Contribute Ideas to AGA’s 2012 Planning

September 23, 2011

As summer winds to an end, focus at AGA shifts to strategic planning. Last weekend, 90 members of our committees convened in Washington, DC to plan activities for next year and discuss how to ensure that AGA meets the needs of the GI community.

The poor state of the world economy, shifting health policies and market changes to the health-care system are disrupting the environment in which we care for patients and conduct research. Times are changing, and they’re changing fast.

While change can be unsettling, AGA is looking for opportunities to influence system changes in order to advance the science and practice of gastroenterology. We are also committed to giving gastroenterologists the tools they need to succeed in what will be a brave new world of medicine.

In addition to the usual business of the AGA, strategic discussions last weekend focused on these themes:

What tools do practitioners need to ensure success in the value-driven health-care system of the future?
How can AGA prepare fellows and young gastroenterologists for long and successful careers in both the practice and research areas of the field?

The members that convened in DC last weekend had incredibly creative ideas to answer these questions. Building on that success, we’re interested to hear from a broader base of AGA members. If you have an idea that you want to share with the AGA as we plan for next year, please log onto a members-only discussion board.

Thanks for your input!

— C. Richard Boland, MD, AGAF, president, AGA Institute