10/29/97
All good things must come to an end! As I end my 2nd term as SCOT Chair with the Fall AAP meeting, I want to express to each of you my deep appreciation for your support of our Section and your contributions to its well being, including but not limited to your prompt payment of dues. The SCOT Nominating Committee did a wonderful job identifying candidates for the Executive Committee and the Chair; I am confident that each and every one will serve SCOT and AAP well. I wish future SCOT Chair Rick Shiffman M.D., F.A.A.P. my continuing support and good wishes.
While preparing this article I reviewed the SCOT 5 Year Education Plan and the SCOT 5 year Strategic Plan approved by the Executive Committee. SCOT achieved most of the objectives in both plans. Our education programs, directed by Mitch Feldman and Stuart Weinberg, remain very popular with AAP membership. Mitch Feldman has done a magnificent job in revitalizing the Scientific Abstract sessions. This Fall we had more abstracts rejected than accepted. That is truly a milestone in SCOT history. The increasing numbers of AAP Fellows with formal medical informatics training joining SCOT is truly rewarding. We expect that their links with academia as well as their knowledge about practical applications of technology to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of clinical care will strengthen the SCOT education programs and enable us to provide additional service and support to the AAP and its membership.
SCOT advocacy, among others, for an on-line presence for the AAP resulted in the launching of the AAP WWW Home Page during 1996. AAP progress in developing the AAP WWW Home Page and other electronic initiatives for pediatrician continuing education and the consumer market is rapid. Although plagued by continuing challenges associated with upgrading the core business systems; the AAP Board continues to challenge staff to place the AAP in a leadership position in the field of electronic communication. PEDIATRICS electronic pages has been a big hit with domestic and international "surfers" since publication began. The Editorial Board and Webmaster are continuing to explore different ways to enhance the electronic pages and are considering the possibilities of soliciting specific multi-media articles for preferential publication in the electronic pages. If this development occurs, it will place PEDIATRICS - the electronic pages in the forefront of electronic journalism. Click on the PEDIATRICS - the electronic pages and provide them feedback on your views on this and other issues.
Member alert - it's put up or shut up time! SCOT's actions, whether through our education presentations, operation of the Computer Lab, quality work via the Informatics Task Force chaired by Jim Lustig, or continued advocacy for increased AAP commitment to support technology initiatives are resulting in increasing requests to SCOT for technical assistance. SCOT's mission is to encourage and support AAP member adoption of technology to improve their quality of care and quality of life, and to provide technical assistance to the AAP to improve AAP's service to its members individually, or in chapters and sections or other tasks at the request of AAP.
For example, the Council on Sections recently proposed that AAP appoint a Task Force to develop a program and business plan for the AAP Home Page. Although, it is not likely that AAP Board will approve a Task Force, SCOT members may be invited to provide input to the development of the AAP Home Page program and business plan. Consequently, SCOT members with expertise, interest, and time to spare to work on this issue should communicate that interest with me at
Another project is the development of an AAP Job Matching Service via the WWW. AAP District III initiated discussion of a low cost service where members, especially residents looking for positions and/or pediatricians looking for new staff can engage in a self-directed search. We all are familiar with the high fees which physician recruiters charge for the comprehensive services which they provide. Unfortunately, these fees are often a barrier to solo or small group pediatricians to obtain qualified candidates. Residents are often frustrated by the same barriers which shield them from practice settings in which they might be very happy. AAP District III Webmaster George Kim M.D. F.A.A.P. is going to spearhead this project. However, any SCOT member interested in working on this issue should communicate that interest to either me, George Kim MD, or to Anne McGhiey.
There are, and will be, many more technology projects with which SCOT members can be involved. Just let us know of your interest.
In closing, I'd like to personally recognize and thank those SCOT Executive Committee members whose term of service comes to an end with mine: Ken Hayashida M.D. - Resident Liaison, Doug Stetson, without whose help our achievements would not have occurred; and SCOT Committee on Scientific Meetings (COSM) Liaison Don Lighter M.D. FA.A.A whose pushing and prodding was critical to achieve the high visibility and high quality of SCOT education presentations at Annual and Spring Meetings. The continuing commitment of former SCOT leaders is legendary within AAP as evidenced by Jim Lustig's continued work on the Pediatric Practice Management Software Review Program following his excellent leadership of the Task Force on Informatics. There still is plenty of room under the tent for YOU!!, however. Again, thanks for the opportunity to learn and to serve!!