Date: Saturday, April 28, 2007
Presented by: Carl C. BoobergExecutive Director of the American Thoracic Society
ATS began as a society of ATS began as a society of chest physicians– and chest physicians– and
nurses– who treated TB nurses– who treated TB patients.patients.
They treated patients in They treated patients in sanatoria, hospitals sanatoria, hospitals dedicated only to TB dedicated only to TB
diagnosis and treatment. diagnosis and treatment. Sanatoria were built all Sanatoria were built all
over the USA.over the USA.
The American Sanatorium The American Sanatorium Association later changed Association later changed its name to the American its name to the American Trudeau Society to honor Trudeau Society to honor Dr. Trudeau’s pioneering Dr. Trudeau’s pioneering work in “arresting”, but work in “arresting”, but not curing, tuberculosis.not curing, tuberculosis.
Trudeau Society Trudeau Society members provided members provided
medical expertise for medical expertise for the National TB the National TB
Association formed by Association formed by citizens who wanted to citizens who wanted to prevent and control the prevent and control the
spread of TB in the spread of TB in the USA.USA.
They fought in a They fought in a “Crusade” against TB “Crusade” against TB
under the banner of the under the banner of the double-barred cross, double-barred cross, the Cross of Lorrainethe Cross of Lorraine
Doctors, nurses, and Doctors, nurses, and community leaders community leaders
joined together to fight joined together to fight TB.TB.
In 1950 the American In 1950 the American Thoracic Society Thoracic Society
became the official became the official medical section of the medical section of the
National TB National TB Association.Association.
In 2000, the American In 2000, the American Thoracic Society separated Thoracic Society separated
corporately from the American corporately from the American Lung Association (ALA), and Lung Association (ALA), and
became a non-profit, became a non-profit, international professional, international professional, scientific and educational scientific and educational
society.society.
WHY?WHY?
ALA was not an international organization, ALA was not an international organization, yet 26% of ATS members lived outside the yet 26% of ATS members lived outside the USA;USA;
ATS was growing in membership, and ATS was growing in membership, and needed to pursue goals independent of ALA needed to pursue goals independent of ALA
in medical education and advocacy;in medical education and advocacy;
ATS wanted to develop research and ATS wanted to develop research and training programs;training programs;
ATS wanted to own its journals, the ATS ATS wanted to own its journals, the ATS International Conference, and its name.International Conference, and its name.
More members joined ATS More members joined ATS over the years as the over the years as the
specialty of pulmonary specialty of pulmonary medicine developed to medicine developed to
encompass diagnosis and encompass diagnosis and treatment of all lung treatment of all lung
diseases, not just diseases, not just TuberculosisTuberculosis
Pulmonary medicinePulmonary medicine Pulmonary and critical care Pulmonary and critical care
medicinemedicine Pediatric pulmonary Pediatric pulmonary
medicine and critical caremedicine and critical care Advanced practice nursing in Advanced practice nursing in
Respiratory MedicineRespiratory Medicine Sleep MedicineSleep Medicine
Research, both clinical and Research, both clinical and bench, has always been important bench, has always been important to ATS members;to ATS members;
ATS emphasizes the transitional ATS emphasizes the transitional aspectsaspectsof research to improve the of research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lung diagnosis and treatment of lung disease patients.disease patients.
What Does ATS Do?What Does ATS Do?
What Does ATS Do?What Does ATS Do?
It serves its members so they It serves its members so they may serve patients with lung may serve patients with lung disease. disease.
Members range from frontline Members range from frontline clinicians to leading scientists clinicians to leading scientists with broad research interests.with broad research interests.
What Does ATS Do?What Does ATS Do?
What Does ATS Do?What Does ATS Do?
Respiratory medicine, critical Respiratory medicine, critical care and sleep medicine are care and sleep medicine are three major areas of members’ three major areas of members’ professional interests.professional interests.
Lung disease research engages Lung disease research engages scientists across the world.scientists across the world.
Dr. John E. Heffner, current ATS Dr. John E. Heffner, current ATS President,President,
has discovered another answer to the has discovered another answer to the question:question:
What Does ATS Do?What Does ATS Do?
“ATS is a Society of innovators “ATS is a Society of innovators who contribute their diversewho contribute their diverse
talents to advance our common talents to advance our common desire desire
““to make a differenceto make a difference.”.”
To make a difference To make a difference in the lives of people in the lives of people
with lung diseasewith lung disease
To make a difference in To make a difference in the improvement of the improvement of
diagnosis diagnosis and treatment, and in the and treatment, and in the research results applied research results applied
to clinical medicine;to clinical medicine;
To make a difference in the To make a difference in the prevention of lung disease prevention of lung disease
through advocacy and through advocacy and protection of the ambient protection of the ambient
air environment from air environment from pollution, and throughpollution, and throughcessation of cigarette cessation of cigarette
smoking.smoking.
Members are served by Members are served by publication of three publication of three professional journalsprofessional journals
Professional Journals of the Professional Journals of the ATSATS
American Journal of Respiratory American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM)(AJRCCM)
American Journal of Respiratory American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology Cell and Molecular Biology (AJRCMB)(AJRCMB)
Proceedings of the ATS (PATS)Proceedings of the ATS (PATS)
Three Professional Journals of Three Professional Journals of the ATSthe ATS
The annual International The annual International Conference which brings Conference which brings
together thousands of together thousands of doctors, nurses and doctors, nurses and
scientistsscientists
Members Are Served ByMembers Are Served By
Continuing medical Continuing medical education programs education programs conducted across theconducted across the
USA and in Latin AmericaUSA and in Latin America
Members Are Served ByMembers Are Served By
Official statements and Official statements and Guidelines written by Guidelines written by
members from around the members from around the world, sometimes in world, sometimes in
partnership with other partnership with other societies, particularly the societies, particularly the
European Respiratory European Respiratory SocietySociety
Members Are Served ByMembers Are Served By
The The Foundation of the ATSFoundation of the ATS which raises funds to which raises funds to support research and support research and
training grants;training grants;
Members Are Served ByMembers Are Served By
Dr. Homer A. Boushey, Jr., MDDr. Homer A. Boushey, Jr., MDChairman, Foundation of the Chairman, Foundation of the
ATSATS
The ATS Research ProgramThe ATS Research Program
The ATS website which The ATS website which offers a myriad of offers a myriad of
resourcesresourcesto members and the to members and the
public;public;
Members Are Served ByMembers Are Served By
The International Agenda of The International Agenda of ATS, which encourages members ATS, which encourages members to work with both international to work with both international
and national respiratory and national respiratory societies to create mutually societies to create mutually advantageous educational advantageous educational
programs in countries outside programs in countries outside the USA.the USA.
ATS is a “Member ATS is a “Member Driven” OrganizationDriven” Organization
How Is ATS How Is ATS Organized to Carry Organized to Carry
Out Its Mission?Out Its Mission?
How Is ATS OrganizedHow Is ATS Organizedto Carry Out Its Mission?to Carry Out Its Mission?
Board of Directors/OfficersBoard of Directors/Officers 12 Assemblies12 Assemblies Council of Chapter Council of Chapter
RepresentativesRepresentatives Standing and Ad Hoc Standing and Ad Hoc
CommitteesCommittees
ATS Board of DirectorsATS Board of Directors
Five Officers/Executive CommitteeFive Officers/Executive Committee Twelve Chairmen of AssembliesTwelve Chairmen of Assemblies Three Officers of the Council of Chapter Three Officers of the Council of Chapter
Representatives Representatives Two Presidential Appointees Two Presidential Appointees ALA Chairman and Chairman-electALA Chairman and Chairman-elect Chairman, Public Advisory RoundtableChairman, Public Advisory Roundtable President, Congress of Lung AssociationPresident, Congress of Lung Association Staff Chairman, Foundation of the ATSStaff Chairman, Foundation of the ATS Executive Director, ATSExecutive Director, ATS
ATS Executive CommitteeATS Executive Committee
PresidentPresident President-electPresident-elect Immediate Past PresidentImmediate Past President Vice PresidentVice President Secretary-TreasurerSecretary-Treasurer
ATS OrganizationATS Organization
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Ad Hoc Committees(Appointed each
year by the president)
Standing Committees
Assemblies(Areas of interest)
ATS Board of Directors
ATS Public Advisory
Roundtable(Leaders of Patient
Interest Organizations)
Council of Chapter
Representatives(Local Thoracic
Societies)
Foundation of the ATS
(Research/Training)
ATS OrganizationATS Organization
ATS OrganizationATS Organization
Publications Policy Committee
ARJCMBAJRCCM PATS
ATS Journals
ATS is an International ATS is an International Respiratory SocietyRespiratory Society
of Medical Professionals and of Medical Professionals and ResearchersResearchers
Goal: bring together the world’s Goal: bring together the world’s experts toexperts to
combat lung disease. ATS Partners combat lung disease. ATS Partners with other International with other International
Respiratory Societies, suchRespiratory Societies, suchas ERS, to accomplish joint as ERS, to accomplish joint
objectives—objectives—Joint Statements and Guidelines, Joint Statements and Guidelines, both Adult and Pediatric Topics.both Adult and Pediatric Topics.
ATS works with some national ATS works with some national societies which bring together societies which bring together doctors and scientists from a doctors and scientists from a broad regional area:broad regional area: Turkish Thoracic SocietyTurkish Thoracic Society Spanish Thoracic SocietySpanish Thoracic Society Japanese Respiratory SocietyJapanese Respiratory Society
ATS works with International and ATS works with International and National Agencies to Benefit National Agencies to Benefit Lung Disease PatientsLung Disease Patients World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization US Agency for International US Agency for International
DevelopmentDevelopment US Government and US CongressUS Government and US Congress
ATS is Mission driven ATS is Mission driven
and member driven toand member driven tohelp lung disease help lung disease
patientspatientsin any way possible in any way possible
“To make a “To make a difference”difference”
— John E. Heffner, MD — John E. Heffner, MD
ATS PresidentATS President
The ATS Vision embraces the The ATS Vision embraces the Society’s core strengths of:Society’s core strengths of: Knowledge generationKnowledge generation Continuing medical educationContinuing medical education Knowledge applicationKnowledge application Collaborative problem-solvingCollaborative problem-solving
ATS members believe ATS members believe inin
a scientific a scientific perspective for perspective for
advancing the field, advancing the field, and bringing better and bringing better
health tohealth toa world threatened by a world threatened by respiratory disease.respiratory disease.
Any Questions?Any Questions?
Thank YouThank You
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