In accepting the post, Hoven called the delegates “an amazing group of people” who have taught her patience and collaboration.
Outgoing AMA President Dr. Peter Carmel, a Newark, N.J.-based pediatric neurosurgeon, pointed to the organization's successful efforts to delay implementation of the ICD-10 diagnostic and procedural codes and how AMA advocacy led to “radically improved” CMS rules for accountable care organizations as signs of AMA influence.
“The AMA's clout in Washington—our ability to help shape policy—has been higher this year than in any point in my lifetime,” Carmel said, though he also expressed frustration with the inability of Congress to replace the sustainable growth-rate Medicare payment formula and to enact medical-liability reform.
In closing, Carmel told the story of a physician he helped mentor, Dr. Karin Muraszko, who was born with spina bifida in 1955.
Having spent so much time in a hospital, Carmel said Muraszko decided at age 7 to become a doctor and, in 2005, she became chair of the University of Michigan neurosurgery department and was the first woman to chair an academic neurosurgery department in the U.S.
“Karin embodies our will to fight,” Carmel said. “She is an inspiration to her colleagues and a lifesaver to the nearly 400 children she sees each year.”
In his remarks, Dr. James Madara, AMA executive vice president and CEO, unveiled the organization's “rolling” strategic plan for the next five years and explained why and how it will focus on three main targets.
The targets are: Improving health outcomes; accelerating change in medical education; and “shaping delivery and payment models that demonstrate high quality care and value while enhancing physician satisfaction and practice sustainability.”
Madara also announced the creation of a new AMA executive position and a new hire who will be the responsible for reaching that target; Dr. Jay Crossen, senior adviser for health policy for the Permanente Medical Group and former vice chairman of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, starts July 1 as the AMA's new vice president of professional satisfaction, care delivery and payment.
“As a pediatrician and long-term practicing physician and executive at Kaiser Permanente, Jay brings the AMA extensive real world experience in care-delivery systems and physician satisfaction,” Madara said. “The important work Jay will lead will enable the AMA and individual physicians to advance policies and practices that enhance physician satisfaction, empirically defined, while delivering the quality care and value our patients deserve.”
The session also included two-minute speeches from four candidates running for two open seats on the board of trustees: Dr. Carolyn Evans, a Texas pediatrician; Dr. William Kobler, an Illinois family physician; incumbent Dr. Mary Anne McCaffree, an Oklahoma pediatrician; and Dr. Lee Morisy, a Tennessee surgeon.
One of the first orders of business before the delegates, will also be deciding whether to consider a late resolution calling on the AMA to endorse transitioning Medicare to a premium support system.
The issue has received much attention, but—since the resolution was submitted less than 30 days before the meeting—it had to go before the Rules and Credentials Committee on Saturday, which recommended that the measure be placed on the agenda. Now it needs a two-thirds majority vote from the delegates to go forward.
