About CAS

The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) is a not-for-profit, voluntary organization, which exists for the benefit of its member anesthesiologists. "Seeing you through your most critical times — Canadian anesthesiologists: specialist physicians in peri-operative medicine, critical care and pain management" is the Society's positioning signature. The organization's mission statement is "The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society is dedicated to the advancement of the medical practice of anesthesia through research, education and excellence in patient care."

In 1943, the Society's founder and first president, Dr Harold Griffith, recognized the need for a united voice for Canadian anesthesiologists. More than 50 years later, anesthesia as a specialty has grown enormously and the CAS has been part of that growth.

Striving to meet the needs of today's anesthesiologists, the CAS publishes the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia (CJA), a Newsletter, the Guidelines for the Practice of Anesthesia, and patient information entitled About Anesthesia.

The Annual Meeting of the Society attracts speakers and delegates from around the World and provides 3½ days of continuing medical education.

The meeting is supported by an exhibit of pharmaceutical companies and equipment manufacturers and provides the ideal opportunity for anesthesiologists to keep up-to-date with their profession.

In June 1997 the CAS membership approved By-law changes supporting a new organizational structure for the Society. It is the culmination of a 4-year endeavour that assessed and evaluated structure, process, as well as strategic issues and resulted in a Strategic Plan. The Society's new governance ensures a faster decision-making process and a more active role in health care issues that affect Canadian anesthesiologists and the quality of anesthesia delivery in Canada.

The Society is governed by a Board of Directors, which meets 2 to 4 times annually. A number of standing committees, task forces and working groups address issues of interest to Canadian anesthesiologists and provide recommendations to the CAS Board of Directors. The areas of interest include, among others, allied health professions, continuing education, ethics, medical economics, physician resources, standards of practice, and technology. The CAS is administered by a central office located in Toronto (see CAS Central Office).

The Society maintains an active profile with organizations such as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the Canadian Medical Association. The latter was instrumental in providing assistance to the CAS in its strategic planning endeavours.

A separate body to the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society, the Canadian Anesthesia Research Foundation (CARF) was founded in 1979 to administer funds and provide support through a research grants program to Canadian anesthesia researchers who are members of the Society. CARF is the largest provider of funds for Canadian anesthesia research and its existence is essential in ensuring the stability of anesthesia research in Canada.

The philanthropic arm of the Society, the CAS International Education Foundation (CAS IEF), provides assistance in the establishment and development of anesthesia training in countries with severe economic deprivation.

Sponsored Canadian anesthesiologists assist local faculty in developing nations in teaching, training and organization to improve standards of care and promote accessibility to safe anesthesia for surgical and obstetric care.

The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society functions with the help of its volunteers who serve on its Board and committees. This involves a considerable time commitment, but can be extremely rewarding when seen as helping to direct the specialty of anesthesia. If it had not been for those forward-thinking individuals, who in 1943 decided the specialty needed to be recognised, anesthesia might not have become as viable and flourishing as it is today.

If you are a member of the CAS interested in becoming involved in YOUR society's activities, and if you want to influence anesthesia health care through one of the Society's committees, please contact the CAS Secretary at anesthesia@cas.ca.

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