| AAPHP
News - Volume 1 Issue 8 (May 2, 2000)
News Items
1. Executive Manager Shri Deep's phone number - 678-458-1795. See
Item 1 below.
2. AAPHP web site has major improvements,
including additional topical web links. See Item
2 below.
3. The Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality has a number of positions available:
See their web site at http://www.ahrq.gov
for details.
4. Draft AMA resolutions on Bioterrorism,
Health Planning, Executions, and Correctional Health are presented: see
item 4 below. Please send comments and concerns to our AMA Delegates
Jonathon Weisbuch at jbweisbuch@earthlink.net
or Mary Ellen Bradshaw at mebmd@aol.com
AAPHP News is sent to members whenever we
receive several items of potential interest. Feel free to forward this
newsletter to physicians who may be interested in joining. A membership
application form can be found on our web page http://www.aaphp.org
(or can contact Dr. Shri Deep at 678-458-1795, aaphp@iname.com
Fax: 630-604-3256, or AAPHP, PMB#1720, P.O. Box 2430, Pensacola, Florida
32513-2430). Send information for this newsletter to the editor at vmdato@pitt.edu
Item
1 Note from Dr. Deep
Dear members of the AAPHP, In order to make it easier for all members to
contact the AAPHP by telephone, the board had approved a cell phone for
the Acting Executive Manager. I now have a cell phone which I shall be
carrying with me at all times and you are welcome to contact me whenever
you need to (preferably 9am to 5pm EDT). The number is 678-458-1795. If
your call gets forwarded to the voicemail box at this number, I will
return your call as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Shri Deep.
Item
2 Our website now has the ability to accept new
membership forms and renewals. In addition there is an option to pay
dues over the Internet by check. If you want to learn more about the
company that provides this optional service for us check out http://www.paybycheck.com
. In order to utilize the service go to our web site http://www.aaphp.org
and check on the membership form button. In addition, we now have
a members only section with some exciting materials. Members will be
receiving the password in a separate email.
Item
4 Draft Resolutions for the AMA House of Delegates
Meeting in June.
Submitted by Jonathan Weisbuch. American Medical Association, HOUSE OF
DELEGATES
Resolution: A-00
Introduced By: American Association of Public Health Physicians
Subject: Bioterrorism, Public Health and the
Practice of Medicine
Whereas: The American Medical Association in previous
policy has affirmed the importance of the private sector working closely
with the public health sector to assure the protection of the public's
health and the prevention of unnecessary disease; and Whereas: The AMA
has adopted the principles that reporting diseases of community
significance as soon as possible to the local and state department of
public health is an important responsibility of practicing clinicians
which does not violate patient privacy nor confidentiality; and Whereas:
Community preparation for untoward biological outbreaks, whether natural
or intentional, requires close relationships and planning between the
public health authorities and the leadership of local practitioners; and
Whereas: The preparation today in most cities, towns, counties, and
states is woefully deficient;
Therefore, Be it Resolved: That local and state medical societies and
other medical associations within the federation, create task groups to
study the level of readiness to deal with catastrophic biologic event(s)
within their jurisdiction; and be it further Resolved That the planning
process encourage collaboration between medical practitioners, state and
local public health leadership, hospital management, police and fire,
ambulance services and other members of the response community including
local and regional political leadership all of whom will play a role in
any future bio-catastrophic event; and be it further Resolved:
That local and state medical societies inform the AMA of their
activities so that the House of Delegates in A-01 and subsequent annual
meetings can be informed of the progress toward national preparedness.
Resolution A-00 Introduced By: American
Association of Public Health Physicians
Subject: Development of a Health Planning
Process for America
Whereas: The system of medical services in the United States
emphasizes financial remuneration to large medical corporations rather
than comprehensive, continuous, coordinated health care of high quality
to individuals; and
Whereas: No process exists in America to reduce the number of
individuals with no health coverage, currently 44 million people growing
at a rate of over one million annually; and
Whereas: No system exists to bring together all of the necessary groups,
i.e. government, care givers (physicians, hospitals, pharmacists, etc.),
and citizen groups to help organize the many elements of the medical
system so that they work as a rational entity; and
Whereas: No leadership organization exists capable of bringing together
the divers elements of the care system to focus on assuring all
Americans access to quality care;
Therefore, be it Resolved:
That the American Medical Association request that Congress pass
legislation creating a health system planning process for local areas,
state, and, where appropriate, multi-state regions; and be it further
Resolved That Congress also appropriate sufficient funds to assure that
the planning process will be effective in producing regional plans for
health services that will improve quality, enhance access for all
Americans, and hold costs steady.
Resolution: A-00 Introduced By: American
Association of Public Health Physicians
Subject: A Moratorium on Executions
Whereas: American Medical Association policy is that no
physician or other health provider employed by a correctional system
shall participate in an execution, and
Whereas: The AMA helped create and continues to support the promulgation
of health care standards for prisons and jail; and
Whereas: The principle of "Do no Harm:" is clearly violated
when those who are Not Guilty of the crime for which they were sentenced
to death are executed; and
Whereas: The legal support for capital defendants varies widely between
states; and
Whereas: 87 defendants out of the 715 (12.2%) who have been, or were
going to be executed in the United States since 1976 have been found to
be Not Guilty; and
Whereas: Many of the 87 were found Not Guilty through modern DNA
testing; and
Whereas: Governor Ryan of Illinois has placed a moratorium on executions
in Illinois after concluding that 13 innocent individuals on death row
might have been executed; and
Whereas: Governor O' Bannon of Indiana has requested a state review of
the adequacy of the protections to assure that innocent defendants are
not sentenced to death; and
Whereas: Senator Leahy of Vermont has introduced legislation into
Congress to assure that competent lawyers are appointed for capital
defendants; and
Whereas: Senators Feingold and Levin have proposed the National Death
Penalty Moratorium Act of 2000 (S. 2463) which will suspend federal and
state executions while a national, blue ribbon commission reviews the
administration of the death penalty: and
Whereas: Medical DNA testing, which may exonerate many who now await
execution, will not be made available to death row inmates for reasons
relating to a truncated appeals process and not their guilt or
innocence; and
Whereas: The possibility exists that in several states innocent
individuals may be executed because medical technology will not be made
available in time to prevent their death;
Therefore, Be it
Resolved: That the American Medical Association express support for the
moratoria from the death penalty proposed by Governors Ryan and
O'Brannon, and Senators Leahy, Feingold, and Levin; and be it further
Resolved: That the AMA recommend to The National Governors' Association
that all executions be STOPPED until questions concerning the
availability of DNA evidence, the quality of legal counsel, and the
harmful impact to the judicial system when innocent defendants are
executed are answered.
Resolution: A-00 Introduced By: American
Association of Public Health Physicians
Subject: National Commission on Correctional
Health Care: Observer
Status
Whereas: The American Medical Association in 1972 established a program
to improve the quality of medical care in American jails and prisons,
and
Whereas: The AMA promulgated standards for correctional health care in
1979; and
Whereas: The AMA established the National Commission on Correctional
Health Care in 1980 as an independent organization with several member
organizations including the AMA as members of its Board of Directors;
and
Whereas: The NCCHC has become the pre-eminent American organization
focussing on the problems and concerns of health care in jails, prisons,
and juvenile homes; and
Whereas: Continues to be concerned with the quality of medical care
in Correctional facilities;
Therefore, Be it Resolved: That the American Medical Association Board
of Trustees invite the National Commission on Correctional Health Care
to sit in the House of Delegates with OBSERVER STATUS; and be it further
Resolved: That NCCHC Representative have the privilege to speak in
Reference Committees and have the privilege of the floor without vote. |