Highlights from the November 2020 AMA Special Meeting

Catch up with the news and other key moments from the AMA House of Delegates’ virtual meeting. The November 2020 AMA Special Meeting runs through Nov. 17.

Otolaryngologist honored for dedication to Atlanta’s uninsured

The efforts of AMA member Charles E. Moore, MD, began with a focus on head-and-neck cancer awareness, then eventually sprawled into the creation of the HEALing Community Center, a federally qualified community health care center to address the needs of uninsured patients living in poverty in the Atlanta area.

Citing his dedication to providing accessible and equitable medical services and health education to the people of Atlanta, the AMA honored Dr. Moore, a Georgia-based otolaryngologist, with the Benjamin Rush Award for Citizenship and Community Service at the November 2020 AMA Special Meeting.

Dr. Moore was among the physicians and executives honored by the AMA for their work in public health and organized medicine. Read more.

Dr. Madara: Pandemic demands nimble response and AMA is delivering

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested physicians and the health care system, and its full impact on society may not be known for some time. But is has also provided validation, even if painful, that the AMA’s strategic plan has put the organization on the right path, said James L. Madara, MD, the AMA’s executive vice president and CEO. 

In a virtual address to the AMA House of Delegates at the November 2020 AMA Special Meeting, Dr. Madara described how the AMA strives to continue steady progress each day through advocacy efforts in the halls of Congress, state regulatory bodies and through the courts.

“The work of the AMA is long-term and policy-driven,” he said. But then an unanticipated crisis arrives and, rather than steady progress, an immediate, nimble and flexible response is required, which the AMA has provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.

AMA president: Physicians face two-front battle on COVID-19

Fighting a historic pandemic is formidable enough. AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, said that doing so in concert with battling against misinformation about science and medicine has been a fight physicians shouldn’t have to wage.

“Never again can we allow the politics of division to undermine our ability to deliver the very best care to our patients,” she said. “Never again can we allow anti-science bias and rhetoric to undermine our public health institutions and discredit the work of physicians, scientists and researchers.

“Never again,” she added, “can we allow a campaign of misinformation and disinformation to co-opt conversations around public health and  sew divisions that only serve to prolong the suffering of so many. Never again can we allow public health officials to feel the pressure of threats and intimidation simply for doing their jobs.” Read more.

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Dr. Fauci headlines blockbuster plenary session

A highlight of the November 2020 AMA Section Meetings held last week was a plenary session featuring an interview that AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara, MD, conducted with Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Read more about Dr. Fauci’s 2021 forecast on SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and COVID-19 treatments.

Dr. Fauci’s interview was followed by a panel discussion that drew insights from some of the AMA’s top executives:

• Todd Askew, senior vice president of advocacy.
• Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, chief health equity officer.
• Christine Sinsky, MD, vice president of professional satisfaction.
• Susan Skochelak, MD, MPH, chief academic officer.

Learn more about the session, which covered how the AMA moved quickly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to advocate for physicians and provide timely answers to guide practice.

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Highlights of the meeting’s key moments and House of Delegates policy actions will be posted daily at the AMA website, the November 2020 AMA Special Meeting website, and the AMA’s Facebook page and Twitter account.

Addresses from leadership and more will be featured on the AMA’s YouTube channel.

In honor of the Special Meeting, this week the AMA’s Instagram account will spotlight the reasons why medical students #MaskUp. Share your own by using #AMaskStory and tagging @AmerMedicalAssn on Instagram or Twitter.

Get in on the conversation during the meeting using #AMAmtg, and be sure to follow the AMA on LinkedIn for additional updates as well.

These essentials will help you get the most out of the meeting.

Learn about what you should expect as nearly 700 physicians, residents and medical students gather virtually, tomorrow through Nov. 17. They are meeting virtually to consider proposals addressing a wide range of clinical practice, payment, medical education and public health topics.

Among the notable issues:

• Racism as a public health threat.
• Options to maximize health insurance coverage under the AMA proposal for reform.
• Compassionate release for incarcerated patients.
• Modernized oversight of the dietary supplement marketplace.

Read more.