From Convention Daily: Welcome from the President!

 By Ed Yoder, CRA, FAHRA

Well the last time I was close to DC was at the Spring Conference in Maryland, and the government shut down! There is no chance of that this time, but I’ve been told I need to go to the capital and kick some people in the kneecaps.

Another AHRA year has come and gone – welcome to the family reunion! I’m looking forward to seeing all of you, including some very good friends I have not seen in a year. I am looking to learn best practices in tomosynthesis, interventional radiology throughput and room utilization, data metrics tracking for imaging operations, and RFP’s for changing out PACS along with enterprise imaging set ups. If you can help with these e-mail me or catch me between sessions!

WOW, there is a lot happening here! Today of course starts off with the golf tournament. I’ll be making appearances at various holes. The Advanced, Basic, and Physician Tracks also start today, and the Lean Six Sigma Workshop will take place with many white belts emerging! Tonight is the New Member and First Time Attendee reception, followed by the President’s Reception where we officially kick everything off. I look forward to welcoming each and every one of you; please stop by!

Make sure to check out the symposiums offered all week, they are excellent! Stop by the vendor exhibits while you’re grabbing your lunch each day, and don’t forget to tell the vendors you are glad they are here. Without their support the Annual Meeting wouldn’t be as great as it is, and they give us the chance to look at equipment and discuss our organizational needs. There are three excellent keynote speakers this week as well, you will not want to miss any of them! At the end of our time together we will wrap up the meeting with our Theme Party. This year it is big band sounds and cocktails, so grab your 40’s attire and make your way down to the USO, no prohibition here!

This has been a wild ride, and I’ve accomplished a lot of things with an excellent board of directors. This team is like no other I have ever worked with, all so engaged, knowledgeable, and dedicated. They are the best. And the AHRA staff is incredible, what a team they are and they accomplish so much in keeping our organization running! Special thanks to Sarah Murray for corralling this cat (me) as best she could. Sarah, you are the bomb!

Finally, thanks to each and every one of you that voted for me and placed your faith in me as President of this great association of ours! You truly gave me a gift, for as much as this organization has given me and its depth in my career I am honored to help take it to the next level. Thanks and rock on my friends, rock on!

Want to write for Link or Convention Daily during the Annual Meeting? E-mail your article to Kerri Hart-Morris (khartmorris@ahraonline.org) or stop by the Convention Daily office in conference room Azalea 3 (on the Ballroom level, down the hallway that’s across from the Fedex office).