News in brief - Nov. 28, 2005

CEJA to develop guidelines for participation in interrogations - AMA in black for 6th straight year - AMA to study impact of liability crisis on medical student education - Resolution asks Association to lobby for faster J-1 visa waiver processing - Delegates applaud Tennessee county's medical expert pilot program - AMA revises Essentials handbook for approving medical specialty boards

CEJA to develop guidelines for participation in interrogations

The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs will develop clear guidelines for physicians who participate in prisoner and detainee interrogations. The AMA House of Delegates earlier this month at its Interim Meeting in Dallas directed CEJA to seek input from "all appropriate AMA stakeholders" in developing the guidelines. Physicians raised the issue because doctors are often called on to treat prisoners who have had interrogation techniques such as hypnosis, drugs to lower inhibitions, and sensory deprivation used on them.

The full house approved the resolution without debate. The AMA already has policy endorsing ongoing formal monitoring of U.S. interrogation practices.

AMA in black for 6th straight year

The American Medical Association expects $15.1 million in operating profits in 2005, marking the sixth year in a row that the Association has posted operating profits. That trend is expected to continue in 2006, according to numbers released at the Association's Interim Meeting this month. The AMA expects it will see a $9.5 million operating profit next year.

The expected $15.1 million in operating profits this year is 47% higher than the $10.3 million originally projected in the 2005 budget. Business revenue increases and lower variable costs of products sold and selling expenses account for much of the increase, according to the budget report. The Association authorized an unbudgeted $12.3 million for marketing and communication expenses in 2005. That money largely paid for the AMA's new brand launch.

Looking ahead to 2006, the AMA will continue that higher spending level on new membership and communications, including the brand launch. It also will maintain the nearly $4 million added to the budget in 2005 for issues such as physician Medicare reimbursement, health disparities, increased access for the uninsured, national disaster preparedness and scope-of-practice issues.

The AMA expects to spend an additional $1.2 million for core activities in 2006, including public health advocacy, a practice management center and a public health readiness office. The 2006 budget also includes a 1% increase in membership dues revenues, based on a projected increase in full-paying dues members.

AMA to study impact of liability crisis on medical student education

The American Medical Association will study how the ongoing medical liability crisis is affecting medical student education.

The AMA Council on Medical Education recommended several changes to Association policy designed to gauge whether the availability of clinical faculty members is being hurt by rising liability premiums. In particular, fewer doctors may be willing or able to serve as part-time and volunteer instructors if premiums continue to increase, said several physicians at the Interim Meeting in Dallas.

Delegates also approved a new policy directing the AMA to oppose any increase in medical liability premiums that are based solely on a school hiring part-time or volunteer faculty.

Resolution asks Association to lobby for faster J-1 visa waiver processing

Delegates at the Interim Meeting in Dallas directed the AMA to lobby the federal government to process J-1 visa waiver applications faster.

A resolution calling for the new effort received strong support from delegates and passed the full House of Delegates without debate. Physicians testifying on the issue complained about the time and effort required to waive the two-year home residency requirement for foreign doctors who want to stay in the United States and practice in an underserved area.

The House of Delegates referred for further study another resolution calling for the government to allow three years of cumulative service in an underserved area -- rather than continuous service -- to meet the J-1 visa waiver requirements. Physicians supporting such a lobbying effort said that foreign doctors who are being mistreated by their employers cannot leave the job without having to start the three years all over again.

Delegates applaud Tennessee county's medical expert pilot program

Delegates to the AMA's Interim Meeting passed a resolution applauding a Hamilton County, Tenn., pilot program that allows judges to call on an independent medical expert to help evaluate the credibility and admissibility of medical testimony.

The program was jointly developed by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and the Chattanooga Bar Assn. The county medical society provides the judge with a list of physicians from Tennessee and contiguous states who would make appropriate independent expert witnesses in a particular case. The judge cannot choose a physician whose medical liability insurance is provided through the same company involved in the trial.

The House of Delegates also directed the AMA to monitor the progress of the program, which was announced in late October. Delegates also reaffirmed existing AMA policy opposing unscientific or false testimony.

AMA revises Essentials handbook for approving medical specialty boards

The American Medical Association House of Delegates approved the 12th revision of the Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards' Essentials for Approval of Examining Boards in Medical Specialties -- the handbook used by the group to determine how it evaluates applications for new medical specialty examining boards. Changes include:

An expanded appeal procedure.
A conflict-of-interest policy for the Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards and appeal panel members.
Third-party comments during initial review and appeals.

The new Essentials also clarifies that the Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards is responsible for reviewing applications for new medical specialty examining boards, not those already in existence.