September 2010

September 2010

Dear colleagues,
A lot of nice and inspiring things have happened since I last addressed you. For a minute, let us think back and enjoy this.
In June 2009 we celebrated our 30th SSAI Congress in Odense, Denmark. A great success not only in terms of scientific and social programs, but also financially. One more time, I would like to thank all the good people in Odense and the rest of Denmark that made this happen. The huge surplus makes it easier to plan ahead for further projects to promote and develop our speciality on the Scandinavian level. Projects that will benefit us all.

At the 30th SSAI Congress in Odense, Denmark we also presented our Position Paper and Web Survey on the future of Scandinavian Anaesthesiology. The full papers are now published in the October issue of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. We are very thankful to the Editor-in-chief, Professor Lars Rasmussen, who secured a speedy publication. It has been made Open Access to the rest of the world as well, so please help spread it to colleagues abroad.

All the SSAI Clinical Practice Guidelines have also been made Open Access. Please help spread them too by refereeing to the following link http://www.ssai.info/Guidelines/guidelines.html
What became clear from the Web Survey is that we as a Society must keep up the good work in terms of further training of specialists. The SSAI members ask for this, not only inside intensive care and pain medicine, but also in critical emergency medicine and perioperative medicine to mention a few. We need those of you willing to help develop the speciality to step forward on a national level and then volunteer for work with the SSAI. I would also like to use this occasion to thank all the board members of the national societies, steering committees of the advanced educational programs and everyone else that through suggestions, constructive critique and various inputs helped the Position Paper Task Force finalise the work.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all of you (almost 2000 members) who answered the web survey and thereby helped us pave the way into the future. But, for these papers to become powerful tools for improvements in clinical practice, education, management and research they must be used, discussed and criticised on a local and national level. Please make sure you do!
I started by reminisce the successful 2009 Congress in Odense. It is now time to look forward to the next successful SSAI Congress, this time in Bergen, Norway. Again, this will be a joint venture by SSAI and the national Society, sharing the work and the surplus. We know the local organisers in Bergen have worked hard and have most of the scientific and social program ready. Quite a few surprises too!

Please, check the web page http://ssai2011.com
I will be back before we all meet in Bergen next year. In the mean time, make sure you apply for leave at work, register at the Congress web page, buy your flight ticket, reserve your hotel room and get ready to meet your fantastic Scandinavian colleagues in Bergen June 2011.

Best regards
Eldar Søreide
President SSAI

Tuesday, 29 November 2011 12:19:29