PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

2019 Annual Meeting Update

Jeffrey J. Pasternak, MD
SNACC President

Jeffrey J. Pasternak, MD

In case you have not heard the news, SNACC is planning a new format for our Annual Meeting starting in 2019. Instead of holding our Annual Meeting prior to the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in October 2019 in Orlando, Florida, SNACC is planning a stand-alone meeting. I refer you to the President’s Message in the SNACC Summer 2018 Newsletter for an explanation of some of the reasons for this change. Briefly, holding our Annual Meeting at a time and location that is independent of the ASA Annual Meeting affords SNACC greater flexibility in meeting planning. Hopefully, this will serve to improve the quality of our Annual Meeting while limiting time away from home and work in those who attend both the SNACC and ASA Annual Meetings.

The cover page of the 1989 meeting brochure. (Courtesy of William L. Lanier, MD)

In 1989, SNACC held a Winter Workshop in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area in Arizona. Thirty years later, we have decided to return. In addition to this historical reason, the Phoenix/Scottsdale area offers great opportunity in terms of activities and restaurants as well as a large international airport allowing easy access from both United States (US) and international locations. The meeting will be held at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa in Phoenix September 12-14, 2019. I invite you to take a look at the resort website . The hotel is located less than seven miles from the airport and abuts the South Mountain Park, a 16,000 acre desert park that is the largest municipal park in the continental US. In addition to ample meeting space, the hotel contains multiple restaurants and bars, a golf course, a spa, outdoor event spaces, pools, and even a waterpark. Best yet, SNACC has been able to negotiate a room rate of $229 per night for Annual Meeting attendees, significantly less expensive than our best negotiated rates at ASA-associated hotels. Near the hotel are multiple restaurants and activities including Sea Life Aquarium.

As for the scientific program, Dr. Chanannait Paisansathan will serve as the chair of the meeting planning committee. She has been working hard with the SNACC Board and Ruggles, SNACC’s management company, to organize a truly exceptional Annual Meeting program. Tentatively, we are planning to hold workshops and a focused learning session on Thursday afternoon, September 12, 2019. Both Friday and Saturday, September 13-14, 2019 will consist of panels, poster sessions, and problem-based learning discussions (PBLD). We will allot ample time for committee meeting and meetings of the SNACC Special Interest Groups at more reasonable times than our traditional practice of early morning or late afternoon after the Annual Meeting has concluded. We also plan to continue the William Young Fundraising Dinner and plan to end the meeting with a SNACC Happy Hour.

We thank the SNACC members who have reached out to us to offer comments, ideas, and criticisms of our new meeting format. We strongly encourage this input. Please feel free to offer any suggestions or ideas for scientific and meeting content. Our goal is to offer an Annual Meeting with an exceptional scientific program that is in a great location. So bring your family and friends and join SNACC in Phoenix, Arizona on September 12-14, 2019.