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November 15, 2007
eVoice®
Nov. 15, 2007
AMA eVoice is your regular update on the most important health care issues and recent AMA activities.
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Your news interests
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Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician
issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee at the Interim
Meeting
Group practice physician issues
1) Highlights from group practice physicians at the Interim Meeting
International medical graduate issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-IMG Section Interim Meeting
Medical school news
1) Highlights from the AMA-SMS Interim Meeting
Medical student issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting
2) AMA-MSS National Service Project event results in success
3) Research opportunities for medical students, residents and
fellows—apply today
Minority health issues and professional concerns
of minority physicians
1) Highlights from the AMA-MAC Interim Meeting
Organized medical staff issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting
Resident and fellow issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-RFS Interim Assembly Meeting
2) Research opportunities for medical students, residents and
fellows—apply today
Senior physicians issues
1) Highlights from senior physicians at the Interim Meeting
Women physician and women's health
issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-WPC Interim Meeting
Young physician issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting
General AMA news:
1) 2007 Interim Meeting highlights
2) Members' feedback informs AMA policymaking
3) Just in: Two new online videos to reduce alcohol use among patients
4) November's disaster medicine journal details new study on urban nuclear attack preparation
5) New benefit makes travel worry-free
6) In Virtual Mentor: Ethical issues in diagnostic radiology
7) In JAMA: Number of cases of most vaccine-preventable diseases in U.S. at all-time low
Your news interests
Sign up to receive customized AMA eVoice messages.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender physician issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-GLBT Advisory Committee at the Interim
Meeting
The AMA Advisory Committee on GLBT Issues helped to host the AMA
sections/special groups joint reception on the evening of Nov. 8. Committee
members spoke with GLBT physicians and medical students about the group's
recent initiatives to address both physician and patient GLBT issues. AMA-
GLBT Committee Chair Paul A. Wertsch, MD, announced the launch of the
Physician Survey Project, a collaborative effort between the AMA and the
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association to assess the knowledge, attitudes and
beliefs of physicians in the United States regarding the treatment of GLBT
patients.
Dr. Wertsch and outgoing AMA-GLBT Committee Vice Chair Jason S. Schneider, MD, participated in the AMA Section on Medical Schools meeting to highlight GLBT issues in the medical school curriculum. At its business meeting, the committee discussed a variety of topics from advocacy to education and elected a new AMA-GLBT committee vice chair, Rebecca A. Allison, MD. The committee also welcomed the leadership of the AMA Alliance, including President Dianne Fenyk, and President-elect Sandi Frost, to discuss opportunities for the involvement of domestic partners in the AMA Alliance.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Group practice physician issues
1) Highlights from group practice physicians at the Interim
Meeting
Mark Kelley, MD, executive vice president of Henry Ford Health System,
chaired meetings of the AMA Advisory Committee on Group Practice Physicians
Nov. 9–10. The committee welcomed three new members: Ron Kirkland, MD,
president and board chair of the Jackson Clinic in Tennessee; Mary Anna
Sullivan, MD, chief quality and safety officer at Lahey Clinic in
Massachusetts; and Dave Weber, MD, chief executive officer of Wenatchee
Valley Medical Center in Washington. Special presentations by committee
members included "How payment policies affect physician specialty and
location" by Michael Kitchell, MD, president and board chair of McFarland
Clinic in Iowa, and "Advanced medical homes and accountable care
organizations" by Jay Crosson, MD, executive director of Permanente
Federation in California. Two members of the Council on Medical Education,
Richard Pan, MD, and David Swee, MD, joined the committee for the
discussion on medical homes. The committee joined the AMA Board of Trustees
to hear a presentation by a former committee member, Gary Kaplan, MD, of
Virginia Mason Medical Center in Washington, about how his group's quality
improvement initiative is engaged and modeled after Toyota Motor Company.
>>Return to your news interest contents
International medical graduate issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-IMG Section Interim Meeting
The AMA-IMG Section brought together IMG physicians in a number of venues
to discuss several issues of importance. AMA-IMG Section Congress attendees
heard an information-packed presentation from Stephen Seeling from the
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates about undergraduate
medical education migration trends. The AMA-IMG Section Caucus provided an
additional opportunity for attendees to caucus on items of business before
the AMA House of Delegates (House) session, hear organizational reports and
discuss other issues of concern, such as proportional AMA-IMG Section
representation in the House. The caucus also featured guest speaker Gerard
Dillon from the National Board of Medical Examiners who provided an update
on the comprehensive review of the United States Medical Licensing
Examination. Attendees were encouraged to actively participate in the AMA-
IMG Section by signing up for one or more committee work groups. The
section released its newly-revised "IMGs in the U.S. physician workforce"
discussion paper.
View this document and other materials from the AMA Interim Meeting.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Medical school news
(Brought to you by the AMA Section on Medical Schools)
1) Highlights from the AMA-SMS Interim Meeting
The 31st Interim Meeting of the AMA-SMS included a well-attended
educational session on innovative approaches in medical education that
showcased medical schools that have novel programs. Participants identified
strategies for training physicians to meet the challenges affecting the
profession. The meeting also included well-received updates on the AMA's
initiative to transform medical education and innovative strategies for
transforming the education of physicians. The section held a joint session
with the AMA Resident and Fellow Section about resident intimidation,
discussing its prevalence in training and the causes and consequences of
intimidation.
View presentation slides from this session. Summaries will be available mid-January.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Medical student issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting
Nearly 600 medical students attended the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting.
The assembly considered 30 items of business, including three resolutions
addressing health care reform. The meeting incorporated more than 30
educational programs on such topics as the AMA's plan to cover the
uninsured, international opportunities, electronic Core Disaster Life
Support™, residency and others. The section also hosted an
excellent panel discussion on women leaders in organized medicine.
AMA-MSS held its Fifth Annual Research Poster Symposium in conjunction with the AMA Resident and Fellow Section and an educational grant from the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative. More than 60 student abstracts were presented. The first-place winner, Michael Milks from Ohio State University, won a trip to the 2008 AMA-MSS Annual Assembly Meeting.
The section elected Michael Chapman from the University of Pittsburgh to chair-elect, and Kendall Allred from the University of Arizona to AMA Trustee. Their terms will commence following the 2008 Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Reid Orth from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, was elected to vice chair of the AMA-MSS Governing Council.
2) AMA-MSS National Service Project event results in success
Nearly 40 volunteers from the AMA Medical Student Section traveled to Aloha
Stadium in Honolulu Nov. 9 to share information about the 47 million
Americans who are uninsured, the need to expand health care coverage and
the AMA's proposal for a solution.
The students' visit was the third in a series of awareness events as part of the section's 2006–2008 National Service Project, "Covering the uninsured and protecting access to care." Clad in purple "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign T-shirts, the students greeted thousands of spectators at the first of two local high school football championship games. In addition, they spoke to hundreds of local Hawaiians about the crisis of the uninsured and the AMA's campaign, and gave advice to local uninsured patients suggesting nearby community health centers for support. Nearly 1,000 AMA "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign pocket cards were distributed to fans.
The event mirrored several large-scale events that were part of the first stage of the AMA's "Voice for the Uninsured" campaign, which aims to influence voters to demand that the next U.S. president put health care system reform at the top of the national agenda. This project was made possible by an AMA Foundation grant.
3) Research opportunities for medical students, residents and
fellows—apply today
The AMA Foundation is requesting proposals from medical students, physician
residents and fellows for the Seed Grant Research Program. Grants of up to
$2,500 will help young scientists conduct basic science, applied or
clinical research projects in one of five research categories:
cardiovascular/pulmonary diseases, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS,
leukemia, neoplastic diseases and secondhand smoke. Applications are due
Dec. 3, and recipients will be announced in March 2008.
The AMA Foundation also sponsors the National and Regional Student Research Forums. Students and residents convene at these forums to present their research, receive meaningful feedback and participate in scholarly discussions with their peers and established scientists. Awards are presented to the top-rated oral and poster presentations. The 2008 forums will be held in California, Nebraska, Florida and Texas.
Visit the Foundation's Web site to apply for these and other grant opportunities.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Minority health issues and professional concerns of minority physicians
(brought to you by the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium)
1) Highlights from the AMA-MAC Interim Meeting
Physicians and medical students who participated in the Doctors Back to
School (DBTS) program were welcomed with open arms by the students at
Mililani Middle School, located just outside of Waikiki, Hawaii. The DBTS
program is designed to help inspire minority children to pursue careers in
medicine. The AMA-MAC Caucus featured presentations by AMA President Ronald
M. Davis, MD, and National Medical Association Past President Sandra
Gadson, MD, co-chairs of the Commission to End Health Care Disparities
about its initiatives and to engage physicians in its efforts. Drs. Davis
and Gadson are co-chairs of the Commission, which now includes more than 50
organizations. They highlighted several new resources, including the
Educating Physicians on Controversies in Health video series and several
workshop programs designed to create awareness of this issue within the
medical community. The caucus also focused on resolutions of interest to be
considered by the AMA House of Delegates, announcements about upcoming
governing council elections and a call for applications for the 2008
Minority Scholars Awards. The AMA-MAC also welcomed National Medical
Association President Nelson Adams III, MD, to his first AMA meeting.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Organized medical staff issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting
AMA-OMSS approved principles for strengthening physician-hospital
relationships and submitted a resolution to the AMA House of Delegates to
adopt the principles as AMA policy. A second important issue considered by
the AMA-OMSS Assembly was the privileging of physicians who have little or
no hospital activity. The section recommends that hospitals and medical
staffs consider creating a separate staff category for these physicians.
This category would confer limited privileges without rights of other
medical staff categories, such as "refer and follow" to ensure continuity
of care.
The section sponsored several educational sessions on such topics as the new Joint Commission medical staff bylaws standard on self-governance, medication reconciliation, strategies for successful electronic health records system selection and implementation, economic credentialing and the role of the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement®. Ian Morrison, a highly recognized futurist, spoke about the future of health care in America. New to the section is the availability of the educational program materials on compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). The section will provide AMA members a selection of the educational programs in webcast format next month.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Resident and fellow issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-RFS Interim Assembly Meeting
More than 170 resident and fellow physicians attended the 31st AMA-RFS
Interim Assembly Meeting. The assembly discussed 10 business items,
including five resolutions. Two resolutions—covering the monitoring of
at-home call implementation by residency programs and reinstatement of the
economic hardship deferment qualification criterion known as the "20/220
pathway"—were immediately forwarded to the AMA House of Delegates. To
help members advocate for permanent restoration of the 20/220 pathway, the
section provided phone banks and scripts at the meeting so that residents
could call key members of Congress.
The section hosted educational sessions on contract negotiation, practice-setting options and complementary and alternative medicine. The AMA-RFS Poster Symposium, held jointly with the AMA Medical Student Section and in association with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, garnered more than 100 abstracts from residents and fellows. Faculty from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine served as guest judges. Congratulations to Neeral L. Shah, MD, who was named the overall winner.
The AMA-RFS Assembly elected Manish Sethi, MD, as chair-elect. It also elected 10 sectional delegates and 10 sectional alternate delegates. The AMA-RFS thanks its chair, Raj Ambay, MD, for leading a successful meeting.
2) Research opportunities for medical students, residents and
fellows—apply today
The AMA Foundation is requesting proposals from medical students, physician
residents and fellows for the Seed Grant Research Program. Grants of up to
$2,500 will help young scientists conduct basic science, applied or
clinical research projects in one of five research categories:
cardiovascular/pulmonary diseases, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS,
leukemia, neoplastic diseases and secondhand smoke. Applications are due
Dec. 3, and recipients will be announced in March 2008.
The AMA Foundation also sponsors the National and Regional Student Research Forums. Students and residents convene at these forums to present their research, receive meaningful feedback and participate in scholarly discussions with their peers and established scientists. Awards are presented to the top-rated oral and poster presentations. The 2008 forums will be held in California, Nebraska, Florida and Texas.
Visit the Foundation's Web site to apply for these and other grant opportunities.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Senior Physicians issues
1) Highlights from senior physicians at the Interim Meeting
The AMA-SPG Governing Council met Nov. 10 to discuss a wide range of items
focused on learning more about the senior physician population and
addressing the needs of this growing segment. The AMA-SPG Governing Council
is committed to building a stronger group of senior physicians for the AMA
by increasing the involvement and direction within its senior members. The
AMA-SPG Governing Council recognized its two newest members, Virginia
Latham, MD, and John Knote, MD.
The AMA-SPG sponsored its second caucus, led by AMA-SPG Chair William Jacott, MD. The section welcomed AMA President Ronald M. Davis, MD, as a keynote speaker, focusing on the issue of Medicare's preventative services for seniors—including screening tests and immunizations that previously were not covered. The group heard an update from Matthew Katz, executive director of the Connecticut State Medical Society, on the recent success of the senior physician membership program in Connecticut. The meeting also included an interactive discussion about issues facing seniors as they move into retirement.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Women physician and women's health issues
(brought to you by the AMA Women Physicians Congress)
1) Highlights from the AMA-WPC Interim Meeting
On a beautiful Honolulu evening Nov. 9, AMA members mingled under the stars
at the Aloha Welcome Reception, hosted by the AMA-WPC. Members of the AMA-
WPC Governing Council were joined as "greeters" by representatives of all
of the sections and special groups, reflecting the increase in women
physician leadership throughout the AMA. Attendees also watched a visual
display of some of the nearly 100 physicians identified as outstanding
mentors through the AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program. The
program honors the special men and women in our institutions, practices and
professional societies who have made a difference in the lives and careers
of women physicians. Continuing this theme, the AMA-WPC Caucus events
included a panel on excellence in mentoring, showcasing three outstanding
mentors and their grateful mentees. The panel's final speaker, Regina
Benjamin, MD, summed up an important rule to live by in reminding attendees
that "someone is always watching" and we all have countless opportunities
to influence and inspire others through our own behavior and enthusiasm.
>>Return to your news interest contents
Young physician issues
1) Highlights from the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting
At the 2007 AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting, physicians from across the
country participated in educational programming, networking sessions and
caucuses on items of interest to young physicians to be considered by the
AMA House of Delegates (HOD). A major part of the meeting was a review of
the AMA-HOD handbook. This lively session determined the section's
positions on key items of business that affect young physicians. During the
business meeting, participants considered a resolution on improving the
maintenance of certification (MOC) process. This resolution was referred to
the AMA-YPS Governing Council to report back at the 2008 Annual Meeting of
the AMA House of Delegates on the following goals related to MOC: 1)
reduction and containment of recertification-related costs; 2) increasing
flexibility in the type and timing of testing allowed under the MOC
process; and 3) counting time spent on MOC as AMA PRA Category 1
Credit™. Lastly, at its C. Clayton Griffin, MD, Memorial
Luncheon, the AMA-YPS held a very informative educational session on
automation of the physician practice. This session was also offered to
delegates Nov. 12.
>>Return to your news interest contents
General AMA news
1) 2007 Interim Meeting highlights
At its Interim Meeting this week, the AMA House of Delegates (House) set new policies on covering the uninsured, antitrust relief, Medicare payment issues and much more.
The House also elected Christopher Kay, former chief operating officer of Toys "R" Us Inc. to the AMA Board of Trustees. Kay will begin his four-year term at the conclusion of the AMA Annual Meeting in June 2008 as the only non-physician member of the board and the second person in the AMA's history to hold the position.
Read (PDF, 182KB) highlights for Nov. 11.
Read (PDF, 153KB) highlights for Nov. 12.
Read (PDF, 173KB) highlights for Nov. 13.
Read (PDF, 52KB) highlights of section and special group meetings.
Read (PDF, 39KB) policy highlights of the reference committees.
>>Return to your general news contents
2) Members' feedback informs AMA policymaking
Prior to the AMA Interim Meeting, thousands of AMA members completed an AMA Member Connect® Survey on 2007 Interim Meeting resolutions. Results of the survey showed that more than three-fourths of members agree that the AMA should seek a refundable federal tax credit or equivalent financial mechanism to indemnify physician practices for the cost of purchasing and implementing electronic medical record systems. The AMA House of Delegates adopted policy to do just that, adding that the purchase and implementation of e-prescribing and other clinical information technology tools should also be covered by the federal tax credit or equivalent financial mechanism, in compliance with applicable safe harbors.
View (PDF, 55KB) complete results from the survey.
>>Return to your general news contents
3) Just in: Two new online videos to reduce alcohol use among patients
The AMA recently released two new programs on excessive alcohol use among patients as part of the online Educating Physicians on Controversies in Health series.
The videos updates physicians about the challenges and controversies at the interface of clinical medicine and public health—such as binge drinking—and offers possible strategies to address these issues in a physician's practice.
The first of two programs, "Reducing excessive alcohol use: Engaging community action," presents a community approach to reduce alcohol problems and provides intervention methods physicians can apply to their practice settings. "Binge drinking," the second educational program, shows the prevalence and consequences of binge drinking and provides physicians with a strategy for discussing this issue with patients.
Each video is presented in an unbiased format and designed to initiate candid discussion among physicians.
View these and other free videos in the series.
>>Return to your general news contents
4) November's disaster medicine journal details new study on urban nuclear attack preparation
A 550-kiloton attack in downtown Los Angeles would result in 786,000 burn victims with about 185,000 likely to survive, and in Houston, a similar attack would produce 257,579 burn casualties with only about 59,000 likely to survive, according to authors of a new study in the November issue of the AMA's Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. The journal, published in collaboration with Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, is the first comprehensive publication emphasizing public health preparedness and disaster response.
The study, "Prediction modeling to determine the adequacy of medical response to urban nuclear attack," outlines four steps a city can take to better prepare for a nuclear attack that would devastate its health care system, leaving tens of thousands of burn victims in need of urgent care. One such step includes an expansion of medical personnel who are trained in burn care, including non-physicians.
This issue also includes articles on a review of the regional health system response to the 2007 Greensburg, Kan., EF5 tornado, recommendations for post-exposure immunization and prophylaxis of blood-borne pathogens following a traumatic explosive event, and suggestions for measuring humanitarian emergencies.
Read the November issue.
>>Return to your general news contents
5) New benefit makes travel worry-free
Should you or a family member become sick or injured when traveling abroad—or more than 100 miles or more away from home in the United States—one phone call can connect you to experienced multilingual professionals ready to help, 24 hours a day.
That's because AMA Insurance Agency Inc. has negotiated an exclusive, deeply discounted rate with Assist America, the premier provider of global emergency services. This arrangement is only available from Assist America in recognition of the AMA as the nation's leading medical organization, dedicated to serving the needs of its members. Enrollment for the 2007 service is available until April 29.
Learn more about the program and how to enroll by mail, or call AMA Insurance Agency at (800) 458-5736 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CST) weekdays to enroll using your checking account number.
>>Return to your general news contents
6) In Virtual Mentor: Ethical issues in diagnostic radiology
From CAT Scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to positron emission tomography (PET) scans and virtual colonoscopies, the field of diagnostic radiology has grown immensely—particularly in the last three decades.
This transformation has caused the medical community to ask some lingering questions related to education and ethics that can be found in this month's issue of the AMA's newly redesigned online ethics journal, Virtual Mentor. Are radiologists responsible for insuring that patients receive the optimal exam for a particular indication with minimal risk and cost? And do radiologists' obligations to referring physicians extend beyond clear and timely communication of results? Furthermore, what does it even mean to be a radiologist?
Explore the answers to these and other questions as well as three clinical cases surrounding the field. The first case discusses the role of radiologists in the era of telemedicine. In the second case, read commentary on the discovery of a missed lesion and whether or not reporting it was an error and if it should be disclosed. Finally, the third clinical case examines cooperation with the referring physician.
View the November issue. While there, contribute your vote and view the results to an online ethics poll on diagnostic radiology.
>>Return to your general news contents
7) In JAMA: Number of cases of most vaccine-preventable diseases in U.S. at all-time low
A comparison of illness and death rates for 13 vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S., before and after use of the vaccine, indicates there have been significant decreases in the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths for each of the diseases examined, according to a study in the Nov. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Preview the study.
>>Return to your general news contents
>>Return to your general news contents
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