About ASH

Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology

Committee Roster

Chair
Ming Y  Y. Lim, MBBChir  ('24)

Appointed Members
Sherif  M. Badawy, MD  ('25)
Harriet  A. Bering, MD  ('24)
Jacob Cogan, MD  ('25)
Nathan  T. Connell, MD  ('25)
Steven Fein, MD, MPH  ('25)
David Garcia, MD  ('25)
Vishal Kukreti, MD, FRCP, MSc  ('24)
Camila Masias, MD, MPH  ('25)
Colleen  T. Morton, MD  ('25)
Rekha Parameswaran, MD  ('24)
Maria-Jose Ribeiro, MD  ('24)
Jordan  K. Schaefer, MD, MSc  ('24)
Rita Selby, MBBS, FRCPC  ('24)
Erlene  Kuizon Seymour, MD  ('24)
Surbhi Shah, MD  ('24)
Satish  P. Shanbhag, MBBS  ('24)
Marc  Stuart Zumberg, MD  ('25)

Liaison
Adam Cuker, MD  ('25)  - Chair, Committee on Quality

Staff Liaison
Patrick  C. Irelan, MPhil, MPM, MA

Committee Mandate

The Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology, a subcommittee of the Committee on Quality, coordinates the development of sessions, programs, educational materials, publications, and other activities designed to further ASH’s goal of encouraging stewardship of resources, enhancing patient safety, and promoting the concept of “systems-based hematology” as a viable career path for hematologists. Systems-based hematologists focus on optimizing care delivery for patients with blood disorders or requiring blood-derived products. The subcommittee also provides oversight and development of all projects related to ASH’s participation in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation’s Choosing Wisely Program.

 

Systems-based hematology is a topic that has relevance across ASH. The Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology interfaces with the Committee on Communications, Committee on Educational Affairs, Committee on Practice, and Committee on Training to ensure that cross-committee activities are managed effectively. Subcommittee workgroups may solicit the advice and/or participation of non-subcommittee members as deemed necessary to ensure appropriate expertise is secured for specific projects. In addition to reporting to the Committee on Quality, the subcommittee regularly reports to and solicits input from the Committee on Practice.

 

Members of the Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology, including the chair, serve staggered two-year renewable terms. Members of the subcommittee are required to participate in email discussions, regularly scheduled conference calls, and to meet in person as deemed necessary. Individual projects are overseen by workgroups comprised of a subset of members of the subcommittee (who volunteer based on interest and expertise).

 

The structure of the Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology includes the chair of the Committee on Quality as a liaison member. If not already a member of the Committee on Quality, the chair of the subcommittee serves as a liaison member of the Committee on Quality for a term congruent with service on the subcommittee.

 

The Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology conducts the following activities:

 

  • Professional Development – Systems-based hematology has been identified as a priority in the ASH Education Roadmap. The subcommittee, working in partnership with the Committees on Educational Affairs and Training, is tasked with facilitating the development of sessions, educational materials, and other activities designed to aid and inform the implementation of systems-based hematology. These activities include, but are not limited to:

 

    • The development of sessions at ASH meetings and at meetings of other societies
    • The development of toolkits, business cases, and other reference materials
    • The development of webinars and other interactive or online educational materials

 

The Subcommittee on Stewardship and Systems-Based Hematology is also tasked with overseeing or advising on the development of professional development activities related to improving stewardship of resources as a component of clinical care more generally.

 

  • Promotion and Advocacy – Systems-based hematology is an emerging discipline that requires sustained promotion to solidify its value to stakeholders. Similarly, general principles around stewardship of resources and appropriate use of tests and procedures are well-developed but insufficiently implemented. The subcommittee, working in partnership with the Committee on Practice, is tasked with broadly promoting the value of systems-based hematology and stewardship programs to a variety of target audiences, including, but not limited to:

 

    • Trainees, fellows, and practicing hematologists
    • Hospital administrators and other health-system gatekeepers
    • Payors, including private insurers and federal and state government agencies
    • Federal regulatory agencies
    • Patients

 

  • Networking – Being a nascent career path in the field, systems-based hematologists are limited in number, widely dispersed geographically, and have developed a variety of roles and responsibilities. ASH is well-positioned to provide pathways for systems-based hematologists to share information, experiences, and advice. The subcommittee is tasked with promoting networking opportunities in a variety of settings to:

 

    • Encourage sharing of information among current systems-based hematologists, trainees, fellows, practicing clinicians, and other relevant parties
    • Facilitate the solicitation of information and data to inform the development of educational materials and advocacy strategies
    • Incubate mentor-mentee relationships between current systems-based hematologists and early-career hematologists interested in pursuing systems-based hematology as a career path
    • Facilitate standardization of terminology, titles, and range of responsibilities associated with systems-based hematology

 

  • Choosing Wisely and Related Stewardship Programs – The ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely initiative has become an important mechanism for specialty societies to distribute guidance to clinicians and patients to help promote appropriate utilization of tests and procedures, thus improving care and reducing cost. The subcommittee is tasked with overseeing ASH Choosing Wisely activities and related programs, including, but not limited to:

 

    • Development and maintenance of ASH Choosing Wisely lists, including regularly scheduled review of existing list items to ensure continued relevance and evidentiary support
    • Oversight of the ASH Choosing Wisely Champions session, including selection of individuals and/or groups that have demonstrated successful efforts towards advancing the cause of appropriate stewardship of resources
    • Development and solicitation of strategies for implementing Choosing Wisely items relevant to hematology
    • Development and solicitation of strategies for encouraging best practices related to stewardship of resources and enhancement of patient safety.

 

  • Other Activities as Warranted

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