atalacc in a Nutshell

Things all members should know...

American Telemedicine Association, Latin American and Caribbean Chapter (ATALACC) is a member group of the American Telemedicine Association. ATA member groups can be:

1. Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

2. Chapters

3. Industry Council and

4. Committees

Currently, ATALACC is one of the two only chapters of ATA. The other chapter is the Pacific Islands Chapter, operating mainly from the state of Hawaii.

Historically, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) were first authorized in 1999 to provide a forum for all ATA members. Chapters are similar to SIGs but are organized according to geographical areas. ATALACC is an ATA chapter that encompasses an international region including all the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean island nations. Both SIGs and Chapters have grown over the years to become responsible for many activities, including leadership roles of the Association. The ATA Committee on Committees, chaired by the President-Elect of ATA has oversight on SIGs and Chapters. Chairs of the SIGs and Chapters are members of this oversight Committee.

A SIG and Chapter manual dated June 2005 is available on the ATA web site at this URL address: http://www.atmeda.org/ICOT/icot.htm. This manual contains information defining the role and structure of Chapters and SIGs within ATA. Some important points from this manual are summarized below, but all ATALACC members (also ATA members by requirement) should consult this manual to learn more about ATA chapters in general, and about ATALACC in particular.

SIGs and Chapters are authorized for a period of two years and subject thereafter to bi-annual reviews. Subsequent "renewal is based on the level of participation, activities and the achievement of the stated goals over the two-year period of authorization."

Because ATALACC has a web site, publishes a newsletter and conducts open meetings, it is important to note that "ATA approval is required prior to any SIG or Chapter publicizing, advertising or marketing a SIG product to the membership or public. Such issues as copyright, coordination with ATA policy positions and finance issues should be addressed prior to the release."

Active SIGs and Chapters are supported by ATA which includes providing a web page within the ATA web site, a list server, conference calls and meeting times at the annual ATA meeting.

Finally, special conditions with potential conflict of interest and code of ethics are covered in the last part of the manual.