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Pre-Meeting Information

for Meeting Attendees

AMA Meeting Highlights
Tuesday, June 22, 1999

House opens- delegates tackle major issues - collective bargaining, fraud and abuse among hot topics 21st Century president Leadership recognized "Your voice must be heard:" AMA President Nancy W. Dickey, MD, urges support of the Campbell Bill in a year-in-review report to the House of Delegates AMAP forum provides answers Is it good medicine? Wednesday recess Elections go electronic 'Amazing' fundraising

House opens- delegates tackle major issues Collective bargaining, fraud and abuse among hot topics

The 200th meeting of the House of Delegates wasted no time getting to business at the Chicago Hilton and Towers on Sunday, with an intense debate on collective bargaining and the introduction of an

important new initiative to focus the debate on U.S. health care. The much anticipated Reference Committee I discussion on collective bargaining ran nearly five hours Sunday afternoon. The committee's report is scheduled for consideration on Wednesday. Another highlight from Sunday: the introduction of "Is it good medicine?" - a major initiative on health care from the AMA. More information on "Is it good medicine?" will appear in this summary daily.

21st Century president

Randolph D. Smoak Jr., MD, will be the first AMA president inaugurated in the 21st century. Dr. Smoak was named president-elect on Sunday.

Leadership recognized
The AMA honored five individuals for leadership Sunday:

• Distinguished Service Award: Luther W. Brady, MD, professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Hahnemann University School of Medicine.
• Citation for Distinguished Service: Jim Murray, founder of the first Ronald McDonald House.
• Medical Executive Achievement Award: Bradford Claxton, former executive director of the American Academy of Dermatology; William E. Madigan, executive director of the Michigan State Medical Society; and Kevin A. Kelly, managing director of the Michigan Medical Society.

"Your voice must be heard:" AMA President Nancy W. Dickey, MD, urges support of the Campbell Bill in a year-in-review report to the House of Delegates

"For doctors in an ever more consolidated, integrated system, there is a need to remove restrictions - and to allow freedom to bring our voices together. To that end, the Campbell Bill will be put before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. This bill will supply the necessary anti-trust relief to help level the playing field in physician dealings with managed

care companies and other insurers. But time is short. This is a moment when your vote and voice not only should - but absolutely must - be heard. I urge you to stop in at the AMPAC Booth and get in touch with your representatives in Congress immediately. "We need them to sign on to HR 1304 - the Campbell Bill - in order for physicians to have the right to advocate for the highest quality of medical care contracts that facilitate - not debilitate - patient care."

- Nancy W. Dickey, MD, in a speech to the House, June 20, 1999.

AMAP forum provides answers
American Medical Accreditation Program (AMAP) leaders fielded questions at the AMAP Educational Forum on Saturday. More than 100 physicians and medical society members attended the forum, moderated by Vice Chair of the AMAP Federation Advisory Committee George Innes, MD. Panel members shared their experiences with AMAP ranging from the benefits of participation to the importance of specialty society input, and they discussed how AMAP affects individual physicians. "We as physicians owe it to our profession and patients to see that AMAP succeeds," Dr. Innes said. "Continuing these kinds of discussions and encouraging the involvement of our peers in educating other physicians is crucial to enhancing AMAP's growth and development." AMAP is currently available to 60,000 physicians in eight states, and it has accredited more than 1,250 physicians.

Is it good medicine?
Here are two examples of how the AMA's new "Is it good medicine?" initiative is being used in the field, from two state medical society executives who are attending this meeting:

• Christine McMahon, vice president of communications for the Iowa Medical Society: IMS ran "Is it good medicine?" ads in newspapers in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to bring increased statewide attention to the problem of unfair enforcement of fraud and abuse rules in Iowa.
• Sheri Greenhoe, Michigan State Medical Society director of communications: Michigan physicians plan to use "Is it good medicine?" ads in an upcoming comprehensive campaign to assure appropriate funding of Medicaid in their state.

Wednesday recess
The House will recess at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday so the hotel can prepare the room for the President's Inauguration. It will reconvene Thursday morning.

Elections go electronic
At this year's Annual Meeting, delegates will use an electronic casting system to vote for their AMA officer. On Tuesday, June 22, a display will be set up in the registration area for delegates to become familiar with the system. The polls will then open at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 23, in the Normandie Lounge area. Tabulation of the initial ballot will be processed electronically within minutes of the poll's closing at 9:00 a.m., and election results will be announced after the House reconvenes later that morning.

'Amazing' fundraising
The AMA Alliance presented a check to the AMA Foundation for $1.43 million during opening ceremonies. "The Alliance continues to amaze us with its ability to make new friends and raise new funds," said AMA Trustee J. Edward Hill, MD.

Please call with news
Do you have announcements for this electronic Meeting Highlights newsletter? Please call staff from AMA Member Communications during the meeting at 294-6767.

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