Vanderbilt Anesthesiololgy

Vanderbilt Anesthesiology Chair Dr. Michael Higgins with Vanderbilt residents at the 2009 ASA Legislative Conference.Tennessee boasted the largest delegation of resident representatives at the recent 2009 ASA Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, and was recognized as setting a new standard for resident interest and participation.

The ASA Legislative Conference is designed to educate anesthesiologists about pressing political issues and to train anesthesiologists in advocacy for their patients and profession. The conference addresses political issues such as healthcare reform, rural pass-through legislation, and accurate representation of credentials to patients. Following the conference, anesthesiologists then travel to Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives and senators in person to discuss these important issues.
 

This year, with support from the Tennessee Society of Anesthesiologists, Dr Higgins and the Vanderbilt Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt residents Brooke Hobgood, MD, (CA-1), Paul Reynolds, MD, (CA-1), Justin Sandall, DO, (CA-2) and Kristalynne Godwin, MD, (CA-3), attended the conference and were joined by three University of Tennessee Knoxville residents. Led by Dr. Michael Higgins, President of the Tennessee Society of Anesthesiologists, the delegation met with Senator Bob Corker, Senator Lamar Alexander, Representative Marsha Blackburn, Representative Zach Wamp and others in support of patients, physicians and our specialty.