ASMBS is a professional healthcare society and its membership is derived from healthcare professionals. The society intends for its membership to be comprised of individuals who are involved in patient care, whether at the physician / healthcare provider level (surgeons, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, etc.) or via involvement in the Integrated Health disciplines including nurses, registered dieticians/nutritionists, psychologists, and/or exercise behavior therapists. Various other individuals may be granted membership in ASMBS when review confirms that they provide or participate at some level in patient care within the bariatric specialty, for example in research or healthcare administration which impacts patient care, etc.
The Board of Directors of ASMBS has complete authority over the decision to grant or to deny society membership to an individual. ASMBS membership excludes individuals whose primary employment is with the healthcare goods and services industry, instead of direct patient care. Herein, industry is broadly defined as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services which are consumed by, or used on, patients. Furthermore, industry typically views the society membership as potential customers for their goods and services.
For the purposes of this policy, primary employment by industry exists when an individual ‘s primary compensation and benefits are derived from a commercial entity. Determination of the source of an individual’s non-compensation benefits, along with other factors, can be reasonably used by the society to identify an individual’s primary employer. Such individuals do not qualify for membership as the resulting access to the overall society membership would, by definition, create a situation of inappropriate influence which could be used for financial gain, even if the employment status of such an individual were to be disclosed.
Society applicants and current members have a general duty to disclose to the membership committee any primary employment in industry.
ASMBS’ Board of Directors has the unilateral authority to make the final determination that an individual is primarily employed by industry and therefore is not eligible, or no longer eligible, for society membership, committee membership, or for participation as an officer of the society.
Industry is encouraged to participate as members of ASMBS Corporate Council as the appropriate mechanism to participate in the work and objectives of ASMBS.