Giving our all -- and nothing less -- for the AMA mission

AMA Leader Commentary. By Timothy T. Flaherty, MD June 3, 2002.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees.

Right before he retired, the star third baseman of the Kansas City Royals, George Brett, was asked what he wanted to do when he came up to bat for the very last time. He did not say he wanted to hit a home run. He said, "I want to hit a routine grounder to second and run all out to first base, then get thrown out by a half step." Then he explained his unusual response. "I want to leave an example to the young guys. That's how you play the game: all out."

As I near the end of my term as AMA chair, I can't say I'd mind hitting a home run -- and yet I still appreciate George Brett's sentiment. Like baseball, organized medicine is a game that demands we give our all, and nothing less, even when success is far from a sure thing.

I stepped up to the plate many times in the last year for the AMA; sometimes I've had a hit, sometimes not.

Whatever the outcome, it's always been a privilege to give my all. Whether that has meant addressing the Medicare payment cuts with members of Congress. Or meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson about bioterrorism. Or listening to physician stories about the impact of soaring liability insurance costs. Or sharing strategies with other physician leaders about how best to improve patient safety -- and safety systems.

I've racked up many frequent flier miles -- and experienced almost as many flight delays -- in my time as chair. But I've been grateful for every moment, even the difficult ones. The physicians I have met along the way have been my inspiration and motivation. Each and every day, they give their all to helping patients, and they do it under increasingly difficult circumstances -- thanks to rising liability costs, delayed, denied and reduced payments, and ongoing regulatory and managed care hassles, to name just a few of the biggest issues. [...]