Last December, ATS launched the MyATS web platform, an online portal that allows ATS members to customize their web experience by identifying their “favorite” web pages on the ATS website and saving them in their MyATS dashboard. This was Phase I of an ongoing initiative to provide members with an online tool that expands the benefits of membership in ATS. 

This month, ATS is launching Phase II, which focuses on expanding members’ abilities to collaborate. New features include:

• Direct Chat – This allows an ATS member to send a message to other members and initiate an online discussion. 
• Public Chat Groups – Working through ATS staff,  committees, assemblies, and working groups will be able to establish “public” chat groups to discuss interests of common concern, and all ATS members can join the discussion. 
• Private Chat Groups – Committees and working groups can establish private chat groups and invite other ATS members to join. 

Together, these new features will make MyATS a focal point for future collaboration and networking within ATS. 

Additional features are under development, with rollout anticipated at the end of 2018. These include a download and export feature that will facilitate the sharing of information between members engaged in Direct Chat or Chat Groups. ATS also is building a notification via email system so that ATS members will know when they have been invited to join a chat.  

To learn more about MyATS, including how to get started, visit thoracic.org/go/myats-video.