one of our many new simulation offerings this year covering a myriad of topics, including ultrasound and mechanical ventilation. Look for even more exciting offerings over the year, as we take full advantage of this wonderful new resource, and sign up (www.chestnet.org/Education/Products/Live-Learning).

5 Join our e-Community or become even more active in the e-Community (www.chestnet.org/NetWorks/eCommunity). Start your own discussion with your questions or opinions on a topic of most interest to you. This is a global connection that can provide you with great perspectives and new ideas.

6 Get social! Join other CHEST members on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Connect-with-Us/Get-Social). This is a great way to connect with your colleagues. If you aren’t sure about how to do this (as I was not sure), connect with our Public Relations Specialist, Kristi Bruno at [email protected]. Being a bit of an "old dog," I’m still learning some of the new tricks about social networking from Kristi. She is a great resource!

7 Make a contribution to The CHEST-Foundation (www.chestnet.org/About/Overview/Foundation-and-OneBreath). The foundation is the philanthropic arm of CHEST, providing resources to our members to help our patients. Your donation can be targeted to the Beyond Our Walls Capital Campaign, helping to support our new global headquarters.

8 Last but not least, if you are not yet a member, join up (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Membership/Join)!

Numbers 1-7 are just a few of the great opportunities you will have as part of the CHEST community. Good luck rebooting your resolutions! Now it’s time to work on one of my resolutions, less work on the weekends.

As I write this article, I am looking out a hotel window at a very cold Chicago landscape (I’m talking really cold for a guy from Mississippi). We just completed a very productive CHEST 2014 Executive Program Committee meeting to plan our annual program for this October in Austin, Texas. This effort was expertly led by Dr. Mark Metersky and his vice-chairs, Drs. Alex Niven and Jean Bourbeau, with great contributions by a superb group of executive committee members and the CHEST staff. We have an exciting program planned for you this year in Austin! The planning meeting was followed by the traditional "thank you" dinner for the planning committee participants. One of my New Year’s resolutions went flying out the window, yet again: eating sensibly! Hard for me to resist great food.

CHEST

I bet I’m not alone. I am more than 2 months into the yearly "resolution game." Not one of my resolutions is intact – as usual. Like many of you, I bet, I set my sights a bit too high. My plans included eating more sensibly (not really that tough of a target, except cheese curls and french fries are irresistible), getting more regular exercise (my Nordic Track® often sits unused – yes, I’m that old – I actually own a Nordic Track), get home earlier each evening (there’s always something coming up at work), and not working as much on the weekends, or better yet, not at all (guess when I’m writing this).

Time for a resolution reboot! Yep, I "borrowed" that term from Headline News where I heard the phrase one early morning when the Nordic Track and I were getting reacquainted. I’d like to offer you several resolution ideas that should be easy to accomplish, and, yes, involve CHEST.

1 Come to CHEST World Congress in Madrid, March 21-24 (www.chestworldcongress2014.org/). I realize by the time this is published, time may be short. This is a fantastic program in collaboration with our partner, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and offers great and innovative content in a wonderful setting. Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful treasures of Madrid! One of those great treasures is the food! (There goes my resolution again.) Yes, this suggested CHEST resolution may be the hardest to accomplish, but the effort will be well rewarded.

2 Make your plans now to attend CHEST 2014 in Austin, Texas, (chestmeeting.chestnet.org). As noted, we just completed our program planning to include hands-on simulation, interactive sessions, and many more unique learning opportunities. Austin is a great city with much to offer, including world famous music, great barbecue, and other cuisine (food again – I better reboot that resolution, or just boot it).

3 Submit an abstract to CHEST 2014! This is a great way to show off the great care you have been providing for your patients!

4 Our new global headquarters opened in February. This fantastic facility offers an Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center that includes six simulation labs looking just like ICU rooms. Plan to attend one of our many new simulation offerings this year covering a myriad of topics, including ultrasound and mechanical ventilation. Look for even more exciting offerings over the year, as we take full advantage of this wonderful new resource, and sign up (www.chestnet.org/Education/Products/Live-Learning).

5 Join our e-Community or become even more active in the e-Community (www.chestnet.org/NetWorks/eCommunity). Start your own discussion with your questions or opinions on a topic of most interest to you. This is a global connection that can provide you with great perspectives and new ideas.

6 Get social! Join other CHEST members on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Connect-with-Us/Get-Social). This is a great way to connect with your colleagues. If you aren’t sure about how to do this (as I was not sure), connect with our Public Relations Specialist, Kristi Bruno at [email protected]. Being a bit of an "old dog," I’m still learning some of the new tricks about social networking from Kristi. She is a great resource!

7 Make a contribution to The CHEST-Foundation (www.chestnet.org/About/Overview/Foundation-and-OneBreath). The foundation is the philanthropic arm of CHEST, providing resources to our members to help our patients. Your donation can be targeted to the Beyond Our Walls Capital Campaign, helping to support our new global headquarters.

8 Last but not least, if you are not yet a member, join up (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Membership/Join)!

Numbers 1-7 are just a few of the great opportunities you will have as part of the CHEST community. Good luck rebooting your resolutions! Now it’s time to work on one of my resolutions, less work on the weekends.

As I write this article, I am looking out a hotel window at a very cold Chicago landscape (I’m talking really cold for a guy from Mississippi). We just completed a very productive CHEST 2014 Executive Program Committee meeting to plan our annual program for this October in Austin, Texas. This effort was expertly led by Dr. Mark Metersky and his vice-chairs, Drs. Alex Niven and Jean Bourbeau, with great contributions by a superb group of executive committee members and the CHEST staff. We have an exciting program planned for you this year in Austin! The planning meeting was followed by the traditional "thank you" dinner for the planning committee participants. One of my New Year’s resolutions went flying out the window, yet again: eating sensibly! Hard for me to resist great food.

CHEST

I bet I’m not alone. I am more than 2 months into the yearly "resolution game." Not one of my resolutions is intact – as usual. Like many of you, I bet, I set my sights a bit too high. My plans included eating more sensibly (not really that tough of a target, except cheese curls and french fries are irresistible), getting more regular exercise (my Nordic Track® often sits unused – yes, I’m that old – I actually own a Nordic Track), get home earlier each evening (there’s always something coming up at work), and not working as much on the weekends, or better yet, not at all (guess when I’m writing this).

Time for a resolution reboot! Yep, I "borrowed" that term from Headline News where I heard the phrase one early morning when the Nordic Track and I were getting reacquainted. I’d like to offer you several resolution ideas that should be easy to accomplish, and, yes, involve CHEST.

1 Come to CHEST World Congress in Madrid, March 21-24 (www.chestworldcongress2014.org/). I realize by the time this is published, time may be short. This is a fantastic program in collaboration with our partner, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and offers great and innovative content in a wonderful setting. Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful treasures of Madrid! One of those great treasures is the food! (There goes my resolution again.) Yes, this suggested CHEST resolution may be the hardest to accomplish, but the effort will be well rewarded.

2 Make your plans now to attend CHEST 2014 in Austin, Texas, (chestmeeting.chestnet.org). As noted, we just completed our program planning to include hands-on simulation, interactive sessions, and many more unique learning opportunities. Austin is a great city with much to offer, including world famous music, great barbecue, and other cuisine (food again – I better reboot that resolution, or just boot it).

3 Submit an abstract to CHEST 2014! This is a great way to show off the great care you have been providing for your patients!

4 Our new global headquarters opened in February. This fantastic facility offers an Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center that includes six simulation labs looking just like ICU rooms. Plan to attend one of our many new simulation offerings this year covering a myriad of topics, including ultrasound and mechanical ventilation. Look for even more exciting offerings over the year, as we take full advantage of this wonderful new resource, and sign up (www.chestnet.org/Education/Products/Live-Learning).

5 Join our e-Community or become even more active in the e-Community (www.chestnet.org/NetWorks/eCommunity). Start your own discussion with your questions or opinions on a topic of most interest to you. This is a global connection that can provide you with great perspectives and new ideas.

6 Get social! Join other CHEST members on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Connect-with-Us/Get-Social). This is a great way to connect with your colleagues. If you aren’t sure about how to do this (as I was not sure), connect with our Public Relations Specialist, Kristi Bruno at [email protected]. Being a bit of an "old dog," I’m still learning some of the new tricks about social networking from Kristi. She is a great resource!

7 Make a contribution to The CHEST-Foundation (www.chestnet.org/About/Overview/Foundation-and-OneBreath). The foundation is the philanthropic arm of CHEST, providing resources to our members to help our patients. Your donation can be targeted to the Beyond Our Walls Capital Campaign, helping to support our new global headquarters.

8 Last but not least, if you are not yet a member, join up (www.chestnet.org/Get-Involved/Membership/Join)!

Numbers 1-7 are just a few of the great opportunities you will have as part of the CHEST community. Good luck rebooting your resolutions! Now it’s time to work on one of my resolutions, less work on the weekends.

First, thank you very much – I am honored to be the 76th President of the American College of Chest Physicians. Next, thank you to Dr. Darcy D. Marciniuk, FCCP, our 75th ACCP President, who worked very hard for the College this past year and did a stellar job. His accomplishments will no doubt stand the test of time. And, the ACCP team will continue to tap into Darcy’s skills in his role as our Immediate Past President.

Let me briefly introduce myself. My wife Barb, my two sons, Tyler and Jackson, and I live in Jackson, Mississippi. My daily Mississippi work life revolves around the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where I have been on faculty for nearly 20 years. We have over 9,000 employees and students on our campus daily. I have the privilege of working with a great group of colleagues who make my day-to-day life quite rewarding. Their considerable support is the reason I’m able to commit the time and energy to the ACCP Presidency this year.

Plan for the year

What does the ACCP team have planned for next year? Note, the word "team." This is not my plan, but a plan developed with you—our members’ input. The team consists of our ACCP staff, leadership, and, most importantly, members like you. Your guidance and requests have been heard. In fact, I do not have a presidential "theme" for the year, unless "focus as a team" can be called a theme. As a team, let’s finish all of the important core projects we have started! Not exactly a sexy banner-grabbing "theme," but pretty darn important!

I can’t say this any better than Darcy did last year, so I will simply quote him:

"Our core strength is providing what clinicians around the world want most: education which enables them to deliver the best possible clinical care. The ACCP does not purport to be everything to everyone. We’ve adopted a disciplined approach that allows us to excel at exactly what we do – provide the very best and essential learning opportunities for the practicing clinician. Our journal CHEST, the annual CHEST conference, board review courses, simulation offerings, leadership development, and other innovative programs are all planned with that focus and important goal in mind."

This upcoming year, we will continue to focus on our core strength that aligns with the interests we have heard from our members yet again—in three words—more clinical education.

New technology-driven headquarters

To do this, we will harness our new headquarters’ state-of-the-art Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center by offering more simulation and education opportunities that will be even more innovative. The ACCP recently achieved accreditation from the Society of Simulation in Healthcare. The ACCP is the only professional medical society to be accredited. But first, we need to finish building our new LEED-certified headquarters. We still have a bit more to do to finish up. And finish – we will. Our projected move in date is in February 2014.

Our new headquarters will be complemented by our ongoing investment in an all new information technology infrastructure, our new ACCP "central nervous system" - our brain. These technology systems will coordinate our many College projects, including our all-important member-focused activities. This "brain" will provide state-of-the-art connectivity for our members to seamlessly access our educational offerings and other College products. Members will be able to quickly acquire the essential new knowledge they need to care for their patients, for maintenance of certification requirements, and for personalized data to report their quality performance measures to meet future regulatory requirements.

All of these products and services will feature a new look and feel—our new visual brand identity, introduced during CHEST 2013 in Chicago and then launched online later that week

Guidelines, global, and more

More clinical practice guidelines are on the way. Already a trusted voice in guideline development, the ACCP team is developing new guidelines (and, updating prior guidelines) in a more nimble fashion (translate, faster) with a more user-friendly product (translate, more practical for the frontline provider). Work will be accelerating this year to bring you the latest guideline-based information that you need to provide the best and most up-to-date care for your patients.

More than 5,000 attendees experienced CHEST 2013 (a new record!), one of our yearly premier educational programs. The many innovative offerings reflected the hard work of the scientific program chair, Dr. Jack Buckley, and the entire ACCP team. Dr. Mark Metersky, from the University of Connecticut, is our program chair for CHEST 2014 to be held in Austin, Texas. Mark, the program committee, and the ACCP staff are already hard at work designing this meeting. Austin offers a unique venue that I’m sure you will enjoy.

ACCP’s commitment to providing exceptional global education for our international members remains very strong. And we plan to strategically expand this important commitment. Excitement continues to grow around CHEST World Congress 2014 to be held in Madrid, March 21-24. If you haven’t registered yet, do so soon. You won’t be disappointed. Drs. Richard Irwin and Joan Soriano, our co-chairs, and their program committee, have put together an exceptional program in collaboration with our sister society, SEPAR, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery.

Health-care reform

What’s glaringly missing from this focus list? I purposely left to last the area creating the greatest anxiety for health-care providers today – health-care reform. Notice, I didn’t say "doctors," but instead "health-care providers." We cannot, and must not, forget that the entire medical team is impacted by these changes. Most importantly, our patients and their families are impacted. And, this is not an issue isolated to the United States. Globally, health-care systems, – including regulators, payers, and governments – want excellent, quality patient care for less cost, or, at least for no increased cost. But, through all of these health care reform efforts, we must keep in mind that we can’t lose the patient’s voice.

My dad is 92 and my mom is 89. Both are patients in this evolving, complex, health-care system. I have heard from my parents, and my patients, the same concerns: With these many health-care changes has come the loss of patient-focus. Compassion and caring seems, from the all-important patient’s perspective, to have been lost in the relentless drive to generate yet another RVU.

The health-care team must continue to provide the best patient-focused care possible in the face of this storm of health-care reform. This storm will not end anytime soon. But, the good news is, the ACCP team is here to help our nearly 19,000 members, and their teams, successfully navigate this storm. Let us be your trusted partner and provide the best focused educational opportunities, not only for pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine clinical content, but also education about these many health-care system changes. Our new CHEST Regulations and Reimbursement Committee will be focusing on crafting the best education possible to guide our members through these often confusing health-care waters. This all-encompassing education will enable all the members of the health-care team provide the best patient care possible.

I will be relying on all of you, our members, along with Paul A. Markowski, our Executive Vice President and CEO, Curt Sessler, FCCP, our President-Elect, Dr. Barbara A. Phillips, FCCP, our President-Designate, and all of our great ACCP staff to be sure we, as an ACCP TEAM, make the upcoming year the best it can be! I look forward to hearing from you about any questions you may have about these plans.

Thank you again for this opportunity to serve you, the ACCP, and our patients.

First, thank you very much – I am honored to be the 76th President of the American College of Chest Physicians. Next, thank you to Dr. Darcy D. Marciniuk, FCCP, our 75th ACCP President, who worked very hard for the College this past year and did a stellar job. His accomplishments will no doubt stand the test of time. And, the ACCP team will continue to tap into Darcy’s skills in his role as our Immediate Past President.

Let me briefly introduce myself. My wife Barb, my two sons, Tyler and Jackson, and I live in Jackson, Mississippi. My daily Mississippi work life revolves around the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where I have been on faculty for nearly 20 years. We have over 9,000 employees and students on our campus daily. I have the privilege of working with a great group of colleagues who make my day-to-day life quite rewarding. Their considerable support is the reason I’m able to commit the time and energy to the ACCP Presidency this year.

Plan for the year

What does the ACCP team have planned for next year? Note, the word "team." This is not my plan, but a plan developed with you—our members’ input. The team consists of our ACCP staff, leadership, and, most importantly, members like you. Your guidance and requests have been heard. In fact, I do not have a presidential "theme" for the year, unless "focus as a team" can be called a theme. As a team, let’s finish all of the important core projects we have started! Not exactly a sexy banner-grabbing "theme," but pretty darn important!

I can’t say this any better than Darcy did last year, so I will simply quote him:

"Our core strength is providing what clinicians around the world want most: education which enables them to deliver the best possible clinical care. The ACCP does not purport to be everything to everyone. We’ve adopted a disciplined approach that allows us to excel at exactly what we do – provide the very best and essential learning opportunities for the practicing clinician. Our journal CHEST, the annual CHEST conference, board review courses, simulation offerings, leadership development, and other innovative programs are all planned with that focus and important goal in mind."

This upcoming year, we will continue to focus on our core strength that aligns with the interests we have heard from our members yet again—in three words—more clinical education.

New technology-driven headquarters

To do this, we will harness our new headquarters’ state-of-the-art Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center by offering more simulation and education opportunities that will be even more innovative. The ACCP recently achieved accreditation from the Society of Simulation in Healthcare. The ACCP is the only professional medical society to be accredited. But first, we need to finish building our new LEED-certified headquarters. We still have a bit more to do to finish up. And finish – we will. Our projected move in date is in February 2014.

Our new headquarters will be complemented by our ongoing investment in an all new information technology infrastructure, our new ACCP "central nervous system" - our brain. These technology systems will coordinate our many College projects, including our all-important member-focused activities. This "brain" will provide state-of-the-art connectivity for our members to seamlessly access our educational offerings and other College products. Members will be able to quickly acquire the essential new knowledge they need to care for their patients, for maintenance of certification requirements, and for personalized data to report their quality performance measures to meet future regulatory requirements.

All of these products and services will feature a new look and feel—our new visual brand identity, introduced during CHEST 2013 in Chicago and then launched online later that week

Guidelines, global, and more

More clinical practice guidelines are on the way. Already a trusted voice in guideline development, the ACCP team is developing new guidelines (and, updating prior guidelines) in a more nimble fashion (translate, faster) with a more user-friendly product (translate, more practical for the frontline provider). Work will be accelerating this year to bring you the latest guideline-based information that you need to provide the best and most up-to-date care for your patients.

More than 5,000 attendees experienced CHEST 2013 (a new record!), one of our yearly premier educational programs. The many innovative offerings reflected the hard work of the scientific program chair, Dr. Jack Buckley, and the entire ACCP team. Dr. Mark Metersky, from the University of Connecticut, is our program chair for CHEST 2014 to be held in Austin, Texas. Mark, the program committee, and the ACCP staff are already hard at work designing this meeting. Austin offers a unique venue that I’m sure you will enjoy.

ACCP’s commitment to providing exceptional global education for our international members remains very strong. And we plan to strategically expand this important commitment. Excitement continues to grow around CHEST World Congress 2014 to be held in Madrid, March 21-24. If you haven’t registered yet, do so soon. You won’t be disappointed. Drs. Richard Irwin and Joan Soriano, our co-chairs, and their program committee, have put together an exceptional program in collaboration with our sister society, SEPAR, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery.

Health-care reform

What’s glaringly missing from this focus list? I purposely left to last the area creating the greatest anxiety for health-care providers today – health-care reform. Notice, I didn’t say "doctors," but instead "health-care providers." We cannot, and must not, forget that the entire medical team is impacted by these changes. Most importantly, our patients and their families are impacted. And, this is not an issue isolated to the United States. Globally, health-care systems, – including regulators, payers, and governments – want excellent, quality patient care for less cost, or, at least for no increased cost. But, through all of these health care reform efforts, we must keep in mind that we can’t lose the patient’s voice.

My dad is 92 and my mom is 89. Both are patients in this evolving, complex, health-care system. I have heard from my parents, and my patients, the same concerns: With these many health-care changes has come the loss of patient-focus. Compassion and caring seems, from the all-important patient’s perspective, to have been lost in the relentless drive to generate yet another RVU.

The health-care team must continue to provide the best patient-focused care possible in the face of this storm of health-care reform. This storm will not end anytime soon. But, the good news is, the ACCP team is here to help our nearly 19,000 members, and their teams, successfully navigate this storm. Let us be your trusted partner and provide the best focused educational opportunities, not only for pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine clinical content, but also education about these many health-care system changes. Our new CHEST Regulations and Reimbursement Committee will be focusing on crafting the best education possible to guide our members through these often confusing health-care waters. This all-encompassing education will enable all the members of the health-care team provide the best patient care possible.

I will be relying on all of you, our members, along with Paul A. Markowski, our Executive Vice President and CEO, Curt Sessler, FCCP, our President-Elect, Dr. Barbara A. Phillips, FCCP, our President-Designate, and all of our great ACCP staff to be sure we, as an ACCP TEAM, make the upcoming year the best it can be! I look forward to hearing from you about any questions you may have about these plans.

Thank you again for this opportunity to serve you, the ACCP, and our patients.

First, thank you very much – I am honored to be the 76th President of the American College of Chest Physicians. Next, thank you to Dr. Darcy D. Marciniuk, FCCP, our 75th ACCP President, who worked very hard for the College this past year and did a stellar job. His accomplishments will no doubt stand the test of time. And, the ACCP team will continue to tap into Darcy’s skills in his role as our Immediate Past President.

Let me briefly introduce myself. My wife Barb, my two sons, Tyler and Jackson, and I live in Jackson, Mississippi. My daily Mississippi work life revolves around the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where I have been on faculty for nearly 20 years. We have over 9,000 employees and students on our campus daily. I have the privilege of working with a great group of colleagues who make my day-to-day life quite rewarding. Their considerable support is the reason I’m able to commit the time and energy to the ACCP Presidency this year.

Plan for the year

What does the ACCP team have planned for next year? Note, the word "team." This is not my plan, but a plan developed with you—our members’ input. The team consists of our ACCP staff, leadership, and, most importantly, members like you. Your guidance and requests have been heard. In fact, I do not have a presidential "theme" for the year, unless "focus as a team" can be called a theme. As a team, let’s finish all of the important core projects we have started! Not exactly a sexy banner-grabbing "theme," but pretty darn important!

I can’t say this any better than Darcy did last year, so I will simply quote him:

"Our core strength is providing what clinicians around the world want most: education which enables them to deliver the best possible clinical care. The ACCP does not purport to be everything to everyone. We’ve adopted a disciplined approach that allows us to excel at exactly what we do – provide the very best and essential learning opportunities for the practicing clinician. Our journal CHEST, the annual CHEST conference, board review courses, simulation offerings, leadership development, and other innovative programs are all planned with that focus and important goal in mind."

This upcoming year, we will continue to focus on our core strength that aligns with the interests we have heard from our members yet again—in three words—more clinical education.

New technology-driven headquarters

To do this, we will harness our new headquarters’ state-of-the-art Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center by offering more simulation and education opportunities that will be even more innovative. The ACCP recently achieved accreditation from the Society of Simulation in Healthcare. The ACCP is the only professional medical society to be accredited. But first, we need to finish building our new LEED-certified headquarters. We still have a bit more to do to finish up. And finish – we will. Our projected move in date is in February 2014.

Our new headquarters will be complemented by our ongoing investment in an all new information technology infrastructure, our new ACCP "central nervous system" - our brain. These technology systems will coordinate our many College projects, including our all-important member-focused activities. This "brain" will provide state-of-the-art connectivity for our members to seamlessly access our educational offerings and other College products. Members will be able to quickly acquire the essential new knowledge they need to care for their patients, for maintenance of certification requirements, and for personalized data to report their quality performance measures to meet future regulatory requirements.

All of these products and services will feature a new look and feel—our new visual brand identity, introduced during CHEST 2013 in Chicago and then launched online later that week

Guidelines, global, and more

More clinical practice guidelines are on the way. Already a trusted voice in guideline development, the ACCP team is developing new guidelines (and, updating prior guidelines) in a more nimble fashion (translate, faster) with a more user-friendly product (translate, more practical for the frontline provider). Work will be accelerating this year to bring you the latest guideline-based information that you need to provide the best and most up-to-date care for your patients.

More than 5,000 attendees experienced CHEST 2013 (a new record!), one of our yearly premier educational programs. The many innovative offerings reflected the hard work of the scientific program chair, Dr. Jack Buckley, and the entire ACCP team. Dr. Mark Metersky, from the University of Connecticut, is our program chair for CHEST 2014 to be held in Austin, Texas. Mark, the program committee, and the ACCP staff are already hard at work designing this meeting. Austin offers a unique venue that I’m sure you will enjoy.

ACCP’s commitment to providing exceptional global education for our international members remains very strong. And we plan to strategically expand this important commitment. Excitement continues to grow around CHEST World Congress 2014 to be held in Madrid, March 21-24. If you haven’t registered yet, do so soon. You won’t be disappointed. Drs. Richard Irwin and Joan Soriano, our co-chairs, and their program committee, have put together an exceptional program in collaboration with our sister society, SEPAR, the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery.

Health-care reform

What’s glaringly missing from this focus list? I purposely left to last the area creating the greatest anxiety for health-care providers today – health-care reform. Notice, I didn’t say "doctors," but instead "health-care providers." We cannot, and must not, forget that the entire medical team is impacted by these changes. Most importantly, our patients and their families are impacted. And, this is not an issue isolated to the United States. Globally, health-care systems, – including regulators, payers, and governments – want excellent, quality patient care for less cost, or, at least for no increased cost. But, through all of these health care reform efforts, we must keep in mind that we can’t lose the patient’s voice.

My dad is 92 and my mom is 89. Both are patients in this evolving, complex, health-care system. I have heard from my parents, and my patients, the same concerns: With these many health-care changes has come the loss of patient-focus. Compassion and caring seems, from the all-important patient’s perspective, to have been lost in the relentless drive to generate yet another RVU.

The health-care team must continue to provide the best patient-focused care possible in the face of this storm of health-care reform. This storm will not end anytime soon. But, the good news is, the ACCP team is here to help our nearly 19,000 members, and their teams, successfully navigate this storm. Let us be your trusted partner and provide the best focused educational opportunities, not only for pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine clinical content, but also education about these many health-care system changes. Our new CHEST Regulations and Reimbursement Committee will be focusing on crafting the best education possible to guide our members through these often confusing health-care waters. This all-encompassing education will enable all the members of the health-care team provide the best patient care possible.

I will be relying on all of you, our members, along with Paul A. Markowski, our Executive Vice President and CEO, Curt Sessler, FCCP, our President-Elect, Dr. Barbara A. Phillips, FCCP, our President-Designate, and all of our great ACCP staff to be sure we, as an ACCP TEAM, make the upcoming year the best it can be! I look forward to hearing from you about any questions you may have about these plans.

Thank you again for this opportunity to serve you, the ACCP, and our patients.