Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP
It’s springtime again, and for us Northerners, that is a welcome sign. It’s time to end months of hibernation holed up in our overly heated homes. It’s time to break out of our winter routine of work, eat, and sleep and welcome in several months of energizing warmth and rejuvenated spirit. At UCA, we use this time of year to re-energize the membership, welcome in new members, and set the agenda for the year to come.
The UCA spring convention is the largest gathering of urgent care professionals in the world, and represents both the growth of our discipline and the tremendous efforts of this organization. We have made it our mission to “provide leadership, education and resources for the successful practice of urgent care.”
We celebrate this mission every year at the convention. Our vision, “to be the catalyst for the recognition of urgent care as an essential part of the healthcare system,” can be achieved only with the support of you, the urgent care professional. Whether you are a physician, PA, or NP, whether you are a nurse or administrator, we need your voice to be represented.
Our standing in healthcare and recognition of our services depends on it. The convention is not just a place to get good CME or learn how to better run your urgent care business. It is a place to be represented and to show support for the discipline as a whole. UCA was founded on the principle of representation. Our goal was to ensure that this organization represented the interests of the majority of its constituents, not a select few. We supported this by implementing a vigorous democratic process with a voting membership, rotating board of directors, strong bylaws, and transparent governance.
UCA was also founded on the principle of continual im- provement: Success breeds necessity for even greater success. Each achievement adds strength to the foundation on which we are building this discipline, brick by brick.
We have had some undeniable initial success: exponential membership growth, unprecedented conference attendance, exceptional vendor participation and support, development of the first and only fellowship training programs, the successful launch of a journal that now reaches over 13,000 urgent care professionals, and an accreditation program specifically de- signed for urgent care clinics.
There remains considerable work to be done, however, and it requires the participation of all of us to be successful. With- out it, there can be no sustainable success. We need each and every one of you to be represented.
The most critical thing you can do is become a member. Our ability to represent urgent care at the national level depends on strength in numbers; the success of any democracy depends on the voice of the people. The more people we represent, the greater our standing in the healthcare delivery system and the house of medicine. The next most important thing to do is to join us at the convention.
The convention is a visible display of strength, as well as an undeniable educational experience. Additionally, it is an opportunity to share your passion for urgent care medicine with colleagues. Finally, the convention is the place to learn about and interact with your organization’s current and future leadership. So come celebrate with us in New Orleans April 29– May 2 and help us realize our vision with a collective show of strength.
