Looking back on 2023.
From the President
By Terrence A. Cronin Jr., MD, FAAD, December 1, 2023
2023 was an exciting year, and one during which I was proud to lead the Academy. We made massive steps toward boosting the specialty, both nationally and around the world.
This year’s AADA Legislative Conference, held in September, was a success. Nearly 200 Academy members traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators and urge Congress to address the most pressing issue of our times: the Medicare physician payment system. The Legislative Conference is a great way for members to directly influence lawmakers to enact policies that benefit dermatology.
Also in September, the AADA hosted a virtual physician summit on Medicare, where I and several other members met virtually with members of Congress to discuss the impact that Medicare payment cuts have on patient access to care, as well as urge the passage of a key piece of legislation to ensure inflation-based Medicare payment adjustments for physicians. I was pleased with the outcome of the summit and look forward to continuing to work with Congress to ensure the needs of the specialty are met. I encourage all members to stay active with their advocacy. We can truly make a difference, but only if we work together. While I hope we’ve resolved payment issues for 2024 by the time this reaches you, past experience suggests it will require a concerted effort all the way to the end of the year. Keep an eye out for continued calls to action as we advocate for appropriate reimbursement for our services.
Internationally, this was an exciting year for dermatology as well. Former Academy President Henry Lim, MD, FAAD, was elected president of the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS), and George Hruza, MD, MBA, FAAD, was elected to the ILDS Board of Directors. Having AAD members at the forefront of leadership in a key international organization can ensure that the needs of our members are met, even across borders. I attended several dermatology meetings around the world, including the World Congress of Dermatology in Singapore and a special meeting with members of the Japanese Dermatology Association in July where I delivered an update on the AAD as we re-established our strong relationship. It has been great getting to present on behalf of the AAD to the world stage and re-engage with the rest of the world after COVID.
Speaking of a return to normalcy after the global pandemic, our Annual Meeting in New Orleans and the Innovation Academy in Tampa were successful and saw the highest number of attendees since before COVID. Both events received widespread coverage both in the dermatology trade press and in the broader media — putting dermatology and the AAD in the spotlight. Our two scientific meetings have always been important events, not just for our Academy, but for our specialty as a whole. I was pleased to see them return to their former selves.
AADA advocacy priorities
Read more about the AADA’s advocacy priorities.
We have much to look forward to as we turn the page to 2024! Before you know it, it will be time for the next Annual Meeting, as we return to beautiful San Diego, on March 8-12; you can register today. We are truly showing no signs of slowing down, and I am so excited to share the bright future for the Academy that is so important to so many of us.
Your Academy and its successes on your behalf are bright lights in a world that has seen a lot of darkness in 2023. In these troubling and disturbing times, I want to wish everyone a meaningful and loving holiday season. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Holidays!
Take Action
Find out how you can get involved in the Academy’s advocacy efforts.
Presidential spotlight
It takes a dedicated and engaged membership to move the needle on the issues facing our patients and practices, and sometimes our most diligent members can go unrecognized. As a toast to our unsung heroes within the Academy, I will be featuring one hardworking member at the end of this column each month.
Dr. Kantor is a dedicated and respected teacher of dermatologic surgery and is the author/editor of several textbooks published by McGraw-Hill — including the 1,500-page Dermatologic Surgery now entering its second edition, the Atlas of Suturing Techniques now in its second edition, and upcoming Cosmetic Surgery and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine textbooks.
He is the founding editor-in-chief of JAAD International which has exceeded all targets for publication. Dr. Kantor gives thanks to the amazing teams at both the Academy and Elsevier who have been instrumental in making this journal such a runaway success.
He has also been associate editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and Dialogues in Dermatology, is on both the Mohs Appropriate Use Committee and Guidelines Committee for the AAD and was a member of the Reconstruction after Skin Cancer Resection Guidelines Committee for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
In addition to his academic and teaching responsibilities as adjunct faculty at Penn, he has a busy private practice in Florida. He is board-certified in both micrographic dermatologic surgery and dermatology.
His tireless commitment to innovative surgical education, medical publishing, and member advocacy deserves our admiration and certainly the Presidential Spotlight.
AAD/A Impact Report
Read more about the Academy’s most recent advocacy wins.
