Medical Information Critical Appraisers Support MeetUp or CASM

This MeetUp Group is being created to help fill the gap between scientific medical information and critical appraisers’ ability to evaluate, interpret and utilize that information. This is a new group and is, at this point, experimental in nature.

This MeetUp is for professional critical appraisers of medical science for government, academia, health care providers and health plans. 

Because space is limited, members are expected to have a reasonably mastery of basic critical appraisal skills.  IMPORTANT: This means that you have a reasonable working knowledge of most of the concepts on this page: http://www.delfini.org/Delfini_Tool_StudyValidity_Short.pdf

To request consideration for membership, email the Organizer the following as applicable, sheristrite(at)yahoo.com--DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT FROM THIS PAGE--this is a read-only page--copy and paste these 5 questions into a new email from your system and email me directly:

1. Name

2. Employer

3. Email address

4. A couple of sentences about you and your interest in the group.

5. Agreement to this information at the CASM page.

Then click the 'Join us!' button directly beneath the group's description. You will then reach the 'Your Meetup Group profile' page where you will be prompted to enter an introduction and agree to information and requirements as described on this page.

Membership is subject to approval.

Members are expected to recognize that information shared may result in benefits to individuals as well as to the businesses they work for or represent and which may be competitive to each other. A collegial approach is required. I am a partner in a public service entrepreneurship, details of which are available at www.delfini.org.  I have started this group in part as a service to help support those doing critical appraisal work and in support of my business and public service objectives.  I will definitely be using the group to help Delfini objectives which may include surveys, testing training materials, use of non-proprietary information such as discussion outcomes, etc. In return, I am very generous with my knowledge and expect to be helping people to the extent that I can during events and even outside them, not to mention starting and running this group.

Members are expected to be reasonably pleasant to deal with, including being reasonably pleasant to restaurant staff.

Any information expected to be confidential or used only with permission must be marked as such IN WRITING to be honored and which cannot extend to general knowledge such as the learning or or application of a concept. In general, members are encouraged to participate in ways that do not require any such commitment.

Participation by providing problems, cases, concepts, proofs, ideas, solutions and teaching/testing strategies, etc., will be necessary for the success of the group. Because space is limited, if space becomes an issue, non-participatory members may be removed—and, as is the case for any MeetUp Group, the Organizer reserves the right to remove members for any reason at Organizer’s discretion. That said, a hoped for outcome of the group is a fun and entertaining evening as well as an educative and helpful one!

Meetings are no-host and are anticipated to occur bi-monthly in the evening at a local restaurant. Attendees are responsible for their own expenses such as food and drink and any materials for distribution to the group that originate from that member.

Members who sign-up for an event are required to make a non-refundable $10 fee in order to reserve a space. These funds will be used, in part, to help defray meeting expenses, but may be used for any other reason at the discretion of the Organizer.

Members agree to abide by special occasion terms and conditions. This may include tipping at 20% regardless of opinions about quality of service and ending times to vacate meeting room space.

When events are full, Members may request to be on a waiting list. The list will NOT be first-come/ first-serve at the time of sign-up. The wait list will be used to create an email announcement of an available spot, which will then be first-come/first-serve for whomever first makes the required deposit.

Members are responsible for creating, organizing, disseminating, etc., any information they wish to be advanced before the group.

Initial meetings will be more for planning in nature, with attendees serving in an advisory capacity to the Organizer. Decisions will be the purview of the Organizer. A primary operating principle will be how to create a group that provides value to all at low impact.

By accepting membership, members agree that, if they provide any copyrighted materials, those members take full and complete responsibility for any permissions or other legal requirements.  

By accepting membership, members agree that— ANY USER OF INFORMATION AS A RESULT OF THIS GROUP RECEIVES NO WARRANTY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AND ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. In other words, it is up to the member to take full responsibility for information he or she uses or disseminates, etc., as a result of anything resulting from this group, directly or indirectly. Also, the organizer and assistant organizers of the group claim no responsibility for actions of other members. By joining this group, you agree that in no event shall this group, its organizers, or its event leaders be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages to yourself or your property.

MeetUp URL

http://www.meetup.com/Medical-Information-Critical-Appraisers-Support-MeetUp-CASM