BULLETIN

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANS

“THE VOICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANS, GUARDIANS OF THE PUBLIC’S HEALTH”

 

Volume 49, Issue 2                                                                                               NOVEMBER, 2003

Table of Contents:

 

Fall Meeting Program…...1

President’s Message……. 2

Spring Meeting Minutes...3

Abstracts 2/21/03………...5

AMA Report……………..5

Adolescent Health……….6

Liaison Activities………...7

Single Payer……………. .8

AAPHP Leadership…….10

 

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 Fall Membership Meeting

 

       Moscone Center  Room 250

         San Francisco, California

           NOVEMBER 16, 2003

                                                                      

                 PROGRAM

BUSINESS MEETING - 8:30–11:30AM

8:30 – 10:00AM

Call to Order

Introductions

Review of Minutes of February 2003 Annual Meeting

Informational Reports:

President

         Overview & Special Issues

 President- Elect

        CPT

         AMA Delegation Report

Vice President

          Programs

 

Treasurer

           Budget

Membership

Special Committees & Initiatives:

             Education & Training

             Health Care Access

             History & Archives           

*50th Anniversary & Awards

 

 

10:00 – 10:15AM  Break

 

10:15 –11:30AM

Additional Liaison Reports and Action Items

            AMA Proposed Resolutions

            ACPM Relationship

            Job Market Initiative (JMI)

            CDC “White Paper” Update

            NACCHO

            NCCHC

            Service Contract Proposals           

Old Business

New Business

 

11:30AM

Adjournment

EDUCATIONAL SESSION  2:30 – 6:30PM

 

 2:30 - 4:30 PM  

 Panel on Public Health Law

 

Moderator: Kathleen Acree, MD, JD

Panelists:

Edward Richards, JD

Harvey A. Peltier Prof. of Law

Director, Program in Law,

   Science and Public Health

Paul M. Herbert Law Center

Louisiana State University

 

Robert England, MD, MPH

Chief of Epidemiology

Arizona Department of Health Services

 

Jonathan Weisbuch, MD, MPH

Director Maricopa County Dept. of Public Health

Phoenix, Arizona

 

Georges Benjamin, MD

Executive Director APHA (Invited)

 

    4:30 – 5:00PM  Break

 

    5:00 - 6:30 PM  

Single Payer Health System

Bree Johnston, MD, MPH

California Physicians Alliance Board Co-President

State Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Plan                                  

 

    6:30 PM               

  Adjournment

              or

                                       

    6:30 – 7:00 PM   

   Additional Business, if needed

              

President’s Message

 

   Mary Ellen Bradshaw, MD

 

Since our last AAPHP Bulletin in February, we have found ourselves in a totally changed national status – engaged in yet another war which looks like it will continue for some time – facing a budget for health and social needs severely compromised by heavy tax cuts  and a down-turning economy – increased homelessness, joblessness, epidemics of SARS and spreading West Nile Virus – and the enhanced threat of terrorism – bio, chemo and nuclear – the latter  stirred up by our invasion of Iraq. The numbers of those without health insurance continue to mount with no reasonable solution being seriously considered. The environment and the air we breathe is under unrelenting attack. Researchers involved with grants studying  HIV and teen pregnancy/sexuality are being investigated. I could go on. It is not a happy state that has evolved. With it have come several issues facing our members in leadership positions in city, county and state departments of health and at the federal level. Issues related to Bioterrorism, Home Land Security and their authority as Public Health Physicians under the law. Issues related to lack of resources as local and state coffers run dry. Issues related to the health and well-being of the communities for which they have responsibility in the face of no or inadequate health insurance.

 

It is in response to these challenges that AAPHP has developed our Educational Session at the Fall General Meeting on Sunday afternoon, November 16, 2003 at the Moscone Center, Room 250, San Francisco, California. Included in this session will be a Panel on Public Health Law featuring, Edward Richards, JD, Director, Program in Law, Science and Public Health, Paul M. Herbert Law Center at Louisiana State University and at least two Public Health Physicians at the helm in county and state health departments - Robert England, MD., MPH, Chief of Epidemiology, Arizona Department of Health Services and Jonathan B. Weisbuch, Health Officer and Medical Director, Maricopa Department of Health, Phoenix . Following will be a discussion on Single Payer Health Plan with  Bree Johnston, MD, MPH, a representative from Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP). These two components promise an extremely informative session, pertinent to current pressing public health issues for AAPHP members. Plan on attending and having your voice heard.

 

 During these past several months, AAPHP has been represented in a number of activities including the Preventive Medicine Leadership Forum (which AAPHP chaired through February, 2003), AMA President’s Forum, CPT Code Task Force, all attended by Dr. Arvind Goyal,; AMA Committee On Organization (COO) meetings attended by Drs. Bradshaw, Goyal and Weisbuch; AMA HOD, at which, as a result of an emergency,  Dr. Goyal stood in for the usual delegate, presenting AAPHP resolutions and participating in a meeting extremely supportive of Public Health; NACCHO-ASTHO attended by Dr. Weisbuch, and NCCHC, attended by Drs. Mack and Weisbuch with Drs. Bradshaw and Barth manning the AAPHP Exhibit. Dr. John Poundstone participated in the review of the soon-to-be published AMA Obesity Guidelines. This latter came as a special request to AAPHP representing public health at AMA. In addition, AAPHP has been in dialogue with CDC regarding the “White Paper” written by Dr. Joel Nitzkin suggesting changes in the internal structure of CDC. The highly successful Job Market Initiative (JMI) developed  by Dr. Nitzkin and supported by Dr. Kim Buttery, AAPHP Webmaster, continues with some reductions in postings and is facing a crossroads in future viability.

 

Included in this Bulletin, is a summary of the Spring Annual Meeting in San Diego,  at which we elected new officers, reports of the NACCHO-ASTHO and NCCHC meetings ;the AMA National Coalition on Adolescent Health and the new ACPM Task Force on Adolescent Health as well as the AMA Annual Meeting in June, 2003. During the months ahead, we anticipate bringing resolutions to the AMA on Single Payer, Concern about Congressional intervention in HIV and teen sexuality grants and supporting issues brought forth by our colleagues at ACPM on Reauthorization and Strengthening of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and Environmental and Policy Interventions to Promote Physical Activity Exercise. We are also exploring proposals aimed at closer collaborations with ACPM.

 

The big event for AAPHP will be our 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Annual Membership Meeting in February 2004 in Orlando, Florida during the Prevention 2004 meeting.. All members have been requested to make a voluntary contribution of fifty dollars towards this event with their membership renewal. Following our usual Business Meeting during which we will hold elections, we plan an Educational Session and a Reception honoring long -standing members of AAPHP who have contributed so much to the betterment of Public Health. Nominations are being requested to determine who will be honored as the most out-standing. Honorees will be requested to offer reflections and words of wisdom on where we’ve been and where we should be going in 21st Century Public Health. . Nominations with CV’s are requested to Dr. Bradshaw, MEBMD@aol.com before December 15, 2003. A 50 year History Review and Compendium of AAPHP policies are expected to be completed and ready by this meeting. Much has been accomplished by our Association in this past half century, and we are optimistic about our role in these very challenging years ahead.

 

Come join us at both events, follow the plans on our website, http://www..aaphp.org … and bring along another potential member.

 

Given the continuing and mounting challenges to Public Health and its practitioners on the front lines - you, our AAPHP members and your colleagues - it seems that more than ever, we need to come together to have our voices as Public Health Physicians heard and our positions made known in every appropriate forum. Your past contributions and involvement are greatly appreciated and cannot be overestimated, but it is critical that you remain involved with the only organization that represents you, the Public Health Physician, and encourage others to join us. There is “ strength in numbers“ and the resources membership provides can help AAPHP to accomplish more each year