LAUSR

In 2019, the American Pain Society (APS) closed its doors and ceased operations amidst controversy after filing for bankruptcy. The dramatic dissolution of a professional medical association, while likely related to a number of complex factors, provides an opportunity for reflection on the current state of anesthesiology societies and the challenges that they face. Functions traditionally provided by a professional medical organization—continuing medical education, networking, mentorship—are now in constant competition with each other and with alternate modes of delivery. Furthermore, demographic changes in medical school matriculation in the last 2 decades are not reflected in the makeup of society leadership in many medical specialties, including anesthesiology. As a result, there is a potential disconnect between the priorities of professional medical societies and the perspectives of the professionals they seek to represent. In the past few decades, a number of forces have posed enormous challenges to the traditional functions of anesthesiology societies. First, the decentralization of information and democratization of communication through advances in information technology have the potential to obviate many of the conventional roles of an anesthesiology society, such as advancing research, promoting education, and providing networking opportunities. Second, the increasing diversity of the physician workforce, both for the medicine profession generally and in anesthesiology specifically, has not been reflected in the composition of leadership in many of these anesthesiology societies. The societies are at risk of being out of step with the needs of their members and thus losing their legitimacy as a “true voice” of their specialty. Third, changing reimbursement models in medicine are making legislative and regulatory advocacy an increasingly important function of anesthesiology societies. However, the ability of many professional societies to effectively engage in these legislative activities is limited due to their nonprofit tax-exempt status andmay not be allowable based on their charters. Finally, the financial model that has traditionally supported anesthesiology societies, primarily driven by a combination of membership dues, registration fees for educational programming, and industry support, is becoming increasingly threatened. Heightened awareness of potential conflicts of interest has restricted theways inwhich societies and industry partners can interact. Therefore, to remain relevant, anesthesiology societies must prove their value to the individual member. They will need to adapt by modernizing how they engage with their members, fostering diversity and inclusion in their programming and leadership structures, and demonstrating forward-thinking professional leadership to ensure that anesthesiology grows its influence not just as a champion for patient safety in the operating room but also as a specialty that improves perioperative health outcomes. The goal of this article is to review the history and structure of societies in anesthesiology, present perspectives on the current challenges that they face, and suggest potential opportunities for increasing their value in the future.