Page 28 - Delaware Medical Journal - January 2017

AMA INTERIM MEETING
AMA Interim Meeting Highlights
The 2016 AMA Interim Meeting was held November 12–15, 2015 in Orlando, Fla.
T he Medical Society of Delaware was represented by MSD's AMA Delegate Kelly Eschbach, MD; Organized Medical Staff Section Representative Nancy Fan, MD; Resident
and Fellow Section Representative Stephanie Guarino, MD; and MSD President Dorothy Moore, MD. MSD member Stephen Permut, MD attended the meeting in his role as Chair of the AMA Board of Trustees. MSD Executive Director Mark Meister also attended the meeting.
"This week we shared a moment of tremendous impact in our country," AMA President Andrew W. Gurman, MD, said of the recent presidential election during his remarks during the Interim Meeting opening session. "The policies that have been developed by this House of Delegates serve our patients and professions well. These are our guides: our mission, our policies, and our values."
The AMA is making strides toward becoming a model for professional associations through its commitment to ambitious goals and partnership-building efforts that yield real-world results, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara, MD, told delegates during the opening session.
Also during the meeting tee AMA honored Bennet I. Omalu,
MD, MBA, MPH with its Distinguished Service Award. As the physician who made the initial discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in an NFL player in 2002, Dr. Omalu, a forensic neuropathologist, overcame massive efforts to discredit him and his research. Today CTE is widely recognized as a health risk in millions of patients with histories of repetitive brain trauma, including military veterans.
POLICY DECISIONS APPROVED BY THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES INCLUDED:
ENGAGING NEW ADMINISTRATION ON HEALTH REFORM.

commitment" to current AMA policy on health care
reform. In its discussions with the Trump administration and Congress, the AMA will continue efforts to cover the uninsured and work to assure that future proposals do not result in loss of coverage for patients currently insured.
VALUE-BASED PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICING.
Value-based pricing has the potential to reduce prescription drug spending in the U.S. And with recent spikes in drug prices directly affecting patients, the
AMA House of Delegates Monday looked to address increases by adopting new guiding principles to support value-based prescription drug pricing.
EASING STUDENT LOAN DEBT.
The AMA House of Delegates adopted several policies aimed at alleviating medical student loan debt, integrating mental illness and addiction treatment into
training programs, and giving physicians in training more leadership and community health work opportunities.
PHYSICIANS AS CARE TEAM LEADERS.
The AMA has adopted new policy that lays out the ethical obligations that physicians have to lead and participate in the team-based care model that research
shows can improve health care quality and patient outcomes, enhance care access, and slow the rate of medical spending while reducing burnout among health professionals.
INFERTILITY BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.
The Veterans Health Administration doesn't cover

IVF, even though war injuries can cause infertility. Newly adopted AMA policy says that should change.
PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF THE NATION.
Delegates adopted several policies to promote the health of the nation. Public health issues addressed included distracted driving, dangerous coal-tar sealcoats, and
more graphic warning labels for cigarette packaging.
CALL TO ACTION TO STEM TIDE OF GUN VIOLENCE.
The AMA has joined an advocacy effort, started by leading organizations representing physicians, public health professionals, and attorneys, aimed at reducing
gun-related deaths and injuries. The document seeks universal background checks on gun purchases, restrictions on the sale of military-style weapons and large-capacity magazines to civilians, and more research on how to cut morbidity and mortality
Learn more about actions at the 2016 AMA Interim Meeting on the AMA’s website, www.ama-assn.org.
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Del Med J | January 2017 | Vol. 89 | No. 1