Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Staff,
Good morning on the first Friday of Fall! It’s been a busy and exciting week at Salus hosting our quarterly Board meeting and launching the Salus-Drexel Integration Council. Salus President’s Council members met their counterparts to develop plans for integrating academic, human resources, fiscal, student life, enrollment management, facilities and clinical processes between our two institutions. It was great to see everyone so interactive and involved. As I’ve said in the past, we will keep everyone up-to-date on the groups progress throughout the year. In addition to these things, here are some other items of interest:
RECOGNITION RECEPTION: Our annual recognition reception — always one of my favorite events — celebrated the outstanding achievements and extraordinary philanthropic support of our alumni. The event included our 2023 Presidential Medal of Honor recipients and 2023 Alumni Association Award winners. Each of our honorees has brought wisdom and expertise to the patients and people within their care and have transformed the lives of many. Look for details next week on our website.
CURATOR RETIRES: Our collective thanks and congratulations to Elynne Rosenfeld, curator of the D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on our Elkins Park campus, who is retiring after six years. Her extraordinary contributions as curator and director transformed our community. Read more about Elynne’s dedication to the gallery here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a hearing of the Congressional Subcommittee on Veterans Health. As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reaffirms its right to allow VA health care professionals to deliver health care services in a state other than the health care professional's state of licensure, registration, certification, or other state requirement, they are establishing National Standards of Practice to ensure quality of care for all veterans.
This has become a contentious issue for several professions that intersect with other medical specialties. This week’s hearing focused on optometry and certified nurse anesthetists. Ophthalmology has challenged optometry’s role in providing laser eye surgery among other medical procedures, and anesthesiology has challenged the role of certified nurse anesthetists to serve as solo, independent providers in VA facilities.
As a proud member of both the American Optometric Association and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), I was privileged to help craft AOA’s statement, which was skillfully delivered by Dr. Paul Barney, an AOA trustee who practices full-scope optometry in Alaska, including laser treatments.
It was heartening to observe committee members, all veterans themselves, recognize the value that optometrists and CRNAs provide to the VA as medical professionals. They all recognized the importance of providing health care to veterans with an integrated team of professionals. One of the members even stated that healthcare was a "team sport". Which is why interprofessional education is such an important focus of what we do at Salus.
Legislative advocacy is a vitally important tool to support the efforts of those who literally write the rules under which we all practice. In accurately and professionally providing factual accounts of our education, training and patient outcomes, we help our legislators enact laws that better reflect and support what we do.
All of our professions are statutorily regulated. Recognizing Salus’ historic commitment to “impact the future of healthcare, education and professional practice,” I take time for legislative advocacy and I encourage you to do the same. This work is done at every level—local, state and federal levels of government. Stay on top of the issues, and participate in your state and national associations. Your livelihoods and ability to care for your patients at the highest level of your training are impacted by state and federal regulations.
As you prepare for this first weekend of Fall, take some time to look over your state and national association’s websites to see what issues they are currently confronting and get up to speed with them. Now is not too early to become involved as you prepare to become leaders in your chosen professions.
Stay safe, continue to practice prudent prevention measures, such as masking when around large crowds, when out and about. We want you all back here next week SALUS STRONG!
-Mike
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