SOAP Stats Presidents Message

February 2024

Dear SOAP Members,

As we make this transition from February, a month dedicated to celebrating and reflecting on Black History, into March, which marks Women’s History Month, I am reminded of an important link between these two important realms of our collective world.  It seems an especially important moment to address and reflect on their intersection in the realm of maternal health. Given the current healthcare landscape, marked by stark disparities in pregnancy outcomes among different racial and ethnic groups, this calendar transition is a time when we providers of obstetric anesthesia care can be proactive about our roles in maternal health. Let’s acknowledge the historical and ongoing challenges faced by women, especially those of color, and engage more to combat inequalities and to foster a healthcare environment where every mother’s health, dignity and well-being are prioritized and protected. 

Towards that end, there is a lot happening at SOAP with our incredibly engaged committees, subcommittees, task forces, and SIGs. Some of our latest activities are described in this message, and you can find more on soap.org

Upcoming Deadlines:

Join our new Special Interest Groups:

 And for additional updates, please see below. 

May Pian-Smith, MD
President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology

BOARD STATS

  • To date, there are 44 SOAP State Representatives, and we continue to work towards securing a representative from each state.  SOAP State Representatives will provide a key contact in each state to help us reach a broader audience, as SOAP strives to meet its mission to provide safe and equitable care for women and newborns everywhere. If you know someone who is interested in becoming a SOAP State Representative, please contact SOAP HQ.

 COMMITTEE STATS

 Annual Meeting and Live Events Committee

  • The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held May 2-5, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.
    • Registration is now open.
      • Hotel Information: Your registration confirmation email will include the reservation link to book a room.
      • Workshops available to add to your registration (pre-registration is required and at an additional cost)
        • Focused Assessment Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE) Workshop
        • Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Workshop
        • Trauma Informed Care Workshop
      • Call for Abstracts Submission has closed. Notifications of acceptances went out February 29th.
      • If you are unable to join us in Denver, the 2024 Annual Virtual Highlights will be held June 10 & 11.  Registrants can access the curated lectures from the 2024 Annual Meeting on June 10 & 11 or watch the recording later at their leisure (thru Dec. 31, 2024) and earn CME.  Pre-registration is required. 
    • Future Meetings:
Diversity Committee

Education Committee

  • The February simulation module, Case of Malignant Hyperthermia During Cesarean Section, was posted to the website and promoted via social media.
  • The Painless Push Podcast: A podcast designed for pregnant & birthing people. In honor of Black History Month, Dr. Allison Lee & Dr. Nwadiogu Ejiogu discuss “Empowering Black Pregnant People to Make Informed Choices about Anesthesia Care.”
  • Teacher of the Year Awards:  Call for Nominations has closed. The winner will be announced at the Annual Meeting.
Governance Committee
  • Call for Board Nominations - Board nomination deadline has been extended to March 8th. We especially welcome nominees from community practice!

Intersociety Committee

  • Applications are closed for the Centers of Excellence (COE). Designees announced at Annual Business Meeting and Annual Meeting.
  • The SOAP Speaks! database is finalized. Are you looking for an engaged Obstetric Anesthesia speaker? Tap into the SOAP Speaks! database of SOAP members. 

 Member Value Committee

 Research Committee

  • The Research Network Symposium will be held May 4, 2024 in conjunction with the SOAP 2024 Annual Meeting in Denver.  Thecall for proposals has been extended to March 5.

 Finance Committee

  • Combined net assets for SOAP and the SOAP Endowment were $5.2M as of December 31, 2023.

 SOAP Headquarters

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