Mission Statement

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Mission Statement


Mission statement and Operating Rules were approved by the PEDS Assembly

May 2000, Toronto, CA

The mission of the ATS Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics is to promote the respiratory health of children and adolescents and to improve the care of children with respiratory disease through research, education, patient care, and advocacy. The Assembly has an international multidisciplinary membership that includes pediatric sub specialists in pulmonology, allergy-immunology, neonatology, and critical care (and related disciplines), nurses, respiratory therapists, and others. The Assembly serves as advisor to the ATS on child health issues and works together with other national and international organizations toward our common mission of improving the health of children.

Operating Rules for the ATS Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics

I. Name

The name of this Assembly will be the ATS Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics.

II Objectives

A. To provide a forum for presentation of basic and clinical investigative work in all aspects of normal and abnormal respiratory system growth and development and in respiratory diseases of infants, children, and adolescents.

B. To foster an environment in which investigative work can thrive, by proposing and advocating areas of respiratory research relevant to children to the ATS Scientific Advisory Council and participating in ATS grant review processes.

C. To provide coordination of educational activities of the Assembly, including but not limited to those leading to the development of ATS Statements related to lung growth and development, pediatric respiratory disease and critical care.

D. To provide a resource for those outside the Assembly and the ATS who are interested in obtaining information pertaining to children's respiratory health.

E. To provide a forum for initiatives aimed at improving children's respiratory health and to provide leadership in influencing health care policy affecting children.

F. To provide an interface for the multiple organizations concerned with respiratory health of children and the training of physicians and other health care providers specializing in pediatric respiratory disease. These organizations include, but are not limited to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Pediatric Pulmonary Training Directors Association (PEPTDA), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Center Committee, the Pediatric Assembly of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) and the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP).

III. Scope of Activities

The scope of activities of the Assembly will (including but not be limited to):

A. Support for clinical and basic research of the developing respiratory system.

B. Provide greater understanding of the epidemiology and genetic basis of pediatric lung disease

C. Promote the care of acute and chronic respiratory disease in infants, children, and adolescents; including diagnostics (non-invasive and invasive assessment of lung structure and function) and therapeutic methods (pharmacotherapy, mechanical ventilation, respiratory therapy and others)

D. Promote the care and investigation of critically ill infants and children with particular emphasis on new knowledge that can be translated to the patient.

E. Develop novel methods of pediatric pulmonary health care delivery in the ambulatory and inpatient settings.


Draft: To be voted on by the membership at the 1999 Business Meeting

Mission Statement And Strategic Plan ATS Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics

Mission Statement: The mission of the ATS Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics is to promote the respiratory health of children and adolescents and to improve the care of children with respiratory disease through research, education, patient care, and advocacy. The Assembly has an international multidisciplinary membership that includes specialists in pulmonology, allergy-immunology, neonatology, and pediatric critical care (and related disciplines), nurses, respiratory therapists, and others. The Assembly serves as advisor to the ATS and ALA on child health issues and works together with other national and international organizations toward our common mission of improving the health of children.

Research:

  • Promote research and the discovery of new knowledge.
  • Assist the ATS in developing and managing a research and training agenda in pediatric lung disease.
  • Provide advice and direction to all agencies and organizations that fund research in pediatric respiratory disease.
  • Increase funding for research and training in pediatric pulmonary disease.

Education:

  • Disseminate new scientific information in pediatric respiratory disease through regional, national and international scientific meetings.
  • Encourage the highest standards of training of professional and health care related persons in pediatric respiratory and critical care medicine.
  • Encourage the highest standards for research and clinical practice education.
  • Facilitate the interpretation and transfer of both new research findings and existing information to the clinical practitioner, patients and families.
  • Educate the public about the prevention, management and care of pediatric respiratory disease and the promotion of lung health.

Patient Care and Advocacy:

  • Support and foster the highest quality of patient care for all children and adolescents with respiratory illnesses.
  • Evaluate the interrelationships between delivery of pediatric health care, health care costs and health care policy.
  • Advise government and non- government agencies in matters of common interest including clinical practice and research related to children's lung health.
  • Establish guidelines for optimal patient care for children with respiratory conditions.
  • Promote the development and application of ethical standards in patient care.

Strategic Plan

BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

Goals:

Support and enhance basic and clinical research that will define the pathophysiology, prevention and optimal management of acute and chronic respiratory disease in infants, children and adolescents, and foster the transfer of this information to clinicians and patients.

Objectives:

  • Identify research opportunities and priorities in pediatric respiratory related illnesses.
  • Act as an advocate and catalyst to focus and coordinate the research efforts sponsored by government agencies, private corporations and health related foundations interested in pediatric respiratory diseases.
  • Foster the transfer of pediatric pulmonary research information to the clinician, patients and their families, and the public.
  • Prioritize funding for Assembly Projects.

PUBLICATIONS

Goals:

Develop and produce high quality publications describing clinical care and biomedical research relevant to pediatric respiratory diseases.

Objectives:

  • Develop and update ATS Statements on pediatric respiratory diseases, including new insights from clinical and basic biomedical research.
  • Develop innovative formats to disseminate both research findings and other information relevant to pediatric respiratory disease.
  • Provide effective communications on Assembly activities, policies and positions to its membership.

MEETINGS

Goals:

Conduct meetings of outstanding quality that include basic and clinical sciences relevant to pediatric lung disease. The meetings shall foster the development and exchange of ideas and information.

Objectives:

  • Review and schedule programs at the Annual International Conference relevant to the multidisciplinary membership of the pediatric assembly, which serve as a forum for the presentation of original research
  • Disseminate information related to the scientific basis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pediatric respiratory diseases
  • Promote the development of basic scientists, clinicians, other health care professionals, and ATS volunteers and staff through educational and networking opportunities.
  • Review abstracts for presentation at the Annual International Conference
  • Support the development of new opportunities and formats for scientific and clinical meetings.
  • Increase accessibility to the information presented at meetings.

EDUCATION

Goals:

Promote high quality education programs relevant to the needs of the Pediatric Assembly

Objectives:

  • Promote training in all pediatric subspecialties that care for children who have acute and chronic respiratory disease
  • Produce post-graduate courses that review and update existing knowledge in an area relevant to pediatric lung disease
  • Maintain relationships with outside sponsors and other professional societies for purposes of producing educational programs.
  • Develop state-of-the-art educational materials, including electronic journals, computer-based education, teleconferencing, telemedicine, and asynchronous learning networks, etc.
  • Assist the ATS in its educational mission relative to pediatric respiratory disease.

HEALTH CARE POLICY

Goals:

The Pediatric Assembly, as a patient advocacy organization, should promote the highest standards for patient care through education, research and interaction with governmental and private agencies. The Assembly should emphasize its role as a patient advocate organization.

Objectives:

  • Identify areas of uncertainty in clinical decision making in pediatric respiratory disease and advocate research efforts to resolve them.
  • Participate in the development and refinement of health care policy pertaining to children with respiratory conditions.
  • Develop a framework for dialogue between health care providers, payors and patients to evaluate health care policy issues in pediatric pulmonology.
  • Participate in ensuring universal access to health care services for children.
  • Support a coordinated effort among health care professionals in establishing clinical practice guidelines for pediatric lung disease.
  • Participate in public health prevention programs designed to preserve lung health in children

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Goals:

Promote prevention and treatment of pediatric lung disease throughout the world.

Objectives:

  • Forge links with pediatric societies outside the United States that will increase scientific exchange, address the educational needs and interests of pediatric pulmonary clinicians and scientists worldwide.
  • Cooperate in the development of common standards for evaluation, prevention and management of pediatric respiratory disease.
  • Promote common terminology for clinical and research information.
  • Assist developing countries in training health care workers and implement measures that will decrease infant and pediatric mortality and morbidity due to lung disease.
  • Provide technical assistance for programs in prevention and treatment of pediatric lung diseases in developing countries.

MEMBERSHIP

Goals:

The Pediatric Assembly membership should include all professionals contributing to the science and clinical practice of pediatric respiratory and critical care medicine and allied fields.

Objectives:

  • Promote assembly membership of pulmonary clinicians and scientists at all training levels.
  • Cultivate pediatric assembly membership that reflects the diversity of pediatric lung disease.
  • Foster and support international membership.

ASSEMBLY ORGANIZATION

Goals:

Maintain a structure that will enable the Assembly to meet the goals of its strategic plan. This structure will include standing committees as dictated by the ATS, to include Planning, Program, and Nominating Committees.

PLANNING

Goals:

Carry out long-range planning using a format that provides for continuity and on-going review. Effective long range planning is required to maintain continuity of programs as well as to be responsive to evolutionary changes in Society composition and needs.

Objectives:

  • The Planning Committee will develop proposals for implementation of this Strategic Plan to recommend to the Assembly Chair. Input shall be sought from Past and Current Assembly Chairs, and ad hoc members, viz., representatives of the American College of Chest Physicians, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonary Training Directors Association, Society for Pediatric Research and the European Respiratory Society.
  • The Planning Committee should be broadly representative of the Assembly, and its members should serve for a minimum of 3 years.