Organized Medicine: Why Bother?

1. Jane C.K. Fitch, MD John L. Plewes Professor & Chair University of Oklahoma Organized Medicine:Why Bother?

2. Guiding Principles • We are physicians first, and anesthesiologists second. • We must be role models, not professional leeches!

4. AMA History • AMA 1847 • Nathan Smith Davis 1817 – 1904 • President 1864 – 1865 • 1st JAMA editor - 1883

5. AMA Mission • Essential part of professional life of every physician • Essential force for progress in improving nation’s health

6. About the AMA • > 650,000 licensed physicians • > 250,000 AMA members • 2 meetings/year • Annual in June • Interim in November

7. About the AMA • House of Delegates (544) • 50 state medical societies (315) • Only 8 states with > 9 delegates • 110 national medical specialty societies (193) • 19 with > 1 rep [AAFP (16), ACOG (10), ASA (9)]

8. About the AMA • HOD (con’t) • 36 other National Societies, Sections, Special Groups, Services • VA, Resident & Fellow Section, Medical Student Section, Section on Medical Schools, Organized Medical Staff Section, Young Physician Section, International Medical Graduates, Minority Affairs Consortium

9. About the AMA • HOD (con’t) • Reference Committees • Board of Trustees • Councils • Constitution & Bylaws, Ethical & Judicial Affairs, Legislation, Long Range Planning & Development, Medical Education, Medical Service, Science & Public Health, AMPAC

10. ASA at the AMA • ASA Delegation • Delegates – 9 • Alternate Delegates – 9 • Officers • Chair – John Neeld • Vice Chair – Al Head • Secretary – Jane Fitch

11. Delegates Jeff Apfelbaum Jim Arens Jane Fitch Steve Hattimer Al Head Delegates John Neeld Carol Rose Gary Thal John Zerwas ASA at the AMA

12. Alternates Natalia Brown Fred Guidry Ron Harter Judge Hicks Candy Keller Alternates Mark Lema Bill McDade Gene Sinclair Roy Soto ASA at the AMA

13. Park Ridge Dee Jones Ron Bruns Washington Ron Szabat, JD ASA at the AMA

14. ASA at the AMA • Reference Committees – 1 or 2 • BOT - 1 of 16 • Councils - 5 of 8 (including 1 Chair)

15. ASA at the AMA • ASA Section Council • 46 additional anesthesiologists in State Medical (25/50 states) or Specialty Societies

16. 2005 AMA Healthcare Advocacy Agenda • Medicare physician payment reform • Medical liability reform • AMA’s top legislative priority, federal & state level • Uninsured/Access • Health coverage & patient choice • Public health • Health promotion & disease prevention

17. 2005 AMA Healthcare Advocacy Agenda (con’t) • Regulatory relief • Halt unfunded mandates • Managed care relief • Federal antitrust relief • Quality improvement & patient safety

18. ASA helping AMA • AMA HOD actions on issues important to physicians: • Medicare reform • SGR repeal • Both legislative and regulatory changes

19. ASA helping AMA (con’t) • AMA HOD actions on issues important to physicians: • Medical liability reform • Control costs • Preserve patient access • Following California’s MICRA formula in all states could save $60 to $108 billion/year in health care costs

20. Medical Liability Campaign • Raising consciousness • Supporting national political action • Supporting state activities

22. ASA helping AMA(con’t) • AMA HOD actions on issues important to physicians: • Managed care reform • Bring fairness to managed care contracting • Antitrust relief • Address health plan abusive contract provisions

23. AMA Public Health Issues • Health disparities • NDLS • Obesity • Adolescent & geriatric health

24. AMA Public Health Issues(con’t) • Alcohol & other drug abuse • Violence prevention • Federation of State Physician Health Programs

25. AMA helping ASA • HOD actions on anesthesiology issues: • Continued availability of traditional IV catheters • Mandatory notice of production termination or interruption for drug products

26. AMA helping ASA(con’t) • HOD actions on anesthesiology issues: • Standardization of appearance, concentration and packaging of common classes of drugs • Opposition to JCAHO acting as standard-setting organization

27. AMA helping ASA(con’t) • HOD actions on anesthesiology issues: • Coordinate activities between states and specialty societies on scope of practice issues (Scope Partnership) • Education regarding titles

28. AMA helping ASA(con’t) • HOD actions on anesthesiology issues: • I-05 Resolution 718 • Medicare Reimbursement for Anesthesiologists • Request CMS to re-evaluate anesthesia reimbursement, parity, new money • Refer to BOT or CMS for study, report back at A-06, legislative &/or regulatory changes

29. AMA Medical Ethics • Code of Ethics • 155 yrs • Declaration of Professional Responsibilities • 21st century • Virtual Mentor • Web-based, ethical & professional issues • STEP (Strategies for Teaching and Evaluating Professionalism)

30. AMA Legal Issues • Litigation Center • Regulatory & Compliance issues • Medical Staff issues • Patient-Physician issues • Restrictive covenant issues

31. Here are just a few of the many advantages of membership…

32. Stay informed • JAMA • AMNews • Free online access to Archives journals

33. Benefit from AMA products and services • AMA Solutions • AMA Press • AMA Insurance Members-Only Discounts

34. FREIDA(Fellowship & Residency Electronic Interactive Database) • Residency/Fellowship training program search • Training statistics • Career plans statistics • Program Directors only

35. The AMA is the only national organization with the power and presence to unify all physician groups and influence national health care policy.

36. Together with state, local and specialty medical societies, the AMA represents a dynamic, collaborative partnership.

37. State Medical Associations & Anesthesiology Societies • 16 states in which anesthesiology societies have no lobbyists and are represented solely by state medical associations • 5 states in which the anesthesiology societies contract with state medical associations’ lobbyists for services

38. The AMA advantage:Together we can — and do — make a difference, for medicine and for anesthesiology. There is strength in numbers!

39. Guiding Principles • We are physicians first, and anesthesiologists second. • We must be role models, not professional leeches!

40. Who Can Join AMA? • Medical Students - $20 • Residents - $45 • Physicians • Young - $210, $315 • Practicing - $420 • Retired - $84 - $210

41. 800/262-3211www.ama-assn.org