CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - AMA SECTION COUNCIL ON FEDERAL AND MILITARY MEDICINE 2008 ANNUAL MEETING

The Federal Medicine community was fully represented during the annual meeting of the American Medical Association 12-17 Jun 08, in Chicago, Illinois. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Health Service and the Veterans Administration all had delegates present.

The meeting began with a Federal Medicine Caucus which reviewed the resolutions and reports relevant to Federal medicine. Dr Ward Casscells, the Undersecretary of Defense for Health Affairs, was an active participant and offered recommendations for increased engagement with the AMA. Dr Casscells also summarized some of the current focus areas for DoD Health Affairs. Those areas include: increase attention to patient satisfaction, continued improvement of AHLTA, and the establishment of a web based "personal health record" for our beneficiaries. He also underscored the great military civil partnering being done in both Iraq and Afghanistan to establish viable health systems in those countries. He also commented on the need for Health Affairs to become more engaged in AMA activities, the improved collaboration seen among the Services, VA,and DoD, increasedsupportfortheUniformed Services University, and the idea of MTFs inviting AMA leaders to their facilities to foster community outreach. The Section Council on Federal and Military Medicine met and addressed a number of topics. Maj Gen (ret) Gerald Harmon, Delegate from South Carolina, briefed that the AMA Council on Medical Service was actively evaluating the support TRICARE is providing our veterans and their families. Dr Harmon anticipates that a report will be made available to the House of Delegates in Nov, 08. Additionally, BG (ret) James J. James, Director of the AMA Center for Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response updated the Council on his Center's activities. Their journal, "Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness" hasjustcompleteditsfirstyear of publication and is proving to be a high quality informational resource. Additionally, his Center will sponsor a National Public Health Congress early in 2009 and has been an active participant in the National Bio Defense Board. Dr James also invited Fed Med participation in an educational session on TBI/PTSD to be held during the 2009 Annual Meeting. A Medical Student Section "Specialty Showcase" was held and provided 44 medical specialties the opportunity to outreach to the medical students present. The Aerospace Medicine Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American College of Preventive Medicine all had active or retired Federal Service member spokespersons.

The Society of Medical Consultants to the Armed Forces (SMCAF) also met. Maj Gen (ret) George Anderson, AMSUS Executive Director, updated the group on the dialogue between AMSUS and SMCAF reference opportunities to partner. In 2009, SMCAF may blend their meeting with the AMSUS annual meeting and discussion will continue on the strategic vector for SMCAF in the years ahead. During the New Business portion of the meeting members highlighted the need for outreach to the AMA at every level, especially in the recruitment of students, residents and young physicians for all three Services. Discussion also addressed the possibility of further reduced dues for military members which had been broached by AMA leaders at previous meetings. Possible strategic vectors for SMCAF noted were advocacy for military families, preparedness, federal advocacy, leadership development, quality of care in Federal Health, provision of clear and objective data, sustained presencewithin the AMA, ASD(HA) representation, and coordination of TRICARE issues through the Federal Section Council.

During the House of Delegates three items were of particular interest to Federal Medicine. 1) Board of Trustees report #6: Healthcare for Veterans and their Families. This report called for the AMA to fully support the findings on the President's Commission on Care for America's Wounded Warriors report "Serve, Support, Simplify". The report was adopted by the House of Delegates. 2) Resolution #304 Medical Student Debt Crises called for an evaluation of long term solutions to the growing debt crises for many students. Lt Col Dan Shoor, speaking on behalf of the Federal and Military Medicine Section Council reminded the members of the Reference Committee of the many scholarship opportunities available to those students willing to serve in the uniformed services. This resolution was referred for further study by the Board of Trustees. 3) Resolution #319: Medical Education in Disaster Response. This resolution asked the AMA to evaluate the current status of disaster education and training in our medical schools. It was noted that Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 lays the groundwork for a common core curriculum in medical disaster preparedness and response. It was agreed, the AMA will undertake an evaluation of Disaster Preparedness Education and Training in Medical Schools, GME, and CME and report back to the House of Delegates in 2010. Your Section Council will continue to champion the AMA's activities in all these areas.

Additionally, Dr Nancy H. Nielson, was inaugurated as this year's AMA President and Dr J. James Rohack was elected as the President-Elect.

As always, the Section Council on Federal and Military Medicine seeks to be a strong voice for our Federal Medicine equities and fully support the interests of those entrusted to our care. Please contact me should you have any thoughts or recommendations for our Council's future engagement with the AMA.