TAMSS Newsletter
TAMSS had a great 20th Anniversary Conference! We had 105 registrants for annual conference and 37 for the Pre-Conference Professional Development Course (PDC). Chris Giles’ husband, who has cancer, took a turn for the worse immediately preceding the PDC, and she could not leave him to conduct the course in person. However, Music Road Hotel worked with Chris, and she was able to conduct the course via teleconference. Chris noted that Tennessee made history and has set a precedent for other states to hold pre-conference courses in conjunction with their annual conferences. This will hold costs down considerably for those wanting to increase their knowledge and expand their credentials. Please keep Chris and her husband and family in your prayers.
CONFERENCE EVALUATIONS: Overall, conference evaluations were “excellent” and “good” with some suggestions for improvement, which we appreciate and will definitely take into consideration in planning for next year’s conference. Thanks for all the suggestions for speakers and speaker topics. PLEASE let one of the Board members know as you think of topics and/or speakers you would like to have on future TAMSS Conference Agendas.
PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT-ELECT TERMS: Dianne Bryant and I would like to thank all of you who attended and voted to extend our positions as President and President-elect for another year and to revise TAMSS’ Bylaws to revert back to two-year terms for those positions. We will strive to keep you informed and work diligently on the 2009 Annual Conference.
CHATTANOOGA HERE WE COME: By overwhelming majority, the location for next year’s conference is Chattanooga – June 11 and 12, and will be held during Chattanooga’s River Fest. We have already secured the Marriott, which is connected to the Convention Center and will make a site visit the week of July 7. We will keep you posted. You can take a virtual tour of the hotel.
DESTIN IN 2010: The membership voted to hold a joint conference with Alabama, Georgia, and Florida in Destin, Florida, in 2010. The leadership of those state organizations will be contacted to determine a site and date for the conference. Another final vote will be taken for this joint conference once we know more about costs, i.e., conference registration fee, hotel room rate, etc.
CONGRATULATIONS: I’m sure all of you know Mitzi Gorman. Mitzi has been active with KAMSS and TAMSS for a number of years and was President of TAMSS in 2000-2001. Mitzi has been nominated to serve as a Director-at-Large on NAMSS’ Board. This is quite an honor! Go, Mitzi!
SCHOLARSHIPS: TAMSS has the option of awarding, annually, one of each of the following types of scholarships:
State Conference - $850
National Conference - $1,500
Educational advancement (certification, association/bachelor/masters degree) - $500
This year’s recipient of TAMSS State Conference Scholarship was awarded to Lisa Robbins, Physician Services Coordinator at Blount Memorial Hospital, and current President of the Knoxville Association of Medical Staff Services (KAMSS). Congratulations, Lisa!
If you are interested in applying for the 2008 NAMSS Scholarship ($1,500 toward conference expenses), please contact Debi Davis for details and SUBMIT your application, along with your essay, ASAP.
Connie Holder, President
