The 1990s

1990
AMA moves into new building at 515 N. State Street, Chicago

AMA adopts guidelines governing gifts to physicians from the pharmaceutical industry

AMA proposes reform of the US Health care system (Health Access America) to include expansion of health insurance coverage

1991
AMA launches campaign against family violence

1992:
AMA calls on tobacco companies to refrain from engaging in advertising practices that target children

1993:
AMA passes resolution declaring physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally inconsistent with the physician's professional role

1995:
AMA launches grassroots campaign for professional liability reform

AMA drafts the Patient Protection Act II bill to protect patients through a proposed ban on gag clauses and other practices of insurance plans that infringe on the patient-physician relationship

The AMA launches its Web site on the Internet, featuring highlights of JAMA, the specialty journals, American Medical News and other AMA news of interest

AMA issues the First National Report Card on Violence and releases physician guidelines on treatment of sexual assault

1996
AMA scores crucial victories in Congress for physicians and patients with legislation on antitrust relief and health insurance reform

AMA national campaign efforts lead to the Food and Drug Administration regulating the marketing of tobacco to minors

AMA launches a crusade against health plan "gag clauses" resulting in these restrictive provisions being dropped by five leading managed care providers and laws prohibiting gag clauses in sixteen states

AMA helps pass health insurance reform through one-on-one advocacy with members of Congress and the Administration resulting in new health insurance protections for 25 million Americans

1997
AMA celebrates the sesquicentennial of its founding

AMA renews its emphasis on medical ethics by creating the Institute for Ethics, providing practical physician outreach and guidance as well as scholarly research for end-of life issues, genetics, professionalism and managed care

AMA launches a national campaign against "drive-through" deliveries which results in national legislation requiring insurance companies to provide appropriate hospitalization and maternity stays

AMA launches the National Patient Safety Foundation to help ensure that all patients in all health care settings receive health care services safely

1998
Through an educational grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the AMA Institute for Ethics' Educating Physicians on End-of-Life Care (EPEC) initiated its program to provide training to practicing physicians on the core skills needed to provide quality end-of-life care

In its efforts to assure all Americans access to health care, the AMA launches a new educational and policy campaign by publishing "Expanding Access to Insurance Coverage for Health Expenses: An AMA Proposal"

"Live and Then Give," the AMA's national organ donation awareness program begins with a pledge of organ donation by every member of the AMA House of Delegates

1999
After much intense debate, the AMA's House of Delegates voted to develop an affiliated national labor organization called Physicians for Responsible Negotiations (PRN) to represent employed physicians, allowing them to advocate on behalf of their patients

Under the rallying cry of its new initiative 'Is it good medicine?' the AMA pushed forward with its grassroots lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. Key issues in the effort included medical privacy, negotiating rights for physicians and a national, bipartisan Patients Bill of Rights legislation

Responding to recent changes in U.S. population and the health care industry, the AMA published "The Cultural Competence Compendium", a collection of resources to enable physicians to provide individualized care that respects the multiple cultures of their patients

The AMA Alliance (physician member spouses) initiated violence-awareness in schools across the country as part of their SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) on-going initiative

Forward to the 2000s