Welcome

This is an exciting time for regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine as our subspecialty continues to grow, evolve, and realize the value we add to our patients’ experience in the perioperative period and beyond. We have chosen the theme of the meeting this year to be “value proposition of regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine.” This theme reflects our vision for the future of the role of regional anesthesiologists and acute pain physicians. Regional anesthesia has grown, and new techniques have been developed. In this meeting, we are committed to bringing you the latest developments in these techniques and debating the evidence that support the use of each one. We are doing this through interactive demonstration and hands-on workshops for contemporary as well as conventional regional techniques taught by world experts. We are also introducing brand new workshops this year. Examples of the new workshops include RA for spine surgery and high-fidelity simulation for blocks of the head and neck. We are making sure to cater to different levels of expertise among our members, so we are introducing the “Big Five” workshop to teach the most common regional anesthesia techniques used for most frequently performed surgical procedures.

One of our goals this year is to make the meeting as interactive as possible. Your input and engagement in the meeting sessions will be critical and will give #ASRASPRING21 a lively vibe. The plan is to engage participants attending the meeting and at home through different social media platforms and live streaming of select sessions. We will be introducing some live scanning on the stage as part of “ask the experts interactive sessions” as we discuss truncal blocks and clinical pathways for perioperative management of hip fracture patients. We will also adopt the short “snap talks” format as we discuss blocks of thoracic wall.

Cross-pollination and partnership with other societies and other disciplines will be visible in our meeting. We will live-stream a combined panel with the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP), which is simultaneously meeting in New Orleans, LA. We will also have orthopedic surgeons discussing their take on the role of regional anesthesia and pain medicine in joint replacement and orthopedic trauma. We continue the Practice Management Portfolio (PMP) to help anesthesiologists ensure viability and accountability of their regional and acute pain services in this challenging healthcare environment. We also have designed a special session on recognizing and combating burnout and enhancing physician wellness as these issues continue to afflict medicine as a whole.

As the opioid epidemic is still a reality that we deal with in our daily practice, we designed a 360-degree discussion of this problem from the point of view of different stakeholders (governmental and non- governmental). All these offerings are happening with ample opportunities for networking with and meeting new colleagues and leaders in the field. The family-friendly atmosphere of ASRA meetings with the backdrop of Orlando and the magic of Disney make this meeting one of a kind. This meeting program is true to the mission and vision of our society and is a living testament to our values of innovation, inclusivity, diversity, and wellness.

Before I close, I’d like to thank each of you for attending our meeting and bringing your expertise to our gathering. Our members are the greatest asset for ASRA today and tomorrow. We could not accomplish what we do without your support and leadership. I ask you to stay engaged, keep us proactive, and help us shape the future of pain medicine and ASRA.

Kind regards,

Nabil Elkassabany, MD, MSCE

Co-Chair, Scientific/Education Planning Committee 2021