October 2008 ASCP President’s Message by Barbara J. McKenna, MD, FASCP
One-time journalist, magazine editor and short story writer Mignon McLaughlin once said, “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a short while he (or she) gets to know something.” McLaughlin makes a good point. Unfortunately, listening and hearing are the most underutilized aspects of the communications process. It is important for individuals to learn to listen better. It is equally important for organizations to work on listening to and hearing their members.
Taking Stock of the Challenges Ahead
The American Society for Clinical Pathology has some 130,000 members, and communicating with them is a major task. Each one has different needs and perceptions. Some think of ASCP primarily as an educational organization. Others are most familiar with the ASCP Board of Certification and its role as a professional certifying body. Still others think of ASCP as a publisher of professional journals and books. Fewer are aware of the Society’s wide-ranging advocacy and humanitarian efforts, despite our efforts to communicate this information.
We also face serious external communication challenges. For example, our members feel laboratory professionals are not well understood or appreciated by the medical community, patients, or the general public. They expect ASCP to tell these groups about the important role they play on the healthcare team. They also count on ASCP to help alleviate the looming workforce shortage by effectively promoting laboratory careers.
In response to these challenges, the ASCP Board of Directors appointed a Task Force on Communication charged with improving the delivery of information to our members and promoting greater awareness of the important roles played by pathologists and other laboratory professionals. I was privileged to chair this effort. Working with me were task force members David GlennCM, MT(ASCP); Steven Kroft, MD, FASCP; Junell Petersen, MS, MT(ASCP)CM, SHCM; Ahren Rittershaus, MD; John E. Tomaszewski, MD, FASCP; and Elizabeth A. Wagar, MD, FASCP. Our expansive discussions were ultimately honed into a detailed report delivered to and approved by the Board last June.
The foundation for many of our conclusions is the belief that communication between the ASCP and its members must be bi-directional. That is, the Society must not only distribute information; it must have active channels through which it can receive and respond to information from and about members. Much of the final report focuses on the importance of listening to members and being responsive to what they say.
You Can be Heard
To do this, a new Communications Committee was formed and charged with finding new and better ways to make your opinions and needs known. However, there are already several ways you can be heard. You can get immediate information or make comments by calling the Chicago or Washington, DC, offices or the Board of Certification. Just go to the “Contact Us” page on the ASCP website. Or, if you prefer, email us at info@ascp.org. You can also use the ASCP Customer Feedback Form.
Planning to attend an ASCP meeting or event? While you’re there, talk to an ASCP staff person or members of the ASCP leadership team. They are eager to hear your comments and concerns. Planning to participate in an ASCP educational program or assessment activity? Use the evaluation form to suggest changes or future offerings. Do you know who represents you on the Fellow Council, the Council of Laboratory Professionals, or the Resident Council? These ASCP members were elected by you to promote your interests. Go to the ASCP website and explore the Commission, Committees and Councils hyperlinks.
Speaking of the website, have you tried the “Chat Live” function? This feature permits you to send an instant message to an ASCP customer service representative. Look for the green arrow in the top right corner of the ASCP homepage during regular business hours. Do you want to be heard not just by ASCP, but also by your state and federal representatives? Try out the ASCP eAdvocacy site. Just click on “Advocacy” at the bottom of the ASCP homepage to learn about important issues, get the names and addresses of government officials, sign up to receive emails on important topics, or get personally involved through eAdvocacy alerts. You can also email me at President@ascp.org.
This is just the beginning. The Communications Committee is spearheading efforts to raise the profile of pathologists and laboratory professionals and will take part in efforts to develop collaborative relationships with other organizations. Meanwhile, we will be working on more and better ways to reach out and listen to you—and we are committed to acting on what we hear.