The AMA Senior Physicians Section (SPS) held its 2026 Interim Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
SPS education sessions
On Friday, Nov. 6, SPS sponsored two educational programs addressing important issues in the care of older adults.
The first program, “How Are Continuing Care Communities Designed to Meet the Needs of Older Adults, Including Their Medical Needs,” featured Gladys Maria Duarte, MD, JD, family medicine physician at CenterWell Senior Primary Care. The presentation provided an overview of how continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) are structured to meet the evolving residential, supportive and medical needs of older adults. The session was moderated by Michael A. DellaVecchia, MD, PhD, chair of the SPS Governing Council.
The second program, “Recognizing Complexity in Aging Patients: The Role of Routine Care and Geriatric Assessment,” featured Colleen Christmas, MD, delegate, American College of Physicians, and Karl Steinberg, MD, delegate, Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association. The program offered a clinically grounded overview of geriatric assessment and emphasized the important role of primary care physicians in optimizing care for older adults. The session was moderated by Michael DellaVecchia, MD, PhD, chair of the SPS Governing Council.
SPS business
The governing council met with representatives of the AMA Foundation and the AMA Alliance to explore opportunities for collaboration in addressing food insecurity and financial hardship for medical students—challenges that have been intensified by the rising cost of living, the cost of medical education and new loan limits.
The SPS Assembly meeting included discussion of policy matters relevant to both senior physicians and older adult patients. The governing council reviewed House of Delegates (HOD) resolutions and reports concerning issues of significance to senior physicians, including four SPS resolutions and one report in response to prior SPS actions. HOD items reviewed include:
- Reference Committee E&B
- Resolution 006 (Senior Physicians Section): Ethics of Medical Usury
- Reference Committee B
- Resolution 220 (Senior Physicians Section): Advocating for the Older Americans Act
- Reference Committee J
- Resolution 806 (Senior Physicians Section): Proration of Liability Insurance Premiums for Senior Physicians Based on Hours Worked
- Resolution 807 (Senior Physicians Section): Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)
For additional information on the 2026 SPS Interim Meeting, visit the section's agenda and resources.
