The American Thoracic Society (ATS) is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

focused on improving care for pulmonary diseases, critical illnesses and sleep-related breathing disorders. It was established in 1905 as the American Sanatorium Association, and changed its name in 1938 to the American Trudeau Society. In 1960, it changed its name again to the American Thoracic Society. Originally the medical section of the American Lung Association, the Society became independently incorporated in 2000 as a 501 (c) (3) organization.

Medical and scientific areas of interest

Pulmonology Pulmonology (, , from Latin ''pulmō, -ōnis'' "lung" and the Greek suffix "study of"), pneumology (, built on Greek πνεύμων "lung") or pneumonology () is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving the respiratory tract. ...

, critical care,

sleep medicine Sleep medicine is a medical specialty or subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disturbances and disorders. From the middle of the 20th century, research has provided increasing knowledge of, and answered many questions a ...

infectious disease An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...

pediatrics Pediatrics (American English) also spelled paediatrics (British English), is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, Adolescence, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, pediatrics covers many o ...

allergy Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...

immunology Immunology is a branch of biology and medicine that covers the study of Immune system, immune systems in all Organism, organisms. Immunology charts, measures, and contextualizes the Physiology, physiological functioning of the immune system in ...

, thoracic surgery,

behavioral science Behavioural science is the branch of science concerned with Human behavior, human behaviour.Hallsworth, M. (2023). A manifesto for applying behavioural science. ''Nature Human Behaviour'', ''7''(3), 310-322. While the term can technically be ap ...

, environmental and

occupational medicine Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM), previously called industrial medicine, is a board certified medical specialty under the American Board of Preventative Medicine that specializes in the prevention and treatment of work-related ill ...

physiology Physiology (; ) is the science, scientific study of function (biology), functions and mechanism (biology), mechanisms in a life, living system. As a branches of science, subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ syst ...

molecular biology Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...

, among others.

Membership

More than 15,000 physicians, research scientists, and nurses and other allied healthcare professionals (32 percent of whom work outside

the United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

ATS Assemblies

The interests of members are represented by the Society's 14 specialty-specific assemblies and 2 sections.

Chapters and activities

With the overarching goal of advancing the Society's mission, each chapter represents a state or other geographical area and includes, in its membership ATS members. The ATS also works to engage its members around the globe.

Past Presidents

Publications and educational activities

4 peer-reviewed journals: * '' American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine'' * '' American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology'' * '' Annals of the American Thoracic Society'' * '' ATS Scholar'' The Society offers

continuing medical education Continuing medical education (CME) is continuing education (CE) that helps those in the medical field maintain competence and learn about new and developing areas of their field. These activities may take place as live events, written publications ...

credits and nursing contact hours through its annual international conference. The ATS advocates for improved respiratory health for patients in the United States and around the globe. The Society is actively involved securing funds for basic and clinical research, establishing global

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

and tobacco control policies, enforcing the Clean Air Act, and lobbying for fair reimbursement for physician services under Medicare and other insurers. The ATS Patient Information Series is available electronically on the ATS website.

References

External links

American Thoracic Society

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM)

American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (AJRCMB)

Annals of the American Thoracic Society (AnnalsATS)
{{authority control Medical associations based in the United States Respiratory therapy Pulmonology and respiratory therapy organizations Organizations established in 1905 Medical and health organizations based in New York (state) 1905 establishments in the United States