2008 Annual Report

To Our Members and Partners in the Health of America

For 162 years the American Medical Association (AMA) has pursued its mission to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. We undergo constant transformation to meet the ever-changing needs of doctors and the demands of modern medicine. However, one thing that will never change is our commitment to anticipate and respond to those needs, so that physicians may have the ability to do what they do best in the world of medicine—help patients.

Last year we sponsored the unprecedented "Voice for the Uninsured" national campaign that raised awareness of the tens of millions of people who often live sicker and die younger because they lack health insurance. We also implemented "green" measures organization-wide because the AMA strives not only to make a difference in health care today but also to create a sustainable tomorrow. It is important for the AMA to remain financially sound to be well-positioned to continue our work for doctors and patients for years to come. We effectively navigated an increasingly challenging economic environment in 2008, with positive operating results for the ninth consecutive year. However, our organization’s success last year is best measured by a different set of numbers:

These are the direct results of the AMA’s efforts. Yet, as with every story, there are two sides to every AMA achievement: the team of employees working on the issue, and the physicians who support—and benefit from—our efforts. In this report, we look behind the scenes at the AMA and how our work affects the physicians we serve.

Health system reform

AMA member Yolanda Quam, MD, is passionate about the issue of the uninsured and believes it is a condition that can be treated. This belief is what drives her work at the Kids Come First Community Clinic in California, where she draws attention to the issue of uninsured children daily. The AMA helps physicians like Dr. Quam through the collective contributions of dozens of AMA employees working in the areas of health policy, the uninsured, Medicare and physician payment.

Public health

After witnessing a devastating earthquake in Taiwan, AMA member Edbert Hsu, MD, discovered there was a desperate need for an improved medical response to disasters and public health emergencies. Today, Dr. Hsu is deeply involved in the AMA’s work to enhance the nation’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities. Working together across AMA departments allows us to produce resources that help physicians prepare for disasters and mass-casualty events.

Philanthropy

Family physician and AMA member Sister Rosanne Popp, MD, is a longtime volunteer at the San José Clinic in Houston, just one of many clinics across the country whose patients have benefited from successful AMA Foundation programs such as Healthy Communities/Healthy America. Targeted philanthropic support has positioned the AMA Foundation as a responsible—and responsive—force committed to fostering physician and patient well-being.

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the work of another physician. In November the AMA lost a remarkable physician leader with the passing of Immediate Past President Ronald M. Davis, MD, MPH. His contributions to medicine and public health, particularly in the areas of healthy lifestyles and health care disparities, demonstrate the difference that all physicians, and our organization, can make.

Joseph M. Heyman, MD
AMA Chair

Ardis D. Hoven, MD
AMA Finance Chair

Michael D. Maves, MD, MBA
AMA Executive Vice President
Chief Executive Officer