Message from AMDA's House of Delegates Chair

Another great AMDA House of Delegates (HOD) session has been concluded at the 2001 Annual Symposium in Atlanta last month. I was gratified to see the large number of new delegates joining many old friends and familiar faces in providing our annual infusion of energy and direction to AMDA. The 2001 Nominating Committee did superb work in sending forth a highly qualified and deserving slate of candidates for office, resulting in difficult choices in all races. The results of the HOD elections were: Vice President, Jim Lett, MD, CMD; Treasurer, Kerry Cranmer, MD, CMD; Board of Directors Representative from the HOD, Chuck Crecelius, MD, CMD; Board of Directors Representative from the State Presidents Council, Fred Feinsod, MD, CMD.

The HOD considered four amendments to the AMDA bylaws, some of which had been in development by the Bylaws Committee with input from HOD members and the Board of Directors. All four were approved with minimal changes. They included provisions to allow for regional AMDA chapter status for groups of states with insufficient numbers, resources, or development to maintain active AMDA state chapters; providing a process authorizing the Chair of the HOD to interpret the bylaws during the HOD session in areas of ambiguity, with override authority by 2/3 majority of the HOD; establishing the Bylaws Committee as a standing committee, rather than an ad hoc committee; and adding a process for handling complaints concerning the personal or professional conduct of AMDA members.

Many thanks to Steve Zang, MD, organizer and developer of Western Medical Directors Association, and prime mover in the regional chapter concept. His energy and leadership in pushing the development and recognition of regional chapters within AMDA has been instrumental in bringing many talented individuals into the HOD, and I believe soon into the leadership of AMDA, who would otherwise have had no such opportunity for participation.

Also many thanks to Mary Jane Norman, MD, from Utah, who picked up the reins from Steve when health problems made his participation impossible at the last minute. The HOD sends its best wishes to Steve for his health and recovery.

Several resolutions were considered and the HOD passed four, giving policy direction to AMDA. They involved directing AMDA to actively promote formation of state physician advisory boards to state survey agencies; to work to see that the Medicare Relative Value Update Committee include as a permanent member a physician practicing geriatric and long term care medicine; to assist in development of appropriate quality indicators for end-of-life care; and to work with HCFA and third party carriers to see that policies involving standing lab tests do not adversely impact care in the nursing facility. The 2001 Resolutions Committee, Drs. Sharon Mead, Dan Haimowitz, Morris Kutner, Chuck Crecelius, Kim Petersen, Jim Lett--all CMDs--did a very nice job of the development of the resolutions into proper format with input from the originators, ensuring that the original intent was not lost.

There is much going on at the national and state levels in long term care right now. Your input and discussions at your state and regional chapter meetings provides the ideas and energy that is needed, flowing upward into the AMDA annual meeting through the HOD and State Presidents Council to provide the needed direction to AMDA. Let's keep the process working. I look forward to another lively and spirited meeting in San Diego next year.

Randall D. Huss, MD, CMD

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