NetWorks & Institutes

Overview

ACCP NetWorks are special interest groups within the ACCP that focus on particular areas of chest medicine. By joining any of the NetWorks, you can form alliances with professionals who have similar interests and help plan educational sessions, take on leadership roles, participate in the development of policies, opinions, and position statements affecting your field, and more. NetWork membership is open to all ACCP members, and we encourage you to become involved. If you would like to find out more about NetWorks, or have a special interest in any of these activities, contact networks@chestnet.org.

• Affiliate
• Airways Disorders
• Allied Health
• Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery
• Chest Infections
• Clinical Pulmonary Medicine
• Critical Care Institute
• Cultural Diversity in Medicine
• Disaster Response
• Home Care
• Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease
• Interventional Chest/Diagnostic Procedures
• Members in Industry
• Occupational and Environmental Health
• Palliative and End-of-Life Care
• Pediatric Chest Medicine
• Practice Operations
• Pulmonary Physiology, Function, and Rehabilitation
• Pulmonary Vascular Disease
• Respiratory Care
• Sleep Institute
• Thoracic Oncology
• Transplant
• Women's Health

Handbook and FAQ

H A N D B O O K
NetWorks Handbook

Q. What are NetWorks?

A. NetWorks are interdisciplinary, focused-interest groups providing the opportunity for your personal and professional alliance with the ACCP.

Q. Why should I join a NetWork?

A. NetWorks provide you with the opportunity to become involved on a local, national, and international level, supplying forums for advocacy, leadership, communication, and education. They also foster personal and professional development and afford leadership growth opportunities within the ACCP.

Q. What are the main goals of NetWorks?

A. The main goals of NetWorks are to promote interdisciplinary, multispecialty interaction, serve as a resource of expertise in specific areas, enhance member participation and commitment to the College, and integrate clinical problem-oriented and unique interest-based groups within ACCP and the greater chest medicine community.

Q. What do NetWorks do?

A. NetWorks generate educational programs and products, address advocacy issues, and help shape public policy and guidelines, as well as serve as a source for expertise on selected topics. They are the gateway to involvement in the ACCP.

Q. How are NetWorks structured?

A. The structure of each NetWork includes a steering committee, ACCP staff liaison, and general membership.

Q. How are NetWorks represented within the ACCP?

A. Each NetWork has a 10-member steering committee with Chair and Vice-Chair. The Chairs of each NetWork comprise the Council of NetWorks. The Chair of the Council of NetWorks is the designated representative to the ACCP Board of Regents.

Q. How do NetWorks function?

A. NetWorks function through conference calls, face-to-face meetings, and electronically, with a focus on expanding Internet communications. NetWorks meet face-to-face once a year at the ACCP annual meeting. Continued interaction is very important to the function of NetWorks. Throughout the year, active ongoing communication and information dissemination is accomplished through individual NetWork Web sites, electronic communication, and personal interaction.

Q. When and how can I join a NetWork?

A. Join any time! Call the ACCP at (800) 343-2227, or e-Mail your request to networks@chestnet.org.

NetWork Projects

• NetWorks Project List

To initiate a NetWork project, please follow the process described below.

• NetWorks projects and activities can be developed by individual NetWorks or in collaboration with other NetWorks, ACCP committees, and/or other organizations.

• An application must be completed for all projects, regardless of funding needs. The application can be accessed below. All applications should include as much detail as possible.

• Once the application has been completed, it must be submitted online. ACCP staff will forward it to the Council of Committees for review. For more information about the review process, refer to the NetWorks Handbook section on the Project Proposal Process.

• After review of the application by the Council of Committees, it will be returned to the submitting NetWork. If approved, the NetWork begins working on the project. If not approved, the NetWork will be notified of areas needing more clarification or of the reasons why the application was not accepted as submitted. The application may be revised and resubmitted at the NetWork's discretion. A NetWork can appeal a decision of the Council of Committees to the Board of Regents.

• For patient education projects, please refer to the ACCP Patient Education Materials Submission Checklist. (You do not need to complete the checklist as part of this application, but you will need it later.)

• Consensus statements, literature reviews and/or formal meta-analysis may be proposed by NetWorks as projects. The development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines falls under the oversight of the ACCP Health and Science Policy Committee. The ACCP's definitions of evidence-based guidelines, consensus statements, and other reviews and projects are available here.

• The development of performance measures falls under the oversight of the Quality Improvement Committee, in collaboration with other ACCP departments and committees, as appropriate.

Please complete the following form.

CHEST Presentations

All presentations are in read-only PDF format. Printing is restricted. To download a presentation to your computer, click on the presentation title.

If you have any questions or comments regarding any of the presentations, please contact NetWorks staff at (847) 498-1400 or by e-mail at networks@chestnet.org.

• CHEST 2009
• CHEST 2008
• CHEST 2007