Join us in Tampa!

This issue of Health Facilities Management features a preview and information on the 47th ASHE Annual Conference & Technical Exhibition, which will be held in Tampa, Fla., on July 11-14. I encourage you to take time to review the information that will be presented and ensure that you will join us at this important educational event for all those working in the health care facilities management profession.

This is an exciting time for all of us in health care. As the winds of change blow across our nation, we prepare ourselves for what the future will hold and the impact change will have on us as members of the health care team and as consumers. While we need to get ready for new ways of thinking, acting and responding, one tenet still holds true: No matter what we do or how we do it, we are committed to creating and maintaining safe, functional and efficient health care physical environments for all who enter our facilities. Although the task may seem hard and the time to prepare and respond short, we must be ready, willing and able to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

This point of view was amplified when the task force gathered to identify content and select faculty for the annual conference. By looking at today's issues and keeping an eye toward the future, we developed a program that will address your current needs and help you prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. From case study presentations to lectures and panel discussions, ASHE's annual conference provides information and tools to help you be the best health care facility management professional you can be.

In addition to education, the annual conference offers fellowship: The chance to get together and reconnect as you increase your peer support network. Each year, I look forward to our "ASHE Family Reunion," and I hope you will be able to be with us this year as we share our experiences. In these times of change, we need each other more than ever. By coming together, we give one another the support and strength we need to survive and thrive. And don't miss ASHE's "A Night at the Aquarium" on Tuesday evening. Make sure you register for this private party, which includes an undersea adventure and culminates with dinner and dancing.

Plan now to join us in Tampa for a great conference and a great technical exhibition at a great venue.

Terry L. Martin, CHFM, SASHE