Wednesday, May 2, 2012
For Minority Physicians
AMA-MAS looks back at National Minority Health Month
Members of the AMA Minority Affairs Section (MAS) raised $10,000 in April for the AMA Foundation's Minority Scholars Award, which will be awarded in June. These efforts were part of the AMA-MAS's observance of April as National Minority Health Month. In addition, the AMA-MAS attended the National Minority Quality Forum's disparities summit, the National Hispanic Medical Association's annual meeting and the Commission to End Health Care Disparities meeting.
The AMA-MAS encourages you to view a blog entry about National Minority Health Month written by J. Nadine Gracia, MD, and posted on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.
Email the AMA-MAS with details about what you did to commemorate National Minority Health Month.
Attend this year's AMA-MAS meeting and reception
Members of the AMA Minority Affairs Section (MAS) are invited to attend this year's AMA-MAS inaugural meeting and reception, which will take place June 15 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago prior to the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.
Keynote speaker Barbara Ross-Lee, DO, vice president for health sciences and medical affairs at New York Institute of Technology, will discuss ways to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The meeting also will feature an open forum on AMA House of Delegates reports and resolutions that would affect minority physicians and patients. A networking reception honoring the medical student recipients of the AMA Foundation's Minority Scholars Award also will take place during the AMA-MAS meeting.
Registration for the AMA-MAS meeting is due June 1; log in and register today. If you have questions about the meeting, contact Cynthia Norwood of the AMA via email or at (312) 464-4743.
What blacks with diabetes or high blood pressure need to know
Online resources from the National Kidney Disease Education Program can help your patients be better informed about how diabetes and high blood pressure can damage the kidneys and lead to kidney disease.
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure among African-Americans, followed by high blood pressure, and African-Americans have a higher rate of kidney failure than any other group of people. The AMA Minority Affairs Section passionately promotes making the connection between diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and the importance of educating patients on getting checked for these ailments.
