CEO Update, Fall 2023 -Winter 2024

“But time, keeps flowing like a river….on and on to the sea”  Alan Parsons Project 1980

The Alan Parsons Project may have been on to something when they wrote a song lamenting the power of time.  It seems every day the quiet tick-tock of the clock really does “flow like a river.”   As we get caught up in the day-to-day, it is easy to take time and its ability to change everything for granted.  Time truly can be our friend or foe with its fleeting nature and our inevitability to age.

Maybe it is just me, but 2023 seems to be happening at an incredible rate.  Like many things in life, perspective is key.  Does the passage of time signify endings or beginnings — opportunities?

At the AAOA, we are embracing opportunity.  Members have changed, practices have changed, and life has changed.  To help support its members, AAOA is strategically looking forward.   You may have received some personal outreach asking you what you need now.  While we definitely have laurels to hang our collective hat on, we know we need to change with our members.  What new programs, services, resources can we develop to help you in your practice.

Value is core.  We want you to feel like you get real value being a part of the AAOA. Your annual dues include annual meeting registration (read: Free!), advocacy support, IFAR, our official journal, drastically reduced registration fees for our courses, educational stacks, USP resources, and more.  As your professional society, we want to know what more we can offer, develop, provide.  Please share your thoughts and ideas (jlucas@aaoallergy.org).  

With the roll out of USP General Chapter <797> November 1^st, AAOA was at the ready with several tools and resources to help you and your practice with compliance.  Offering a compliance module and gloved fingertip and media fill test kits at a special reduced AAOA member rate, the AAOA has your back.  Compliance is an annual process.  So while many vendors are touting monthly support services, we encourage you to review the AAOA website pages (https://aaoallergy.org/?s=USP) to find your solutions.

CME and continuing certification continue to be core to our member value.  We pivoted to a hybrid format to expand access, and this shift is resonating with our members.  Expanding our Basic and Advanced Courses to a 90-day content access has been a benefit to both our live and virtual audiences.  Members share how grateful they are to have the content to review post the 3-days of live delivery.   The pre-work component allows our Education Committee and Course Directors bring more content into the overall program for a more effective “podium to practice” content delivery.

The Annual Meeting continues to evolve, marrying the latest research and technology with hot practice management topics.  We build the Annual Meeting around our crowd sourcing.  Your input help to define the curriculum.  Even better, for 2024 we are encouraging not just content ideas, but proposal for content you can deliver.  If you have an idea, reach out to meetings@aaoallergy.org.

While time may keep on flowing, it seems as though the sea of 2023 is upon us.  We look forward to navigating 2024 and seeing which way the river courses and what new beginnings await.

Best wishes for the holiday season, and we look forward to serving you in the years to come.