House of Delegates Passes Key Resolutions
House of Delegates 2002 Roster
The list of 2002 Delegates from the AMDA 25th Anniversary Symposium
is available upon request. If you wish to receive a copy, please
contact Kathleen Meyers, Executive Office Coordinator, at 410/992-3103
or e-mail to kmeyers@amda.com.
The AMDA House of Delegates (HOD) moved through a full agenda in San
Diego. Under the leadership of Chair Randy Huss, MD, CMD, the group
discussed numerous issues, ultimately passing the following:
- White Paper on the Survey Process.
Recognizing that care improvement comes primarily from the
practitioners and providers who give the care, but the regulations and
survey process are a major influence on their performance, AMDA
proposes 13 principles for reforming the survey and certification
process. AMDA will be asking state chapters to promote the paper with
their state survey agencies.
- White Paper on the Role of the Medical Director in the Survey Process.
The resolution notes that the physicians' importance and autonomy in
medical judgment and decision-making cannot be removed from survey
consideration and must be included as part of the surveyor's
examination of care processes. It considers the full spectrum of
medical direction including full- and part-time medical direction in
rural and populous areas. AMDA will be asking state chapters to promote
the paper on a state level.
- Resolution on Hospital Discharge Summaries/Medical Transfer Forms.
AMDA House of Delegates representative Kevin Fleming has submitted this
resolution to the AMA requesting that the organization work with AMDA
to develop a proposed procedure to promote efficient data transfer to
accompany discharged patients to and from acute, long term care, and
subacute facilities. The next meeting of the AMA's House is in June
2002.
- Resolution on Artificial Nutrition and Hydration in Advanced Dementia.
As a result of the passing of this resolution, AMDA will develop a
position statement to educate and guide physicians and the public
regarding the apparent lack of benefit and potential burden of
implementing artificial nutrition and hydration in patients with
end-stage dementia.
- Position Statement on Assisted Living.
Based on the year-long work of AMDA's Work Group on Assisted Living,
AMDA strongly recommends development of systems in ALFs that recognize
the importance of physician involvement in maintaining the highest
quality of care of ALF residents. AMDA will promote this statement to
the national Assisted Living Work Group with representation from AMDA,
AAHSA, AHCA, ASCP, the Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living, NCCNHR,
and others.
- Resolution on Geriatrics CME Training for Physicians Caring for the Elderly in Long Term Care Facilities.
AMDA House of Delegates representative Kevin Fleming has submitted this
resolution to the AMA petitioning the AMA to support the California
Medical Association's resolution promoting geriatrics CME training for
physicians caring for the elderly in long term care facilities.
- Position Statement on Direct Care Staffing in Nursing Homes.
This document states that AMDA recognizes if federal staffing
guidelines are developed, they should consider the acuity of the long
term care patient population, functional level of the patient and
services provided, the existence of staffing shortages, and staff
quality, education, and training. The statement will serve as the basis
for our responses to staffing solutions such as the recent CMS Proposed
Rule concerning single task workers.
- Resolution on Public Relations Campaign to Publicize High Quality Care in Long Term Care Facilities.
The resolution resolves that AMDA will explore the development of a
public relations campaign to help publicize the high quality resident
care that exists in long term care facilities.
- Resolution on Smoking in Nursing Facilities.
With the passing of this resolution, AMDA supports --as policy-- that
nursing facility residents be free from second-hand smoke.
- Resolution on Video Surveillance Cameras in Nursing Homes.
Following the passage of this resolution, AMDA's Public Policy
Committee will be working with the California and Florida chapters to
draft a position statement on Video Surveillance Cameras in Nursing
Homes.
- Resolution on Influenza Vaccine Availability.
This resolution urges CMS and the Centers for Disease Control to work
with vaccine manufacturers in order to develop a mechanism for the
dissemination of vaccines that gives the highest priority to the
extremely vulnerable nursing home and assisted living facility resident
populations and staff.
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