X-Message-Number: 17668 From: Jessica Lemler <> Subject: THIS WEEK AT ALCOR! Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 12:23:12 -0700 (PST) The following can also be found on our website, at http://www.alcor.org/this_week_at_alcor.html ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ Dr. Jerry Lemler, President, CEO By the time this message is posted on Friday afternoon, Paula (my bride), Hugh Hixon, Jerry Searcy, and I will be arriving in Southern California for what promises to be a hectic and eventful weekend of Alcor activities. We'll gather at the beautiful home of Kat and Dave Kekich for the inaugural Alcor Outreach reception. I'm told to expect a crowd of some 40 people-- mostly members, but some potential recruits as well. We'll conduct a formal program, inclusive of a question and answer exchange, but we should have plenty of time to mingle and socialize in about as pleasant surroundings as we'll ever see. Hope you'll be there! Saturday will be a workday, as the Project Future Bound SoCal team will assemble at Joe Klockgether's Buena Park facility. We'll review our State of Suspension readiness, finalize logistics and support mechanisms, and coordinate the implementation of services between Alcor Central and our first-ever permanent "remote" rescue unit. My thanks go out to SoCal PFB coordinator Russell Cheney and his diligent staff, who have (literally) devoted countless hours towards ensuring this project will be a success. On the home front, two items of significance deserve mention. I began the CRFT (Cryonics-- Reaching for Tomorrow) re-write project some 17 months ago. This week, I submitted it to our editor, Lisa Lock, in Delaware for completion. The new manuscript is titled "The Alcor Life Extension Foundation: An Introduction", and if I say so myself, (and I do indeed), it's great! I hope you will read it, enjoy it, and most importantly pass it on to someone who might join us on our trip to the future. It's not perfect yet, and we've still got a few bugs to iron out, but you may have noticed we've changed our phone system! You'll now have the option of actually talking to a live Alcor representative when you call. Please be patient with us as we feel our own way through the message tree. We'll get it down in short order, I promise you. I hope everyone has a rewarding and productive week. Stay vertical! P.S. Thanks also to Grant Dahmer, Dr. Jose Kanshepolsky and the Alcor surgical team who participated in last Saturday's Anatomical Surgical workshop. ˜ ˜ Jennifer Chapman, Membership Administrator Several notices were received this week indicating that three insurance policies had lapsed due to non-payment of the required premium. After confirming the status of these policies with the agent and a representative of the insurance company, attempts were made to contact the relevant members to discuss the deficiencies. Thereafter, these members were sent certified letters as notification that membership cancellation is scheduled to occur in 30 days unless the deficiencies are resolved. Understanding the importance of appropriate documentation, a record was kept of the events and all relevant correspondence. To aid with ensuring this process is properly performed under each circumstance, the relevant Standard Operating Procedure was utilized and then updated to benefit future efforts. Such circumstances emphasize the importance of ensuring Alcor has accurate contact information for all members. Without this, a membership cancellation could occur without the member’s knowledge and that would be quite unfortunate. Upon completion of the updated database, an online form will be available for members to quickly and easily submit proper notification of any contact changes. Similarly, regular confirmation notices will be issued to verify the accuracy of Alcor’s records. These vital updates will be performed electronically, so it is essential for Alcor to have an accurate email address, as well as the correct postal address. It is also important to ensure that such lapse notices are scheduled to be sent to Alcor. If Alcor is not properly notified of a policy lapse, services could be provided without adequate compensation and this could jeopardize the organization. All members are advised to notify Alcor immediately if the policy status comes into question. Failing to communicate on these matters could be a life or death occurrence, not just for an individual, but also for all individuals who rely upon the well being of Alcor. ˜ ˜ Joe Hovey, Accounting Manager Cost calculations for suspensions. Met with Dr. Lemler and Hugh Hixon to further refine our basic charges for suspensions. We decided to keep the basic format while dropping some of the usage charges we had been making for thelast few suspensions. Most of our member's contracts calls for any monies left over after paying for the costs incurred for the suspension and the standard amount to be transferred to the Patient Care Trust, to be divided equally between theOperating Fund and the Patient Care Trust. The changes we decided upon should result in more money going to the Patient Care Trust than was the case in the last few suspensions. Credit card arrangements. We are close to finalizing our arrangements with Morgan Stanley for two new merchant accounts for credit card transactions. This will allow our members to charge larger amounts than we are currently able to do with Wells Fargo, and will expedite payment for last minute cases. However, we have been close to achieving this before with other financial entities only to have everything fall through at the last minute. We'll see what happens this time. Monthly financial statements. I am gradually catching up with the monthly financial statements for 2001. I should be up to date by the end of October. Because of a series of unusual circumstances I fell very far behind this year in being able to provide these important financial documents to Alcor's Boardin a timely manner. I am seriously considering making some changes in the accounting software we use in order to speed up the process. If I do, they won't take effect until 2002. ˜ ˜ Jessica Lemler, Administrative Associate/Webmaster This week consisted mostly of performing my duties as Administrative Associate, assisting Dr. Lemler in correspondence and typing. The new transponder and dictating machines certainly are handy, and we are both enjoying their features! On Tuesday we had a meeting with AFLAC representatives to discuss supplemental insurance options, followed by our weekly staff meeting. I met with Joe earlier this week to discuss alternative ways to call in during Board meetings. We are still looking into these, and will be running some test calls early next week in preparation for next Sunday's meeting. I also got to help Paula prepare some door prizes for the Outreach party in SoCal at Kat and Dave Kekich's house. Today (Friday) I get to assume my duties as Webmaster again as I work on making sure this page is properly posted. I will also be doing some other editing work to the website while I am in the web files. ˜ ˜ Paula Lemler, Volunteer I took care of writing checks for bills that were due and posting to a spread sheet. Joe has given me an additional assignment I am enjoying, and that is entering payments made into the data base. Friday I will be traveling to Southern California for the Outreach party, where I am really looking forward to seeing my friends there and to meeting many new ones. ˜ ˜ Mathew Sullivan, Facility Operations Manager & Patient Care Manager I worked with Inter-Tel while they reprogrammed the phone system and wrote up an SOP for the staff in order for them to change their voice mail message. Recorded messages on the unattended phone extensions to inform the caller that they have tried the wrong extension. In preparation for the training class, I made 20 liters of .9% sodium chloride, and made an ATP training tubing pack. Resolved multiple computer issues, including upgrading email software on two computers, and backed up files. Ordered and stocked supplies, and updated supply database. And I spent a little time cleaning and organizing in the labs. Purchased and installed a new fax machine. Readied cryotransport kits for future bound project and training kits for Russ Cheney to take back to California. I stopped by the hospital to pick up the neuro only tubing arrays that had been sterilized. Participated in multiple meetings: Future bound project, BioTransport Expenses, validity of vitrification protocol, and AFLAC insurance. ˜ ˜ Mike Perry, PhD., Patient Care Assistant Patient reports. Data entry for Alcor's latest suspension was a little more involved than I thought, but I completed a first draft, minus a few details such as times for drawing and administering meds, which will be worked out from various sources. Then proofreading, and I am done--hopefully next week. Assessing ischemic injury. Basic data is needed before I can develop the mathematical modeling that is the goal here. Jeff Benjamin is now going to be working on a consulting basis to obtain some experimental results using a rat model. So I will wait for these results, and/or further input as appropriate. Writing projects: I am working on the usual things for the 4th quarter issue of the magazine. A book review is now complete except for minor editing. Tech News and For the Record still need lots of work. The For the Record will deal with Alcor 25 and 10 years ago, that is, in 1976 and 1991, both important years in our history. ˜ ˜ Hugh Hixon, Facilities Engineer Friday, with Mathew, prepared for training on head-only procedure Saturday. Saturday, using a cadaver, the trainees made burholes, removed the head and cannulated it. Because of the extended post-mortem period, perfusion was not possible. The head support ring needs to be made simpler to use. Did basic cleanup of OR. With Russ Cheney, sorted out several problems with the intubation trainer Monday, with Mathew, reassembled ATP. Went over recent suspension expenses w/Joe Hovey and Dr. Lemler. Made some suture snares for instrument trays Tuesday, made tubing looms for head holder rings. Did some planning for an animal suspension (it's still expensive). Wednesday, checked over Russ Cheney's SOP for subclavian sticks. Wrote some research justification for Dr. Lemler. Bought some more parts for the perfusion dummy heads. Talked some with Jeff Benjamin about research. The possible animal suspension was cancelled. Thursday, contemplate some computer problems. The surgical instrument package for Future Bound looks like it will be delayed a week or so; otherwise, things are pretty well in place, or will be when we go to southern California tomorrow. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17668