Here are the top stories from the 2014 AMA Interim Meeting in Dallas. See full coverage of the meeting at AMA Wire®.
CDC expert tells physicians how to prepare for Ebola In a special address at the 2014 AMA Interim Meeting, an expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told physicians that the chance of encountering patients with Ebola in ambulatory settings is very low—but physicians need to be prepared nonetheless.
AMA adopts principles for maintenance of certification Physicians voted Monday to update the AMA’s policy on maintenance of certification. The adopted policy outlines principles that emphasize the need for an evidence-based process that is evaluated regularly to ensure physician needs are being met and activities are relevant to clinical practice.
Physicians urge expanded access to Medicaid The nation’s physicians voted to support Medicaid expansion and encourage lawmakers to identify realistic coverage options for adults currently in the coverage gap, even if states choose not to adopt the Medicaid expansion outlined in the Affordable Care Act.
VA secretary: We need physicians’ help The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to right wrongs, reframe perceptions and enhance care for veterans—and it needs the help of physicians, VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald told the AMA House of Delegates Saturday at the 2014 AMA Interim Meeting in Dallas.
From Ebola to e-cigarettes, delegates pass public health policy Delegates this week weighed in on a number of timely public health issues. They reinforced support for regulatory oversight of electronic cigarettes, and called on the AMA to continue to be a trusted source of information and education on epidemics or pandemics.
AMA president: We are anticipating problems, finding solutions
In an address during Saturday’s opening session of the 2014 AMA Interim Meeting, AMA President Robert M. Wah, MD, told physicians how the AMA is anticipating problems and working on solutions to give doctors nationwide a new hope in practicing medicine.
AMA backs interstate compact to streamline medical licensure A special compact designed to facilitate a speedier medical licensure process with fewer administrative burdens for physicians seeking licensure in multiple states received the support of the AMA House of Delegates this week.
New policy calls for adequate networks for patient access, choice As open enrollment for health insurance exchanges begins this weekend, physicians have adopted new policy aimed at addressing inadequate provider networks so patients have access to the care they need and the physicians they rely on.
Delegates ask for suspension of meaningful use penalties Delegates at the Interim Meeting this week renewed their request that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suspend penalties for failure to meet meaningful use criteria.
AMA CEO: Mission provides a map to improve medicine
Throughout history, the AMA has always followed its mission: to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. The association will continue to follow its mission—its moral compass and road map—into the future, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara, MD, said in his address to the House of Delegates.
