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APS Bulletin • Volume 12, Number 6, November/December 2002
President's Message
APS Board of Directors Revises Strategic Plan
Christine Miaskowski, PhD RN
The American Pain Society (APS) Board of Directors met on September 20, 2002, to revise our strategic plan. Board members prepared for this meeting using the SWOT analysis technique. This techniques focuses on identifying the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to our professional organization. Using the SWOT analysis, we were able to consider a large number of factors that will impact the growth and direction of APS during the next 2 to 3 years.
Nine strategic goals were identified as part of the planning process, as well as numerous strategies that will help us achieve the various goals. As part of the strategic planning process, the board of directors integrated the various initiatives identified by the Decade of Pain Control and Research Task Force into our strategic plan. I would like to highlight some of the major themes in our revised strategic plan.
One of the major hallmarks of APS is the strong link we have established between basic and clinical science. Several of our strategic goals address this link, as well as the need to advocate for a national research agenda on pain and its management. One strategic goal is to foster the integration of basic and clinical science. An example of a strategy that will be used to achieve this goal is to structure sessions at our annual meeting that demonstrate the integration of basic and clinical science. Another strategic goal in this area is to create a translational environment and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction. This goal was seen as an intricate part of what makes APS unique among various pain organizations. Plans to achieve this goal will need to be developed; the board of directors welcomes input from the membership on how to achieve it.
Several strategic goals form the basis of a policy agenda for APS. One goal states the Society needs to identify and advocate for a national research agenda on pain and its management. Equally important from the policy perspective is the need to contribute to and influence the evolution of healthcare policy concerning pain, pain research, and its treatment. Many of the strategies to achieve these two goals are developed and implemented through our membership in the Pain Care Coalition. Through this coalition’s lobbying efforts, we are able to have a voice at the national level on pain-related issues.
Another strategic direction for APS is education. The board of directors renewed its commitment to develop and support pain education programs for professionals and the public. Professional education occurs through our annual meeting and through the development of publications like Principles of Analgesic Use in the Treatment of Acute Pain and Cancer Pain. We are also considering the development of additional products, both in print and electronic formats. The board of directors spent a great deal of time discussing the society’s role in public education. As the number of individuals with chronic pain in the United States continues to grow, there is enormous need for public education on the appropriate assessment and treatment of pain. Undoubtedly, APS members will be called upon to address pain management issues through public lectures as well as through the media. The board of directors discussed the need to conduct media training sessions or prepare media kits for our members.
Another strategic goal is to develop evidence-based and cost effective initiatives to improve the quality of pain management. Several strategies were identified to achieve this goal. One of the major ones is the Clinical Practice Guideline Program that is identified consistently as an important member benefit. As part of the strategic planning process, the board renewed its commitment to sustain this vital program. Other proposals are in the planning stages to address this critical strategic goal.
To achieve these goals, numerous steps will need to be taken. The vision of APS’s board of directors is creative and expansive. Said another way: To achieve the goals identified in our strategic plan, the society will need significant financial resources. Dennis Turk and I will address this strategic goal and the plan to achieve it in more detail in a subsequent President’s message.
From an organizational perspective, we developed a strategic goal to promote multidisciplinary membership growth, retention, and satisfaction. APS members are the organization. The board of directors considered membership survey feedback very seriously as we revised this strategic plan. Critical feedback from the member survey included members’ desire for more communication with the organization’s leadership. To achieve this goal, the board of directors approved the initiation and development of a monthly electronic newsletter. This newsletter is not meant to replace the APS Bulletin, but to serve as a vehicle for rapid communication about society news and other topics of interest to the membership. We are in the process of recruiting a volunteer to serve as the electronic newsletter’s editor. Please submit your letter of interest to Cynthia Porter at cporter@amctec.com.
I would like to encourage all APS members to provide feedback on any aspect of the strategic plan. This feedback will strengthen the plan and make it a living document that will facilitate the growth and development of APS.
