Letters to the Editor - Oct. 1, 2007

AMA Alliance: We are active partners in Voice for the Uninsured campaign

Regarding: "Doctors stump for the uninsured" (AMNews, Sept. 3): I enjoyed reading the article about AMA activities at the Iowa State Fair to call attention to the problem of the underinsured and uninsured. As president of the AMA Alliance, I would like to add to your coverage some information about the efforts that were made by the family of medicine on behalf of the 47 million Americans without health coverage.

The AMA Alliance, the largest volunteer arm of the AMA, rallied participation side by side with physicians during the Iowa campaign event. The AMA Alliance believes in the goal of extending health coverage for the uninsured and agrees that it's especially important to call attention to this public health problem during the upcoming presidential election. To do so is in keeping with our commitment to build healthy communities.

In Iowa, we talked with fair-goers, collecting signatures for a petition as well as personal stories that exemplify and humanize this national problem. Throughout the next three years, the AMA Alliance will promote the AMA Voice for the Uninsured campaign with the goal of raising awareness and educating consumers about the health coverage crisis that is affecting young families and children, who ultimately fall through the cracks under the current system.

We invite all of our Alliance members in 46 states and all physician spouses to join us in this campaign.

For information on how physician spouses may raise their voices on behalf of this issue, I encourage them to visit us at our Web site (www.amaalliance.org).

--Dianne C. Fenyk, AMA Alliance president

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This footwear a safety flop

Regarding "Flip-flops causing slips and trips -- and serious injuries" (AMNews, Sept. 3): The article pointed out some pitfalls of wearing these "barely" shoes. Here in the South, flip-flops are worn year round and are the predominant woman's shoe, even for business. Aside from support concerns, flip-flops fail to protect feet in hazardous conditions such as airplane emergencies or auto accidents. Wearers place others in danger by failing to protect themselves first. And let's not forget the hygienic issue of dirty, smelly feet.

--Rebecca J. Adams, MD, Savannah, Ga.

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