Abstract
We are delighted to report, belatedly, that the incoming president of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is Dr. Joseph Kvedar. He is an associate editor of your journal, a leader of long standing in telemedicine, vice president of Connected Health in the Partners organization at Harvard University with 1.5 million patients, professor of dermatology at Harvard, and a previous ATA president.
Dr. Kvedar is a well-published academic dermatologist and has been a huge voice in the development of mobile health and telemedicine care delivery. He is widely published and we know what an important reviewer and contributor he has been to this journal—Telemedicine and e-Health. Dr. Kvedar is a thoughtful and brilliant member of our telemedicine community and we are so fortunate to enjoy his leadership.
Telemedicine is of course in continued evolution. We have moved from being a technological curiosity 40 years ago to the mainstream of health care delivery in the United States and around the world. We could hit a technology pause button and continue on a strong course of economic and clinical development and that would be a triumph. However, as your editors, we believe there is much more to contribute through science, education, policy, and creative applications. Our authors continue to submit and our readers to demand the best in peer-reviewed new knowledge.
It is timely to mention the 2020 meeting May 3–5 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 10,000 corporate and individual members of the ATA will hold an enormous event to see the newest technology and delivery, meet the academic researchers, providers, corporate leaders, and policy makers. There will be extensive courses to learn new things and ask new questions. Networking across and within discipline areas will be rich and fruitful as ever. Dr. Kvedar has been working with the ATA College of Fellows to develop a scientific component for the ATA's conference in Phoenix. We hope you will join us in supporting Dr. Kvedar and participating in this event.
Congratulations, Dr. Kvedar!