"Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; an argument an exchange of ignorance." - Robert Quillen
Over the many years I have been a member of the ASHT listservs, I have read some wonderful discussions on just about any topic a hand therapist could dream of. For those of us who have posted to the listserv, responded to another member’s issue or question, or learned something about how our colleagues participate in the practice of hand therapy, we can attest to the usefulness of those discussions. Unfortunately, the ASHT listserv has become prey to the many forms of Internet scams, worms and Trojans that plaque email these days, prompting ASHT to discontinue the service that provided us access.
But fear not my intrepid colleagues: Our discussions will continue with only minimal (and positive) changes. As part of the ASHT.org upgrades, the ASHT e-Community now houses discussion forums. The new forums are reflections of the previous listservs, but much more powerful. Unlike the listservs, the forum discussions are automatically archived and are now SEARCHABLE! Members can still post questions about treatment or practice, but will now be able to search previous discussions on a topic or post a topic poll to take the pulse of the participants (and the system will manage the responses). ASHT members may participate by going to the ASHT.org e-Community or, like the listservs, via email (once you have joined the group).
However powerful the new medium, the discussion forums cannot succeed without our continued participation. It’s our inexhaustible questioning as we search for the best methods and techniques to solve the many issues we treat, manage our practices and juggle the changes in healthcare that makes the discussions so interesting. So take a moment and check out the e-Community discussion forums and we can continue our “exchange of knowledge” about hand therapy! Anyone up for a discussion?
See you on the forums,
John E. Austin, OTR/L, CHT
Board Member at Large
Chair, ASHT Website Task Force
Watch our NEW e-Community tutorial videos