President Message #1 – 6/2018
I am happy to lead CSMA as president for the 2018-2019 term with my executive committee: Vice President- Nancy Lizon, CMA (AAMA), Secretary -Gini Marquette, CMA (AAMA), Treasurer/ Assistant Secretary and Immediate Past President -Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA) and Advisor- Kathy Ham, CMA (AAMA).
At this time I am also a “re-entry” student, attending a local phlebotomy program to obtain my Phlebotomy Certificate for the State of California. There have been many changes over the years since I was a student, and there have been many new techniques and regulations in this field. So far I am very impressed with the classroom environment and the students in my class as they exude an eagerness/willingness to learn, they are not afraid to ask for help and are open to suggestions.
On July 20-22, CSMA will be hosting the Southwest Regional (SWR) in Ontario, California. Our 2018 Annual meeting was held there, and our 2017 -2018 Executive Committee chose to hold the SWR there also. The SWR states rotate with the hosting duties for this event in the following order; Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah- see our report page to view past SWR representative reports. This SWR will be my first time attending, and I am looking forward to the SWR as I know many of the members from attending the AAMA National Conference, but this meeting will allow me more quality time to network and speak with the other state members and leaders.
My goal for this term is to see Medical Assistants have the opportunity to have as much information and knowledge that will benefit their patients and providers. CSMA works hard to offer continuing education to support our members and to be a resource that is inviting for our members to come to us with their concerns about such topics as the scope of practice and work education. I would like to see a comradery as it is essential to interact with other CMA (AAMA)’s, introduce yourself and get to know others in your profession.
The AAMA National Conference will be in Salt Lake City Utah, on September 14-17, 2018. CSMA will have 3 Delegates and one alternate first-time attendee. We are aware of several other California members that are attending. If you are attending, we would love to meet up! Message us at csma.medassist@gmail.com to join us during events at the conference. We will be posting information at the conference in the hopes to connect with other Californians.
I am looking forward to an excellent year for our organization. I wish to see more communication with our general members and encourage our current members to spread the word about our organization and educational opportunities and meetings. I hope to see more people getting involved, nonmembers rejoining and seeing our organization becoming more technology savvy.
There will be many firsts for me this year, and it is an exciting time, and I hope to see the organization grow and prosper for a stable future and create good communication along the way.
Susan M. Ojeda, CMA (AAMA)
President 2018-2019
President Message #1 – 6/2018
I am happy to lead CSMA as president for the 2018-2019 term with my executive committee: Vice President- Nancy Lizon, CMA (AAMA), Secretary -Gini Marquette, CMA (AAMA), Treasurer/ Assistant Secretary and Immediate Past President -Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA) and Advisor- Kathy Ham, CMA (AAMA).
At this time I am also a “re-entry” student, attending a local phlebotomy program to obtain my Phlebotomy Certificate for the State of California. There have been many changes over the years since I was a student, and there have been many new techniques and regulations in this field. So far I am very impressed with the classroom environment and the students in my class as they exude an eagerness/willingness to learn, they are not afraid to ask for help and are open to suggestions.
On July 20-22, CSMA will be hosting the Southwest Regional (SWR) in Ontario, California. Our 2018 Annual meeting was held there, and our 2017 -2018 Executive Committee chose to hold the SWR there also. The SWR states rotate with the hosting duties for this event in the following order; Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah- see our report page to view past SWR representative reports. This SWR will be my first time attending, and I am looking forward to the SWR as I know many of the members from attending the AAMA National Conference, but this meeting will allow me more quality time to network and speak with the other state members and leaders.
My goal for this term is to see Medical Assistants have the opportunity to have as much information and knowledge that will benefit their patients and providers. CSMA works hard to offer continuing education to support our members and to be a resource that is inviting for our members to come to us with their concerns about such topics as the scope of practice and work education. I would like to see a comradery as it is essential to interact with other CMA (AAMA)’s, introduce yourself and get to know others in your profession.
The AAMA National Conference will be in Salt Lake City Utah, on September 14-17, 2018. CSMA will have 3 Delegates and one alternate first-time attendee. We are aware of several other California members that are attending. If you are attending, we would love to meet up! Message us at csma.medassist@gmail.com to join us during events at the conference. We will be posting information at the conference in the hopes to connect with other Californians.
I am looking forward to an excellent year for our organization. I wish to see more communication with our general members and encourage our current members to spread the word about our organization and educational opportunities and meetings. I hope to see more people getting involved, nonmembers rejoining and seeing our organization becoming more technology savvy.
There will be many firsts for me this year, and it is an exciting time, and I hope to see the organization grow and prosper for a stable future and create good communication along the way.
Susan M. Ojeda, CMA (AAMA)
President 2018-2019
Message #1
April 2017
Let me take this opportunity to thank the members of CSMA for their confidence in electing me president of this Society for the 7th time. Time passes quickly and our intent is to mentor and train future leaders of the Society. The General Assembly has elected an Executive Committee who has appointed Chairs and members of Standing Committees who are dedicated and focused to help move our Society forward, to increase the membership, and meet the needs of Society members.
This April we held our Annual Meeting at Chabot Community College in Hayward. This year we held our meeting in the North and next year, it will be in the South. Medical Assisting students at Chabot with their program director, Kristina Perkins, CMA (AAMA) provided the venue and hospitality to our members in attendance. The meeting was filled with 14 CEUs for the weekend with focusing on skills and information we can take back to our employers and patients. Several of our speakers pointed out the importance of “soft skills” in the healthcare environment. The Hayward Meeting was the largest meeting for attendance for CSMA and this was due to the efforts of the Northern Convention Committee and Chabot Medical Assisting Program. Our appreciation to Chabot Community College for hosting our meeting, and to the work of the Convention Committee to make this a successful meeting. It was a pleasure to meet so many new attendees at this meeting, and we look forward to even more next year in Southern California.
Issues regarding medical assisting programs was brought to our attention which stressed the importance of following legislative issues brought forth by our legislators. AB 387 is a bill that must be followed and defeated.
This year, the SW Regional will be held in Phoenix, AZ, July 21-23, 2017, at the airport Holiday Inn. Information for this meeting is on our web site for those who might be interested in attending. Next year, the SW Regional will be in California where we will be hosting members of our SW Regional states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and California. (I hope I did not forget anyone.) Hawaii is also part of our SW Regional; however, they have not been able to participate.
The AAMA National Conference will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-9, 2017, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. You will be represented by 3 delegates and 2 alternates: Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA); Susan Ojeda, CMA (AAMA); Leonard Slape, CMA (AAMA); First Alternate Nancy Lizon, CMA (AAMA) and Second Alternate, Virginia Marquette, CMA (AAMA). Reports will be filed on our web site when these delegates/alternates return on events assigned and their overview perspective.
Our CSMA Meeting elected: Vice President: Susan Ojeda, CMA (AAMA); Secretary: Joshua Entrekin, CMA (AAMA); Treasurer/Assistant Secretary: Nancy Lizon, CMA (AAMA). IPP will be Virginia Marquette, CMA (AAMA) and the above delegates. Nominating Committee will be: Kathleen Ham, CMA (AAMA); Katelyn Dixon, CMA (AAMA) and Ryann Haggerty, CMA (AAMA). Ten bylaws proposals were presented with nine passing. One proposal was sent back to the Bylaws Committee for further evaluation. Standing Rules were passed as presented.
Our new web site is up and running. The Web Site Committee is working on a “Members Only” section which may be completed within the next several weeks. The Members Only section will post reports, proposed bylaws, CSMA and AAMA Bylaws and information pertinent to our members. CSMA also has a Facebook account as well as a Twitter account. Chair of our web site, Facebook and Twitter account is IPP Marquette. You may contact her through our web site if you have comments, concerns or suggestions.
CSMA held the Edgar Palarea Award drawing. This Award was established in memory of our longtime physician-advisor, Edgar Palarea, M.D. Dr. Palarea served as physician advisor on the national level in many capacities as well as in the State of California. The drawing is available to all attenders at the meeting. Attenders must attend all functions of the meeting including all CEU sessions, social functions and all business meeting functions of the Society. We are pleased to announce that Ryann Haggerty, CMA (AAMA) is the recipient of this award and her report on her perspectives will be posted to our web site. This is Ryann’s second meeting and she was a graduate of the Chabot Medical Assisting Program.
Planning is now underway for our Southern California meeting and the SW Regional Meeting. Input from our members would be appreciated if you have any special ideas. You can email me through the web site with proposed sites and education topics. We are awaiting input from our Southwest Regional states on areas to hold this meeting. All information will be considered when making our final decisions.
Postings on our web site and Facebook will occur as soon as we make definite plans on our meeting site for 2018 in Southern California. Once the site is confirmed, we will send an email to all members as well as post it to the web site and Facebook.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to indicate the work PP Marquette has done for the benefit and members of CSMA. She worked tirelessly, even with her “plate overflowing” with projects to be done. Although she is complete in her presidency, we will continue to seek her guidance for this Society as well as national. Thank you, Gini, for keeping us together and moving forward. The future is promising because of presidents like you and your Executive Committee and Standing Committees.
To our members, we thank you for your support and look forward to many more attending our state society annual meeting. This is a time for conducting our business but it is also a time for networking and making friends. You never know when that networking may help to resolve an issue you may be experiencing. The value of your membership can never be overstated. The friendships I have gained in every state have been special, valuable and appreciated.
We look forward to seeing you at future events for both the CSMA and AAMA this year, next year and in the near future. Do remember that our emails are open to you. No question is trivial and every effort will be made to answer it.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
CSMA President, 2017-18
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"CSMA is here to protect the medical assistant’s right to practice in California."
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE #2
June 2016
Spring has left us and Summer is here. Summer vacations for our children have arrived so please be even more aware of the safety of our children as well as everyone around us.
Welcome to the President’s Second Message. As President of CSMA, I would like to keep in touch with our members and update them on issues and events scheduled for our CSMA state society and our AAMA National organization. I will, therefore, post more President’s Messages on our web site, probably every two or three months.
CSMA is here to protect the medical assistant’s right to practice in California. We are fortunate to receive advice and support from our national organization, AAMA on issues facing us in California. The advice from our CEO Don Balasa is invaluable to us. Current Information is available on our CSMA or AAMA web sites as well as the AAMA Channel on YouTube. Look to see where we have been and where we are going. Look at medical assisting as a profession you are a part of and help us establish the standards we adhere to and move our profession forward.
Locally, we have completed the first phase of planning our 2018 meeting. This phase sets our date and venue for 2018. Our venue has been chosen, our date is set and our room rates have been negotiated. CSMA will be holding its 2018 meeting in Southern California at the Ayres Suites in Ontario, California, just outside of the Ontario Mills Mall. The hotel provides free shuttle to and from the airport as well as offers transportation to nearby restaurants, movies and the Ontario Mills Mall when the airport shuttle is free and not picking up or taking hotel guests to or from the airport. The meeting date is set for April 13-15, 2018, so place this event on your calendar for 2018. Plan ahead and make us part of your 2018 plans.
CSMA now enters phase two in its planning for our meeting and scheduling CEU speakers and topics for CEU credits for recertification. We will keep you posted on our Annual Meeting Plans through flyers, our web site and our Facebook site. You may go to: www.csma-medassist.org for more information.
In protecting off campus training sites for our medical assisting programs, CSMA opposed AB 387. This bill would have affected our medical assisting programs as well as those of other Allied Health Programs using off site training as part of their programs. CSMA and AAMA were monitoring this bill and sent opposition letters and calls against this bill along with other healthcare professions and organizations. Our members called their local legislators to oppose AB 387. Through everyone’s effort, this Bill was pulled from consideration for this legislative year. It does point out why we, as your organization, and you, as our members, must be vigilant to follow healthcare legislation. The next bill might be one specifically concerning our “right to practice” so we will monitor proposed bills from our legislature.
As we move into the summer and fall, we look forward to our Southwest Regional meeting to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, July 21-23, 2017. Information is on our web site for this meeting of neighboring states of AAMA in the Southwest Region. Next year is California’s turn to host this event in California. We are currently evaluating sites for this meeting in 2018.
Fall brings our AAMA National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-9, 2017. Information and registration can be found on the AAMA web site. There is a link to the AAMA website on our CSMA website. The AAMA National organization represents medical assisting on the national level. All members of AAMA are welcomed to attend. Your delegates vote on issues presented in the AAMA House of Delegates (HOD). Members who attend our CSMA Annual Meeting vote on delegates who are qualified to represent California and medical assisting interests. Your delegates are preparing for this AAMA National Conference and HOD and will report on it upon their return. California has 3 delegates based on membership. The First Delegate is the CSMA President; the Second Delegate is the CSMA Vice President and the Third Delegate is elected by the voting body at the meeting. Your delegates, led by your president, will be studying and discussing the Delegate’s Packet when it arrives as well as voting for your national leaders. We will then be thoroughly prepared to vote on your behalf.
Fall brings back school for our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or children of friends or it may be back to school for adults as well. For the rest of us, it may be back to work. I do hope that your summer will reinvigorate you personally as well.
I look forward to communicating again in late Summer or early Fall.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
2017-18 CSMA President
June 2016
Spring has left us and Summer is here. Summer vacations for our children have arrived so please be even more aware of the safety of our children as well as everyone around us.
Welcome to the President’s Second Message. As President of CSMA, I would like to keep in touch with our members and update them on issues and events scheduled for our CSMA state society and our AAMA National organization. I will, therefore, post more President’s Messages on our web site, probably every two or three months.
CSMA is here to protect the medical assistant’s right to practice in California. We are fortunate to receive advice and support from our national organization, AAMA on issues facing us in California. The advice from our CEO Don Balasa is invaluable to us. Current Information is available on our CSMA or AAMA web sites as well as the AAMA Channel on YouTube. Look to see where we have been and where we are going. Look at medical assisting as a profession you are a part of and help us establish the standards we adhere to and move our profession forward.
Locally, we have completed the first phase of planning our 2018 meeting. This phase sets our date and venue for 2018. Our venue has been chosen, our date is set and our room rates have been negotiated. CSMA will be holding its 2018 meeting in Southern California at the Ayres Suites in Ontario, California, just outside of the Ontario Mills Mall. The hotel provides free shuttle to and from the airport as well as offers transportation to nearby restaurants, movies and the Ontario Mills Mall when the airport shuttle is free and not picking up or taking hotel guests to or from the airport. The meeting date is set for April 13-15, 2018, so place this event on your calendar for 2018. Plan ahead and make us part of your 2018 plans.
CSMA now enters phase two in its planning for our meeting and scheduling CEU speakers and topics for CEU credits for recertification. We will keep you posted on our Annual Meeting Plans through flyers, our web site and our Facebook site. You may go to: www.csma-medassist.org for more information.
In protecting off campus training sites for our medical assisting programs, CSMA opposed AB 387. This bill would have affected our medical assisting programs as well as those of other Allied Health Programs using off site training as part of their programs. CSMA and AAMA were monitoring this bill and sent opposition letters and calls against this bill along with other healthcare professions and organizations. Our members called their local legislators to oppose AB 387. Through everyone’s effort, this Bill was pulled from consideration for this legislative year. It does point out why we, as your organization, and you, as our members, must be vigilant to follow healthcare legislation. The next bill might be one specifically concerning our “right to practice” so we will monitor proposed bills from our legislature.
As we move into the summer and fall, we look forward to our Southwest Regional meeting to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, July 21-23, 2017. Information is on our web site for this meeting of neighboring states of AAMA in the Southwest Region. Next year is California’s turn to host this event in California. We are currently evaluating sites for this meeting in 2018.
Fall brings our AAMA National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-9, 2017. Information and registration can be found on the AAMA web site. There is a link to the AAMA website on our CSMA website. The AAMA National organization represents medical assisting on the national level. All members of AAMA are welcomed to attend. Your delegates vote on issues presented in the AAMA House of Delegates (HOD). Members who attend our CSMA Annual Meeting vote on delegates who are qualified to represent California and medical assisting interests. Your delegates are preparing for this AAMA National Conference and HOD and will report on it upon their return. California has 3 delegates based on membership. The First Delegate is the CSMA President; the Second Delegate is the CSMA Vice President and the Third Delegate is elected by the voting body at the meeting. Your delegates, led by your president, will be studying and discussing the Delegate’s Packet when it arrives as well as voting for your national leaders. We will then be thoroughly prepared to vote on your behalf.
Fall brings back school for our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or children of friends or it may be back to school for adults as well. For the rest of us, it may be back to work. I do hope that your summer will reinvigorate you personally as well.
I look forward to communicating again in late Summer or early Fall.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
2017-18 CSMA President
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"CSMA is here for you and we encourage all of our members to ask us questions."
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE #3
August 2017
The summer is about to leave us and children/adults are heading back to school. Please be mindful of children if you live near and drive by a school.
As Fall approaches, our national AAMA Conference will soon be here. This year, our AAMA Conference will be in Cincinnati, Ohio. CSMA will lead a delegation of 3 delegates and 2 alternates. If any of our California Society members are planning on attending the national conference, please get in touch with us now or at the conference site. California invites any and all of you to sit at the California table. We will need to know the numbers who might like to join us so we can provide the table space for everyone or hold several tables.
In July, this officer represented CSMA at the Southwest Regional Conference. For those who are not aware of this conference, it was established more than 4 decades ago and has remained together while others in other regions of the nation have disbanded. The SW Regional states hold a weekend conference every year, rotating from state to state with official representatives from each state as well as practitioners and educators attending. This year, our conference was held in Phoenix at the Holiday Inn, hosted by Arizona. Our SW Regional states are: AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT and HI. Representatives from all of these states, except HI, were present with other AAMA members from Iowa, Florida, Idaho and Michigan. There were 12 CEUs presented for education.
This is always a good time to discuss issues affecting our states and region. Since we did not receive our Delegate’s Packet until after this conference, it could not be discussed; however, topics of discussion were the ABR-OE certificate, the future of AAMA, a financial report that is more definitive, and membership issues. We did not have a lot of time for our regional business but we made good use of what time we had. Next year is California’s turn to host the SW Regional. It will be July 20-22, 2018. CSMA is currently working on setting the venue. Information will be forthcoming once our contracts are signed. You can find information either on our web site (www.csma-medassist.org) or our Facebook page
In October we will be celebrating our Medical Assistants Week. October 16-20 is designated Medical Assistants Week by AAMA with October 19 as Medical Assistants Day. Let your employers know. The MAR poster is posted on our web site. Let us know if your employers honor the medical assistants in your facility.
AAMA will soon send out your dues remittal forms for 2018. We encourage all of our members to renew by December 31. This date will determine if you are eligible to run for office or as a delegate. The number of delegates we receive is based on active membership levels. These delegates vote on your behalf. The more delegates we have, the more influence we can have in voting on issues that affect all of us. YOU have a VOICE and your delegates deliver that voice to AAMA. CSMA tries to send experienced members as our delegates because of the IMPORTANCE of discussing these issues in the AAMA HOD. Two of your delegates are designated by our Bylaws while one is elected by the General Assembly present to vote. A report will be filed by all your delegates and posted to our web site soon after returning from Cincinnati.
CSMA is here for you and we encourage all of our members to ask us questions. If we cannot answer immediately, we will find the answer for you. One item we are unable to answer is about potential employment. Unfortunately, we do not serve as an employment service; however, when employment opportunities are presented, we send out notifications to all our members in the area of this potential employment.
Begin planning for our Annual Meeting, April 13-15, 2018, at the Ayres Suites Hotel, Ontario, California. Information will be posted to our web site, Facebook and sent to you via email. We are planning 12-14 CEUs for this meeting. It is a good opportunity to collect those CEUs needed for recertification of your credential, meet your leaders and network with new colleagues. See you there!
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
2017-18 CSMA President
August 2017
The summer is about to leave us and children/adults are heading back to school. Please be mindful of children if you live near and drive by a school.
As Fall approaches, our national AAMA Conference will soon be here. This year, our AAMA Conference will be in Cincinnati, Ohio. CSMA will lead a delegation of 3 delegates and 2 alternates. If any of our California Society members are planning on attending the national conference, please get in touch with us now or at the conference site. California invites any and all of you to sit at the California table. We will need to know the numbers who might like to join us so we can provide the table space for everyone or hold several tables.
In July, this officer represented CSMA at the Southwest Regional Conference. For those who are not aware of this conference, it was established more than 4 decades ago and has remained together while others in other regions of the nation have disbanded. The SW Regional states hold a weekend conference every year, rotating from state to state with official representatives from each state as well as practitioners and educators attending. This year, our conference was held in Phoenix at the Holiday Inn, hosted by Arizona. Our SW Regional states are: AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT and HI. Representatives from all of these states, except HI, were present with other AAMA members from Iowa, Florida, Idaho and Michigan. There were 12 CEUs presented for education.
This is always a good time to discuss issues affecting our states and region. Since we did not receive our Delegate’s Packet until after this conference, it could not be discussed; however, topics of discussion were the ABR-OE certificate, the future of AAMA, a financial report that is more definitive, and membership issues. We did not have a lot of time for our regional business but we made good use of what time we had. Next year is California’s turn to host the SW Regional. It will be July 20-22, 2018. CSMA is currently working on setting the venue. Information will be forthcoming once our contracts are signed. You can find information either on our web site (www.csma-medassist.org) or our Facebook page
In October we will be celebrating our Medical Assistants Week. October 16-20 is designated Medical Assistants Week by AAMA with October 19 as Medical Assistants Day. Let your employers know. The MAR poster is posted on our web site. Let us know if your employers honor the medical assistants in your facility.
AAMA will soon send out your dues remittal forms for 2018. We encourage all of our members to renew by December 31. This date will determine if you are eligible to run for office or as a delegate. The number of delegates we receive is based on active membership levels. These delegates vote on your behalf. The more delegates we have, the more influence we can have in voting on issues that affect all of us. YOU have a VOICE and your delegates deliver that voice to AAMA. CSMA tries to send experienced members as our delegates because of the IMPORTANCE of discussing these issues in the AAMA HOD. Two of your delegates are designated by our Bylaws while one is elected by the General Assembly present to vote. A report will be filed by all your delegates and posted to our web site soon after returning from Cincinnati.
CSMA is here for you and we encourage all of our members to ask us questions. If we cannot answer immediately, we will find the answer for you. One item we are unable to answer is about potential employment. Unfortunately, we do not serve as an employment service; however, when employment opportunities are presented, we send out notifications to all our members in the area of this potential employment.
Begin planning for our Annual Meeting, April 13-15, 2018, at the Ayres Suites Hotel, Ontario, California. Information will be posted to our web site, Facebook and sent to you via email. We are planning 12-14 CEUs for this meeting. It is a good opportunity to collect those CEUs needed for recertification of your credential, meet your leaders and network with new colleagues. See you there!
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
2017-18 CSMA President
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"There is a horizon of achievements
yet to be accomplished if we choose the right path." |
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PRESIDENT MESSAGE #4
October 2017
The Fall has brought horrific natural disasters to our nation. Hurricanes have left areas of Texas, Louisiana, Florida and neighboring states in devastation and wildfires have devastated many of our areas in Northern California as well as some areas of Southern California. As of this writing, the fires are still burning with more than 40 people losing their lives and even more missing. It was reported that 50% of the fires are contained but there is still a long way to go. As Californians, we can only pray for the end to these fires and eventually be able to help out those who have lost everything. For those who have lost their lives, we pray that their families can put their lives back together never forgetting their loved ones lost. To add to these tragedies is the Las Vegas Massacre. We have been challenged in life to overcome these tragedies. Sometimes that challenge seems overwhelming, but we hope that we can and will come together as a nation and help our fellow humans. Please keep all these areas and people in your thoughts and prayers. We will continue recovering from this devastation.
This week is also Medical Assistants Week, October 16-20, 2017. You, our members, are the reason why we celebrate this week in your honor. Medical Assistants Day is/was Thursday, October 19. I hope all of us will think about our profession and members this Wednesday and throughout the week while continuing to provide our patients with the quality of care they deserve. CSMA and AAMA recognize your contributions to quality health care.
A reminder that our membership dues are now due. Please be sure to pay your dues by December 31st 2017 for 2018. Membership affords many benefits such as a discount to your CSMA Annual Meeting, a reduced charge to your AAMA National Meeting, discounts for CEU monographs, online CEUs through AAMA, fellowship through networking with other professional medical assistants at our Annual Meeting as well as more benefits listed on the AAMA web site. Continue to remember that united, we can and will succeed. HAPPY MEDICAL ASSISTANTS’ WEEK!
Our AAMA National Conference was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-9, 2017. Please see the Delegates Reports which will be posted to our website. CSMA thanks the Ohio State Society for their hospitality during this national conference. We only had a day and a half of rain and were able to walk around downtown Cincinnati to enjoy the restaurants, shops, building architecture, and the ambiance
of Cincinnati. A few of your delegates even took a horse and buggy ride around town. Official business focused on decisions being made about important issues and illustrates why historical perspective is important when selecting your delegates who represent California at the National House of Delegates.
The HOD also elects your new Board of Trustees members in the House dialoguing on issues confronting AAMA, delegates attended education session when not a work for CSMA and many renew past acquaintances and develop new friendships. This delegate always looks forward to seeing so many AAMA members met over the years as each member is a special friend. Our 61st Annual Conference is now over but we look forward to our 62nd Conference to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2018. With the election of the 2018 BOT, we send our best wishes to all our elected leaders and also to the leaders of our Education Boards.
Plans proceed for our 2018 Annual Meeting at the Ayres Suites at Ontario Mills Mall, Ontario, California. Fourteen CEUs are planned for this meeting and the committee is working hard to secure those speakers. If you, our CMA (AAMA) member were to attend 5 of our meetings, you could almost recertify by adding a few other CEU sessions, reading the CMA Articles for CEUs or utilizing the monographs for purchase through the AAMA. Please place April 13-15, 2018, on your calendar and plan to attend. The Ayres Suites will provide a full American breakfast for registered guests. Watch for our flyer and registration form. Reserve your room early.
As we move into our Fall and Winter season, we approach our winter season of holidays. Halloween will soon be upon us, followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. It is hard to believe that 2018 is at “our doorsteps.” May all of our members have a reflective holiday season, a healthy 2018 and a prosperous New Year. Merry Christmas to all our members and for those who celebrate another holiday, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Ramadan, Happy Kwanzaa and any other celebratory event you may observe. Let’s bring in the New Year together!
This leader would be remiss not to mention that the AAMA Board of Trustees presented Life Membership to me during the second half of the House of Delegates. Life Membership is the highest honor given by AAMA and I am very humbled to have received it. One does not receive such a prestigious award without the help of many other members. When one receives the trust in accomplishing an objective or goal of a committee by the presidents of the Board of Trustees, receives support from the California Society of Medical Assistants and also from our former local Glendale Chapter to help the members of our associations, it is a great honor. There are so many members who made this Life Membership possible and I thank each one, including those who submitted a testimonial letter of support. Yes, my name is on this Life Membership but I see it as a “team effort” and am proud to also bring it back to the California Society as our first AAMA Life Membership. What a great honor to receive this award. I know that CSMA has tried several times before to gain this recognition but it came in 2017 primarily due to the determination of Virginia Marquette who gathered all the documentation and persevered to submit it. There is a horizon of achievements yet to be accomplished if we choose the right path. Thank you to the membership of AAMA, CSMA and the former Glendale Chapter.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
CSMA President, 2017-18
October 2017
The Fall has brought horrific natural disasters to our nation. Hurricanes have left areas of Texas, Louisiana, Florida and neighboring states in devastation and wildfires have devastated many of our areas in Northern California as well as some areas of Southern California. As of this writing, the fires are still burning with more than 40 people losing their lives and even more missing. It was reported that 50% of the fires are contained but there is still a long way to go. As Californians, we can only pray for the end to these fires and eventually be able to help out those who have lost everything. For those who have lost their lives, we pray that their families can put their lives back together never forgetting their loved ones lost. To add to these tragedies is the Las Vegas Massacre. We have been challenged in life to overcome these tragedies. Sometimes that challenge seems overwhelming, but we hope that we can and will come together as a nation and help our fellow humans. Please keep all these areas and people in your thoughts and prayers. We will continue recovering from this devastation.
This week is also Medical Assistants Week, October 16-20, 2017. You, our members, are the reason why we celebrate this week in your honor. Medical Assistants Day is/was Thursday, October 19. I hope all of us will think about our profession and members this Wednesday and throughout the week while continuing to provide our patients with the quality of care they deserve. CSMA and AAMA recognize your contributions to quality health care.
A reminder that our membership dues are now due. Please be sure to pay your dues by December 31st 2017 for 2018. Membership affords many benefits such as a discount to your CSMA Annual Meeting, a reduced charge to your AAMA National Meeting, discounts for CEU monographs, online CEUs through AAMA, fellowship through networking with other professional medical assistants at our Annual Meeting as well as more benefits listed on the AAMA web site. Continue to remember that united, we can and will succeed. HAPPY MEDICAL ASSISTANTS’ WEEK!
Our AAMA National Conference was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6-9, 2017. Please see the Delegates Reports which will be posted to our website. CSMA thanks the Ohio State Society for their hospitality during this national conference. We only had a day and a half of rain and were able to walk around downtown Cincinnati to enjoy the restaurants, shops, building architecture, and the ambiance
of Cincinnati. A few of your delegates even took a horse and buggy ride around town. Official business focused on decisions being made about important issues and illustrates why historical perspective is important when selecting your delegates who represent California at the National House of Delegates.
The HOD also elects your new Board of Trustees members in the House dialoguing on issues confronting AAMA, delegates attended education session when not a work for CSMA and many renew past acquaintances and develop new friendships. This delegate always looks forward to seeing so many AAMA members met over the years as each member is a special friend. Our 61st Annual Conference is now over but we look forward to our 62nd Conference to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2018. With the election of the 2018 BOT, we send our best wishes to all our elected leaders and also to the leaders of our Education Boards.
Plans proceed for our 2018 Annual Meeting at the Ayres Suites at Ontario Mills Mall, Ontario, California. Fourteen CEUs are planned for this meeting and the committee is working hard to secure those speakers. If you, our CMA (AAMA) member were to attend 5 of our meetings, you could almost recertify by adding a few other CEU sessions, reading the CMA Articles for CEUs or utilizing the monographs for purchase through the AAMA. Please place April 13-15, 2018, on your calendar and plan to attend. The Ayres Suites will provide a full American breakfast for registered guests. Watch for our flyer and registration form. Reserve your room early.
As we move into our Fall and Winter season, we approach our winter season of holidays. Halloween will soon be upon us, followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. It is hard to believe that 2018 is at “our doorsteps.” May all of our members have a reflective holiday season, a healthy 2018 and a prosperous New Year. Merry Christmas to all our members and for those who celebrate another holiday, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Ramadan, Happy Kwanzaa and any other celebratory event you may observe. Let’s bring in the New Year together!
This leader would be remiss not to mention that the AAMA Board of Trustees presented Life Membership to me during the second half of the House of Delegates. Life Membership is the highest honor given by AAMA and I am very humbled to have received it. One does not receive such a prestigious award without the help of many other members. When one receives the trust in accomplishing an objective or goal of a committee by the presidents of the Board of Trustees, receives support from the California Society of Medical Assistants and also from our former local Glendale Chapter to help the members of our associations, it is a great honor. There are so many members who made this Life Membership possible and I thank each one, including those who submitted a testimonial letter of support. Yes, my name is on this Life Membership but I see it as a “team effort” and am proud to also bring it back to the California Society as our first AAMA Life Membership. What a great honor to receive this award. I know that CSMA has tried several times before to gain this recognition but it came in 2017 primarily due to the determination of Virginia Marquette who gathered all the documentation and persevered to submit it. There is a horizon of achievements yet to be accomplished if we choose the right path. Thank you to the membership of AAMA, CSMA and the former Glendale Chapter.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
CSMA President, 2017-18
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"This officer wishes to thank the members of CSMA for their trust and confidence in leading this Society this year". |
California Society of Medical Assistants
Fifth President’s Message
This is my final message to our members of CSMA. We have had a fulfilled year for our Society as well as our State. It is now a rebuilding time for much of our state due to the wildfires and mudslides; however, Californians persevere and will overcome their challenges.
CSMA has been at work trying to keep our communications open to our members. It seems like a never ending challenge trying to mentor new leaders and inform them about the historical issues that faced CSMA so they can make future decisions using the past as a reminder of what can help in the future. It is difficult to mentor as each leader views their duties and dedication differently and will perform those responsibilities differently with the hope that decisions are based on the financial stability of the society and the legal potential of decisions made.
This year we were awakened and reminded that CSMA must keep ever vigilant on legislative effects on our society and profession. AB 387 was a bill that had far reaching effects on the allied health professions of many occupational programs which would then impact membership in our national and state societies. Because of the diligence of our Public Affairs Liaison, the support to stop this bill occurred for now. We must always keep an eye open to the potential legislative bills that affect medical assisting.
Our Annual Meeting will soon be here and deadlines are nearing so please plan your time to attend. CSMA provides both education and a time to meet to discuss Society issues. Last year, for the first time, CSMA offered 14 hours of continuing education. CSMA wanted to carry this on this year and offer as many as we can so our members have their continuing education units to recertify. Hopefully, this can continue at future meetings.
The Southwest Regional made up of 9 neighboring state societies will be meeting in California this year. Plans are underway with 14 hours of education planned as well as meetings to discuss issues with our colleagues from our neighboring states about national issues . We hope to have representation from: AZ, CA, CO, HI, NM NV, OK, TX, and UT. Meeting dates are July 20-22, 2018, at the Ayres Suites at the Ontario Mills Mall. Keep the date open and information will be sent to you shortly after the Annual Meeting.
Our AAMA National Conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 14-17, 2018. Make plans to attend. Information will come in the April/May issue of the CMA Today.
This officer wishes to thank the members of CSMA for their trust and confidence in leading this Society this year. I wish to acknowledge the officers of this Society who collaborated with national colleagues to nominate this officer for Life Membership of AAMA, the first for the California Society. My deepest appreciation for this honor representing CSMA. My best wishes to your incoming officers.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
CSMA President
CSMA Life Member
AAMA Life Member
Fifth President’s Message
This is my final message to our members of CSMA. We have had a fulfilled year for our Society as well as our State. It is now a rebuilding time for much of our state due to the wildfires and mudslides; however, Californians persevere and will overcome their challenges.
CSMA has been at work trying to keep our communications open to our members. It seems like a never ending challenge trying to mentor new leaders and inform them about the historical issues that faced CSMA so they can make future decisions using the past as a reminder of what can help in the future. It is difficult to mentor as each leader views their duties and dedication differently and will perform those responsibilities differently with the hope that decisions are based on the financial stability of the society and the legal potential of decisions made.
This year we were awakened and reminded that CSMA must keep ever vigilant on legislative effects on our society and profession. AB 387 was a bill that had far reaching effects on the allied health professions of many occupational programs which would then impact membership in our national and state societies. Because of the diligence of our Public Affairs Liaison, the support to stop this bill occurred for now. We must always keep an eye open to the potential legislative bills that affect medical assisting.
Our Annual Meeting will soon be here and deadlines are nearing so please plan your time to attend. CSMA provides both education and a time to meet to discuss Society issues. Last year, for the first time, CSMA offered 14 hours of continuing education. CSMA wanted to carry this on this year and offer as many as we can so our members have their continuing education units to recertify. Hopefully, this can continue at future meetings.
The Southwest Regional made up of 9 neighboring state societies will be meeting in California this year. Plans are underway with 14 hours of education planned as well as meetings to discuss issues with our colleagues from our neighboring states about national issues . We hope to have representation from: AZ, CA, CO, HI, NM NV, OK, TX, and UT. Meeting dates are July 20-22, 2018, at the Ayres Suites at the Ontario Mills Mall. Keep the date open and information will be sent to you shortly after the Annual Meeting.
Our AAMA National Conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 14-17, 2018. Make plans to attend. Information will come in the April/May issue of the CMA Today.
This officer wishes to thank the members of CSMA for their trust and confidence in leading this Society this year. I wish to acknowledge the officers of this Society who collaborated with national colleagues to nominate this officer for Life Membership of AAMA, the first for the California Society. My deepest appreciation for this honor representing CSMA. My best wishes to your incoming officers.
Joyce Nakano, CMA (AAMA)
CSMA President
CSMA Life Member
AAMA Life Member
2017-2018 PRESIDENT MESSAGES-NAKANO