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Georgia Representatives

Georgia General Assembly Information

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Important Contact Information

Daniel Dell Government Relations Chair 229-456-0450 ddellcrna@gmail.com	Steve Smith Federal Political Director 404-429-8553 slldt@comcast.net

Christy Dunkelberger, Esq. Executive Director/Legal Counsel 770-487-3900 ganaoffice@bellsouth.net	Monty Veazey Lobbyist 229-386-8660 mveazey@gach.org

Anna Polyak, RN, JD Senior Director, State Government Affairs 847-655-1130 sga@aana.com	Frank Purcell, BS Senior Director, Federal Government Affairs 202-484-8400 fpurcell@aanadc.com info@aanadc.com

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CRNAs Promote Awareness about the Quality of Care and Cost
Effectiveness of Nurse Anesthesia Service

As your appointed Federal Political Director (FPD) of Georgia and on behalf of all the GANA members, I would personally like to thank the 9 CRNAs and 20 SRNAs from Georgia Regents University who attended this year’s AANA Mid-Year Assembly in Washington, DC on April 14-17, 2013. Total registration numbered 850, 7 percent over 2012’s record attendance. It was another great year on Capitol Hill advocating for all of the CRNAs in Georgia and throughout the country. Our message was simple, “we want our patients to have access to high quality, safe and the most cost effective anesthesia care in Georgia and particularly in the underserved and rural areas of Georgia”. In order to achieve this, as encouraged by the Institute of Medicine, we will need to be able to practice to the fullest extent of our training without restrictions to our scope of practice at the federal and state level.

Our specific priorities this year as we visited each of the 14 House members and 2 Senator’s offices were to; protect patient access to care by ensuring that Medicare defers to state scope of practice of healthcare professionals, protect provider nondiscrimination, combat dangerous drug shortages and support nurse workforce development funding. During our visits we were also encouraged to try and have the legislators sign onto a bipartisan “Title 8 Nursing Workforce Funding Dear Colleague” letter in order to help relieve the strain on our nation’s nursing demand. I am proud to report that 3 House members; John Lewis, Sanford Bishop and David Scott signed onto the letter. If you reside in their district please send them a great big thank you on behalf of the CRNAs in Georgia.

In the two days leading up to our visits on Capitol Hill we attended lectures to provide us with the education needed regarding legislative issues affecting CRNAs and also the tools to develop skill in being advocates for CRNA practice and the profession. I again had the privilege of participating in the “Student Mentoring Program” for which the main objective is to mentor and produce future leaders of the AANA. AANA President Janice Izlar and I attended the annual Political Action Committee (PAC) event, which was a cruise on the Potomac River with a theme from the 80’s. It was a huge success, raising over $100,000 for the AANA CRNA -PAC. We also had the opportunity to attend the “Introduction of 2014 Slate of Candidates”. Each Candidate that was running for an AANA board position had the opportunity to present a speech. I strongly encourage all of you who have not yet voted in the AANA elections to visit www.aana.com and listen to the speeches, learn about the candidates and participate in the “AANA Candidate Forum” to directly ask the candidates the question of your choice. Please exercise your right as an AANA/GANA member and Vote! These 11 board members are the ones that determine your fate as a CRNA. The closing date for voting is at noon CT May 21, 2013.

If you have not yet visited our GANA “Facebook” page it can easily be accessed at the top right hand of our website, www.gana.org. Make sure you “Like Us” and you will receive all of the latest information related to CRNAs and their practice as it gets posted. I have also posted pictures of our legislative visits in Washington, DC. Don’t forget to give to your AANA CRNA-PAC by visiting the AANA “Care to be Counted” site located on the members only side at www.aana.com. This site also has a wealth of information about our CRNA issues. Please make plans now for joining us at next year’s MYA in Washington, DC on April 6-9 and advocate for the over 1100 CRNAs in Georgia.

Stephen D. Smith CRNA, MA
Georgia Federal Political Director (FPD)

Mid-Year Assembly in Washington DC, April 14-17 2013

Taylor Hosner, Jessica Epperson, Congressman Doug Collins' LA, Jason O'Rouke, Allison Custred and Martha Kral

Jim Masiongale, Matt Gartner, Kristen Huey, Ryan Perry, LA for Congressman Rob Woodall, Jessica Epperson, Amy Masiongale and Steve Smith

Regina Norton, Kristen Huey, Jessica Epperson, Bo Butler, LA for Senator Saxy Chambliss, Shannon Broxton, Amy and Jim Masiongale and Matt Gartner

Jessica Epperson, Rose Synsmir, Scott Goldstein, LA for Congressman Hank Johnson, Tiara McCaskill, Blair Reeder, Regina Norton, Alexia Bursi, Allison Custred and Mark Schmitz

Matt Gartner, Megan Joyner, LA Jessica Robertson for Congressman Austin Scott, Kelly Gowdy, Lori Boswell, and Amy and Jim Masiongale

Nathan Smith, Leslie Jeter, Tiara McCaskill, Congressman Lewis, Rgeina Norton, Jon Speed, Rose Synsmir and Matt Stringer

Trey Turner, SRNA from Middle Tennessee State, Janice Izlar and Steve Smith during the AANA Student Mentorship reception

Steve Smith with GANA basket that was auctioned during the AANA CRNA-PAC cruise.

SRNA and CRNA attendees from Georgia during the meeting

Vito Crespo, Allison Custred, Alexia Bursi, LA Lauren Lattany for Congressman David Scott, Mark Schwartz and Steve Smith

AANA President Janice Izlar, Matt Stringer, Congressman Tom Graves, Blair Reeder, Nathan Smith and Steve Smith

Nathan Smith, Matt Stringer, Janice Izlar, LA for Congressman Tom Graves, Sam Mahler, Blair Reeder and Steve Smith

Christine Zambricki, AANA Senior Director for Federal Government Strtegies, Steve Smith, Alexia Brusi, Ryan Perry, Shaundra Davis, Rose Synsmir, LA Natalie Burkhalter for Congressman Tom Price and Vito Crespo