ISSN
1097-9743
The
ASEPNewsletter
is devoted to informative articles and news itmes about exercise physiology.
It is a monthly magazine of news, opinions, exercise physiology professionals,
and events that shape exercise physiology. While it contains views and
opinions of the Editor
who
oversees the ASEP Internet Websites, visitors can have a voice as well.
We welcome interested practitioners, researchers, and academicians to e-mail
the Publisher their thoughts and ideas or respond directly online via the
ASEP
Public Forum.
Editorial
by Dave LaBore
If any of you belong to the
Yahoo groups for exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation or pulmonary
rehabilitation, you may have noticed the topic of licensure continues to
surface. Licensure, or the lack of it, should be at the forefront
of every exercise physiologist ‘s mind. Without it, we may see our
services dwindle in the clinical areas in which many of us are employed.
Why is it so important? Without it, we risk not being recognized
by insurance companies or HCFA to bill for our services. We also
lack the recognition we deserve from other professionals.
Steve Jungbauer (an ASEP
member) and others successfully lobbied with Administar to include exercise
physiologists in the LMRP for pulmonary rehabilitation. Steve stated
that this was possible only because of the Indiana Association of Exercise
Physiologists (IAEP) and the support of the American Society of Exercise
Physiologists (ASEP), an organization solely for exercise physiologists.
This was not only his opinion but also the rule for achieving what he did.
It is true for licensure also.
We must have an organization
dedicated only to exercise physiologists if we want to gain licensure.
There is no other way about it. That organization does exist in ASEP.
Licensure is started at the state level. It begins with the efforts
of those like Matt Wattles and the Idaho Association of Exercise Physiologists
(IDAEP). As each state is able to start its own association and begin
the process, it will only get easier for others to follow. Now is
the time to begin. Waiting will only give other organizations the
chance to lobby for their benefits. Talk with Matt or any member
of ASEP to begin the process, ASEP provides the way and the opportunity.
Again, why does it have to
be ASEP? As Steve and others continue to say, because it is the only
organization dedicated solely to exercise physiologists and that is what
the government demands for licensure. We can and should belong to
more than one organization, it makes us better at what we do. To
not be part of ASEP and possibly risk not having a job, that is absurd.
I have heard some reasons
for people not joining ASEP. They seemed more like excuses to me.
Do you not join an organization that is dedicated to your benefit just
because you have a few problems with it or do you join and work to make
your opinion known. Tell me one organization that doesn’t have a
few problems and I’ll show you a group of people that doesn’t differ in
opinion enough to ever achieve anything worthwhile.
It is now, while the field
of exercise physiology is making its name, that we must fight for the name
we are given.
"Never
cease to pursue the opportunity to seek something different. Don’t
be satisfied with what you’re doing. Always try to seek a way and a method
to improve upon what you’re doing, even if it’s considered contrary to
the traditions of an Industry.” -- Howard Marguleas
