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Academy News: October 2005

Focus on you: New York allergy societies
By Hugh H. Windom, MD, FAAAAI, 2005-2006 Chair of the Federation of RSLAAIS

Welcome back to our journey through America’s allergy societies. In the August issue of Academy News, I took you through the vast lands of Texas introducing you to the history and faces of the Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society. Now we’re heading up the east coast to New York where, at first glance, there seems to be an allergy society on every corner. On closer inspection, I think you’ll find they have a nice arrangement of local and state societies that have shown the capacity to accomplish great things when they work together.

New York Allergy and Asthma Society
This is the oldest local allergy society in the country, now listing 140 members from in and around the metropolitan area of New York City. The roots of this organization go back to 1937 and the days of Robert Cooke, MD. The society evolved from elite gatherings in Cooke’s living room where information was shared in the spirit of disseminating knowledge of allergy, according to their administrator, Noelle Sexton. Beth E. Corn, MD, the society’s vice president, listed a variety of educational activities undertaken each year by her group, including three dinner meetings a year, an annual “Teaching Day” at Cornell University, an asthma screening day, and a “Fellows Day,” where allergy/immunology fellows-in-training (FITs) present their research.

Long Island Allergy and Asthma Society (LIAAS)
The 80 members of LIAAS are annually engaged in several patient-oriented activities including an asthma walk, the Food Allergy Network Walk and participation in the Long Island Asthma Coalition. They also sponsor a robust series of professional CME activities, including four CME dinner meetings per year, and an annual weekend meeting each fall, which according to Vice President Brian E. Novick, MD, FAAAAI, draws approximately 120 attendees. FITs are invited to present their work at the annual meeting and attend a practice management conference held every few years.

Buffalo Allergy Society
In existence for some 40 years, this western New York society has 25 active members. “We’re all good friends that cover for each other and are always willing to help one another,” said Vice President Luis Melgar, MD. Long-standing members such as Robert E. Reisman, MD, FAAAAI, and Mark Ballow, MD, FAAAAI, contribute to this spirit of collegiality. They gather for monthly CME dinner meetings, where once a year local FITs present their work.

The Westchester Allergy Society, under the guidance of President John D. Scinto, MD, FAAAAI, is a 30-member group aiming to build their own traditions as they become more active. The Capital District Allergy Society in Albany is led by President James M. DeMasi, MD. Scott Osur, MD, FAAAAI, was responsible for starting this group 15 years ago, and they now have 15 members that gather every other month for CME meetings. The newest group, the Finger Lakes Allergy Society, was started in 2001 by John J. Condemi, MD, FAAAAI. This group of 30 allergists meets 3-4 times a year for dinner and, according to Vice President Eduardo E. Arreaza, MD, FAAAAI, they are “trying to do more with school lectures and other community outreach programs.”

New York State Allergy Society (NYSAS)
In response to the changing socioeconomic factors affecting clinical practice in New York, President James A. Pollowitz, MD, FAAAAI, reports that the NYSAS was founded in 1986 to “address the socioeconomic issues of New York allergists.” Drawing from the collective experience and expertise of regional societies around New York, board members include the presidents of these six societies. The NYSAS serves as a regional sounding board, cooperating to address global issues which affect New York allergy/asthma patients and practitioners.

This focus was recently effective in addressing concerns raised by Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield’s planned policy to restrict the duration of allergen immunotherapy to three years. Members of the Long Island society were outspoken in their opposition of this policy. Pollowitz and his executive committee wisely recruited the assistance of the AAAAI Immunotherapy Committee and the Medical Society of the State of New York. Empire BC/BS finally reversed their plan to limit the duration of immunotherapy. The state society has seen a 25% increase in membership as a result of meeting and defeating this third party carrier crisis.

The New York societies are represented on the RSL Board of Governors by Northeast Governor, Daniel G. Steinberg, MD, FAAAAI.

“The Empire BC/BS case demonstrates the value of involving the practicing allergist with his/her RSL allergy society to leverage the resources of the AAAAI, in support of evidence-based guidelines directed to enhance the quality of allergy/asthma practice. Hopefully, allergists in other regions of the country will see this as an example of how their RSLs and the AAAAI can assist local practitioners in addressing concerns which may be more effectively remedied at a broader level,” Steinberg said.

RSL officers are eager to fulfill our mission of serving to communicate the concerns of practicing allergists to AAAAI leadership. Feel free to e-mail me at hwindom@comcast.net, or contact your regional governor, at any time. Watch for the December RSL column, which will focus on allergists in Florida.

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