AMA as a whole is more than just the sum of its parts

AMA Leader Commentary. By J. Edward Hill, MD. June 2/9, 2003.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from J. Edward Hill, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees.

When describing the AMA to nonphysicians, I sometimes use the fable of the blind men and the elephant. In that story, several blind men examine an elephant with their hands. But since each man examines only a small section of the elephant, each walks away from the experience with a very different perspective.

Many people, even physicians, understand the AMA in this way. For some of us, the AMA is a major lobbying group or a trade association. For others, it is a publisher of books and journals of interest to physicians. Still others see it as an association that helps set standards for medical education, accreditation, quality and ethics.

All of these perspectives are correct. Yet if we remove our blinders and step back a few feet, we will see that the AMA is more than the sum of its parts. To keep such a complex organization functioning at its best is no simple endeavor, but it is a noble one.

How so? At its best, the American Medical Association provides a voice to all of America's doctors. It convenes men and women from every medical specialty and state society, enabling organizations with diverse perspectives to establish shared priorities and goals, for the good of America's health -- and the good of the medical profession.

The AMA is also a catalyst -- an advocate for positive change. At its best, it inspires physicians to confront the biggest issues facing medicine, such as today's medical liability crisis. It also provides the political tools we need to help transform our professional environment for the better.

The AMA is an organization that communicates. Through its Web site, journals and publications, it offers timely scientific, legal and political information to physicians -- and to patients. It brings medicine's point of view to the public, to the media and to Washington, D.C.

The AMA understands that medicine is about both the health of individuals and the health of populations. The Association knows that physicians must understand and treat specific illnesses, such as heart disease, depression and diabetes -- hence its commitment to clinical quality improvement initiatives.

Yet it also recognizes that medicine is about public health -- hence its commitment to ending racial and ethnic disparities in care, reducing underage and binge drinking, addressing low health literacy and preparing our communities for potential acts of bioterrorism.

At its best, the American Medical Association serves as an instrument of progress -- and hope. In its earliest days, it helped create a medical profession dedicated to the highest standards of ethics, science and clinical care. Today, it imagines a future where our nation will insure the uninsured, fund the next generation of life-enhancing research and build a better patient safety system.

In short, the AMA is an organization that puts its resources, both human and fiscal, toward protecting and improving medicine. The same medicine that gives meaning and purpose to our working lives. The same medicine that has improved longevity and quality of life for all Americans.

This is the American Medical Association at its very best: a multifaceted organization dedicated to promoting the science and art of medicine and the betterment of public health.

But a complex organization, however noble in purpose, cannot fulfill its function unless certain needs are met. Just as the human body requires good nutrition, exercise and medical care to function, so the AMA needs appropriate fuel, activity and attention.

In the case of the AMA, membership and involvement are the fuel.

The more physicians we have as members, the more power we have to take on the biggest problems confronting medicine. It's that simple. So if you haven't already, join us. Now. You can do so through our Web site (www.ama-assn.org) or through your state or county medical society.

Yet even membership is not enough to keep the AMA vibrant. All of us pour time, energy and passion into caring for patients -- and rightly so. That's why medicine is understood to be a vocation. But our vocation doesn't end when we leave the hospital or office. For the good of our patients and our profession, we need to be active.

Fortunately, being active is an obligation that's easier to meet than you might think. Consider just a few of the options.

Do you want your patients to understand that escalating medical liability costs hurt access to medical care? Call the AMA [(800) 833-6354] and request our Physician Action Kit. It includes waiting room posters and patient brochures explaining the issue -- and what's at stake.

Are you concerned about racial and ethnic disparities in health care? Join the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium (www.ama-assn.org/go/mac).

Are you angry about problems with insurers, such as delayed payment or downcoding of claims? Take a few minutes to fill out our Health Plan Complaint Form, courtesy of AMA Private Sector Advocacy (www.ama-assn.org/go/psa).

Do you have a tricky ethical question? Explore it through the AMA's Ethics Resource Center (www.ama-assn.org/go/ethics).

There are so many ways to participate. So find your passion -- and focus.

But also remember the fable of the blind men and the elephant. Remember that the AMA is more than the sum of its parts. For the AMA to fulfill its mission, physicians need to care about it as a whole, not just as an organization devoted to one or two issues.

This doesn't mean we shouldn't establish priorities. Nor does it mean that our AMA should be a leader on every health care issue. Indeed, part of caring about the AMA is making sure it stays on track, even offering constructive criticism. But it also means seeing beyond our own pet concerns -- and always keeping the good of our patients and the profession in mind.

So if time and energy permit, come to an AMA meeting as an observer or work to become a delegate. Campaign to join an AMA Council -- heck, campaign to become a member of the Board of Trustees.

Speaking from personal experience, it's one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. I want to thank all of you for giving me the chance to serve this past year.

As I complete my tenure as the chair of the Board of Trustees, let me repeat three key words regarding our AMA: Join. Participate. Lead. The life and luster of our profession depend on it.

Dr. Hill, a board-certified family physician in Tupelo, Miss., was AMA board chair during 2002-03 and served as president during 2005-06.