DJP Update 10-28-2010 AMA & hidden treasures; Tulane Medical gets Spencer Forman Award AAMC; Lagniappe: books and authors & a camera
ITEM ONE: AMA & hidden treasures
The American Medical Association (AMA) has a distinguished history since its founding in 1847. See summary and painting at:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-history/the-founding-of-ama.shtml
EXCERPT: …young Dr. Nathan S. Davis. Dr. Davis became known as the founder of the AMA because his 1845 resolution to the New York Medical Association calling for a national medical convention led to the forming of the AMA. Dr. Davis was only 30 years old when the AMA was founded, and he devoted the next five decades of his life to the service of the medical profession and the AMA. Dr. Davis became president of the AMA in 1864 and was the first editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, from 1883 to 1888.
At the founding meeting the delegates adopted the first code of medical ethics, and they also established the first nationwide standard for preliminary medical education and for the degree of MD.
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DJP Comment: Never underestimate the leadership of the young physicians!
With the exciting beginning of AMA, AMA has had periods of controversy during its long history. The recent health system reform debate in Congress is one example. As the readers of the DJP Update know, I have been critical of AMA’s support of the bills that led to PPACA, the new law of the land. It is my opinion that specific long-standing AMA policy passed by the House of Delegates would preclude support of the law. I maintain that position. However, just because the AMA leadership and I have a significant difference of opinion, that does not cause me from encouraging physicians to stay in AMA and encouraging others to join. If you don’t like what Congress does, you vote out the folks in Congress. You don’t leave the USA and give up your citizenship! Next week we will have the opportunity to vote on resolutions in San Diego at the AMA Interim Meeting. Make your voice heard.
Also, a very important date is November 2, the national elections. Vote and encourage others to vote! That is part of freedom and liberty. If you don’t participate, you have no basis for complaint. As for AMA leadership, continue to send them a strong message and if they don’t respond, vote them out of office. The right to privately contract and balance-billing is a strong message sent to AMA leadership at the June Annual Meeting of AMA. They now have to deliver on the mandate – not a token action for enactment into law but an aggressive campaign for passage. Don’t dilute the message even if AARP or some other group is opposed to the message. Go for liberty.
Some words about hidden treasures of AMA. There are many dedicated staff people working at AMA. I learned much from them during my 9 years on the AMA Board. They were invaluable sources of background information prior to debates and testimony during my tour of duty as president-elect, president, and immediate past-president of AMA. If AMA didn’t exist, these skilled individuals would not be in one site as important resources to physicians.
I can’t name all of the departments in this short DJP Update but I wanted to give two examples of treasures:
1- Science and Technology Department; This group also staffs the Council on Science and Public Health (CSAPH); Barry D Dickinson, PhD, is Director of Science and Technology at American Medical Association (AMA). The retired Joe Cranston, PhD, was my go-to-person when I was on the AMA Board. He always gave concise key information pertinent to the debate of the moment.
Treasure trove of scientific information in this department. Check out the publications at AMA Website. Also watch the discussion in reference committee K that will contain 3 reports of the Council on Science and Public Health:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/2010i/handbook-complete.pdf
Reports of the Council on Science and Public Health
1 Physician Health Programs (deals with identifying and treating physicians who are impaired in some way before there is an effect on patients)
2 Violence in the Emergency Department
3 Gulf Oil Spill Health Risks: Update on AMA Involvement
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Also this department plays a key role in monitoring and submitting testimony based on AMA policy and science such as the importance FDA hearing on Biosimilars and Biologics November 2-3. See the FDA notice and option to view telecast at:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm221688.htm
PPACA contains a section on this subject also. PPACA: Title VII, Improving Access to Innovative Therapies (provision for the approval of biosimilars (generic biologics)
Ppaca&Hcera; Public Laws 111-148&111-152: Consolidated Print—10
TITLE VII—IMPROVING ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE MEDICAL THERAPIES
Subtitle A—Biologics Price Competition and Innovation
Sec. 7001. Short title.
Sec. 7002. Approval pathway for biosimilar biological products.
Sec. 7003. Savings.
and an AMNews article at:
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/04/12/gvsa0412.htm
EXCERPT: “American Medical Association policy supports the development of an approval pathway for follow-on biologics. But it says such a pathway should not compel physicians to consider follow-ons as interchangeable, or therapeutically equivalent to the original.”
By the way, AMA policy states: D-125.989 Substitution of Biosimilar Medicines and Related Medical Products
Our AMA will: (1) monitor legislative and regulatory proposals to establish a pathway to approve follow-on biological products and analyze these proposals to ensure that physicians retain the authority to select the specific products their patients will receive; and (2) work with the US Food and Drug Administration and other scientific and clinical organizations to ensure that any legislation that establishes an approval pathway for follow-on biological products prohibits the automatic substitution of biosimilar medicines without the consent of the patient’s treating physician. (Res. 918, I-08)
2- Litigation Center of AMA and State Medical Societies
Two key players: Attorney Leonard Nelson is Director; General Counsel of AMA Jon Ekdahl
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/legal-topics/litigation-center/about-us.shtml
General info and listing of executive committee members
AMNews articles about cases
I served on the executive committee when I was on AMA Board and I can attest the Litigation Center did great work. The work continues. Read some of the success stories on the AMA Website.
ITEM TWO: Tulane Medical School get Spencer Forman Award from AAMC
http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/102810_healthcare_heroes.cfm
See video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRk0N4HO1js&feature=player_embedded
Includes some Hurricane Katrina scenes. Enjoy the music too!
EXCERPT from Weblink about Tulane getting Spencer Forman Award from AAMC
On Saturday (Nov. 6), the Tulane School of Medicine will receive a national service award from the Association of American Medical Colleges. At the ceremony, Tulane will present this video, produced by Mary Mouton of Mouton Media with assistance from Melinda Viles, design manager for Tulane communications.
The award, one of the 134-year-old organization’s most prestigious honors, recognizes Tulane School of Medicine as a national leader for creating a network of community health centers; training its students to focus on community service; and empowering residents devastated by Hurricane Katrina to take charge of their personal health as well as the health of their communities.
“In the past five years since the storm, Tulane University School of Medicine has played an integral role in transforming healthcare delivery in our community,” said Dr. Benjamin P. Sachs, Tulane senior vice president, medical school dean and the James R. Doty Distinguished Professor and Chair. “We have worked hard to create a culture at Tulane that empowers students, faculty, staff to improve the health of communities locally and around the world.”
First- and second-year Tulane medical students collectively commit to more than 10,000 community service hours each year, and Tulane students run two free healthcare clinics, the Fleur de Vie Clinic at Covenant House and another at Bridge House, a New Orleans substance abuse center…
Lagniappe: Wonderful experience at intense writing course in Cape Cod this past week. Famous authors taught courses; 8 hours per day; at night I studied and read examples from fiction of points made in class.
Authors and suggested books to read:
JOHN HOUGH, JR.
He taught two days of writing dialogue and creating memorable characters prior to the start of the sessions with Dr. Tess Garritsen & Dr. Michael Palmer.
Read: “Seen the Glory”, a story about two brothers in the Civil War and Gettysburg.
More about him at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/John-Hough-Jr/17135450
and info at book also at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Seen-Glory-Novel-Battle-Gettysburg/dp/1416589651
TESS GERRITSEN
The one and only Tess. A wonderful lady physician that I met at Maine Medical Association over the years when I gave presentations there.
See her Website at: http://www.tessgerritsen.com/
and her blog at:
http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/
The photo of Tess and Dr. Michael Palmer that I took of them during the meeting is featured at the blogsite of Tess at:
http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/my-weekend-with-michael-palmer/
In my interview of Tess, I asked her to recommend 3 of her books for my readers. She said:
-The Surgeon
-Gravity
-The Bone Garden
By the way, the TV series Rizzoli & Isles is based on her books. Wonderful TV series.
MICHAEL PALMER
Read about his books at: http://www.michaelpalmerbooks.com/
Another successful physician writer with numerous best-sellers.
I also asked Michael to recommend 3 of his books to my readers on the DJP Update. He said:
-The Second Opinion
-A Heartbeat Away (To be released February 15, 2011 according to Amazon Website; I pre-ordered it for my Kindle)
-The Last Surgeon
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Theses authors are excellent teachers and they freely shared helpful hints. Very candid individuals. Enjoy the reading of their books! I certainly did.
P.S. Gadget update. The Canon S95: A terrific new camera that is small and allows complete manual control PLUS allows JPEG and RAW images to be recorded. That camera was used for the picture of Tess and Michael.
As you may know, most small cameras record in JPEG. With JPEG recording, the camera software decides what data to keep for the image you view and throws the rest away. The RAW capability saves ALL of the data. Think of it as a digital negative.
Stay well. Vote early! Get some rest on November 2nd and stay up late for the returns. It will be exciting.
Donald
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Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
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