July 13, 2022
Columbia, MD – AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine announces that longtime Executive Director Christopher E. Laxton, CAE, will retire in April 2023. While saddened by his departure, the organization is extremely grateful for his service over the past 10 years.
Mr. Laxton brought to AMDA his long experience in health-care association leadership, nursing home issues, and organizational performance excellence. Under his direction, the Society has gained operational strength and sustainability; changed its name and expanded its membership to include all advance practice clinicians in post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings; and become recognized as an important national voice of advocacy for PALTC clinical expertise, for the full careforce, and for the residents and families needing care.
Strong collaborative relationships have been a hallmark of Mr. Laxton’s work, as evidenced by the Society’s active participation on key coalitions, including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, the Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative, and the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living, among others. Following a successful initiative with AMDA to improve flu vaccination rates among PALTC staff, the CDC awarded the Society a five-year, $10.5 million cooperative agreement focused on improving immunization rates across PALTC, for all routine vaccine-preventable illness, among both staff and residents.
AMDA President Suzanne Gillespie MD, RD, CMD, shared, “There simply could not have been a better leader for the Society than Chris Laxton. Through his intellect, grace and leadership, Chris has engaged our incredible staff and volunteers in impactful, strategic work and developed our professional society as the voice for post-acute and long-term care medicine. His work has made an immeasurable impact on quality of care and quality of life across post-acute and long-term care settings and has prepared us well for ongoing success. It has been a privilege to work with and learn from Chris and we wish him all the best in his retirement.”
The AMDA Board of Directors plans to recognize Mr. Laxton’s service to the Society at its PALTC23 Annual Conference in Tampa, FL, March 9–12, 2023.
“The Society’s members and leaders are some of the finest people I have ever had the privilege of serving in my over 40 years of doing this work,” said Mr. Laxton of his time with AMDA. “They are distinguished not only by the depth of their clinical expertise in the management of a uniquely complex patient population, but also by their compassion for their patients and staff, and a level of collegiality rarely seen in medicine. It has been a joy, and my heart is very full as I prepare to step down next year.”
The Board of Directors has engaged Vetted Solutions to assist in the search for its new leader.
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AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine is the only medical specialty society representing the community of over 50,000 medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other practitioners working in the various post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings. Dedicated to defining and improving quality, we advance our mission through timely professional development, evidence-based clinical guidance, and tireless advocacy on behalf of members, patients, families, and staff. Visit www.paltc.org for more information.