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The Florida Society of Neonatologists

Meeting Minutes

February 14, 1997

Disney Contemporary Resort, Orlando

Contents: Minutes of last meeting. | Secretary-Treasurer’s Report | Account Balance | Membership. | Office of Secretary-Treasurer | Status of proposed changes in neonatal transport in FL. | Web Site | New Letterhead for FSN. | Practice Parameter Update. | Herpes Simplex Parameter. | . GBS Sepsis Parameter. | Level II/III Standards. | Reports from Tallahassee. | Florida Perinatal Association update.

TOPIC	DISCUSSION	RECOMMENDATIONS	FOLLOW-UP
1. Minutes of last meeting. Back to Contents.	The minutes from the Nov 13, 1996 meeting in Miami were submitted.	Approved as submitted.	None.
2. Secretary-Treasurer’s Report
2a. Account Balance Back to Contents.	The current balance is $4600. Previous balance was $2777. Income was from dues and donation from Ross Laboratories. Expenses included meals at meetings, entertaining legislators, and paid link to FMA on-line.	Send dues notices to all members by Jan 1 of each year. $50 dues due by March 1.	Jeanne McCarthy will review bylaws for details on dues collection and report back at next meeting.
2b. Membership. Back to Contents.	114 members currently on roles. 85 have paid dues. 4 new applicants for membership are still pending approval: Dr. David Kanter of W. Palm Bch. Dr. Lalit Shah of Ft. Lauderdale. Dr. Mark Hudak of Jacksonville Dr. Albert Tano of Miami Dr. Hudak and Dr Tano are pending letters.	It was suggested that we create inactive status for members who have moved out of Florida or who have not paid dues in 3 years. No quorum present to approve new members at this meeting.	Jeanne McCarthy to review bylaws for details on procedures for application and approval of new members.
3. Old Business
3a. Office of Secretary-Treasurer Back to Contents.	The new Sec- Treasurer for the Society is Andy Kairalla MD.	Information Only.	None.
3b. Status of proposed changes in neonatal transport in FL. Back to Contents.	Regulation 10D66 that contained the language that regulated neonatal transport has been dropped. This would mean that neonatal transports would be considered the same as any other transport by the state. Due to the efforts of several FSN members including Tony Napolitano, Lance Wyble and John Curran, the state has agreed to grant a 1 year stay in this regulation. FSN is working with Representative Wasserman-Schultz and Debbie Walters at ACHA to sponsor new legislation governing neonatal transport.	FSN members are encouraged to support new legislation which will contain the language of the former regulation which governed neonatal transport.	None.
3c. Web Site Back to Contents.	The current address for the FSN web site is <http://www. usfpeds.med.usf.edu/flsociety>. Dr. Kairalla will look at expanding the current web site to include the capability for on-line topic discussions and voting. Also as a forum for publishing our approved practice parameters and meeting minutes.	It was discussed that some pages of the web site should be open to anyone (as a community resource), and other pages should be password controlled (for members only).	Dr Kairalla will report on the progress of the web site development at the next meeting. The creation of a new domain for the FSN web site (fsn.com) will be discussed.
3d. New Letterhead for FSN. Back to Contents.	Item deferred until next meeting.	FSN members are encouraged to submit suggestions for new letterhead graphic.	Will discuss at next meeting.
4. Practice Parameter Update.
4a. Herpes Simplex Parameter. Back to Contents.	This practice parameter was written by Dr. Alistair Hutchinson who has now moved out of the State of Florida. Jeane McCarthy has volunteered to supervise the final stages of approval for this parameter.	Dr. Bucciarelli agreed to check with Dr. Hutchinson to see if wanted to continue working on this parameter, or if he would agree to let Dr. McCarthy take over the supervision of this parameter for FSN.	Dr McCarthy and Dr. Bucciarelli to report back at next meeting.
4b. GBS Sepsis Parameter. Back to Contents.	This practice parameter has been already approved by the membership of FSN, and published by ACHA.	Information only.	None.
4c. Level II/III Standards. Back to Contents.	The State (ACHA) is now close to approving new guidelines for level II and level III NICUs. These guidelines would include language concerning which babies are appropriate to keep in level II NICUs. Dr Bucciarelli suggested that the state require level II and level III NICUs to report outcome data to the state, and that the current form used by RPICC centers would be appropriate for this purpose.	It was suggested that anyone who wished to have input into this matter prior to the publication of the new guidelines should contact Dr Lance Wyble within 1 week. It was expected that the recommendations would be finalized within a week.	Review guidelines, and ask ACHA to enforce guidelines and collect outcome data.
5. Reports from Tallahassee. Back to Contents.	Dr Curran asked to inform FSN members of the following items of interest at the state government and national levels: Watch for new neonatal transport bill (see item 3b). Expansion of RPICC program to include 3 additional hospitals. Florida Pediatric Society supporting legislation concerning anencephaly and organ donation. Dr. Robert Christensen has been nominated for a position in the AAP Committee of the Fetus and Newborn. Watch for and support legislation that will prohibit insurance companies from denying payment for premature babies if the parent fails to pre-register the baby before birth. Watch for and support legislation granting the health department funding for a registry for birth defects. Watch for Genetics Bill requiring informed consent for genetics testing (except metabolic screening)..	Information Only.	None.
6. Florida Perinatal Association update. Back to Contents.	Dr McCarthy updated us on the following items of interest from the last FPA meeting: FPA is interested in supporting a bill mandating universal hearing screening in newborns. Discourage distribution of formula packets by OBs or nurseries. Substitute information to encourage breast feeding. Also supports new neonatal transport legislation (see item 3b). New staffing guidelines for OB units. Expansion of RPICC program (as mentioned above).	Information only.	None.

Respectfully submitted

Andrew B. Kairalla MD

Miami

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