Update from AMA Annual Meeting 2019

The Reference Committees, where both AMA members and nonmembers (with permission) may testify, are organized by topic:

• Medical Service
• Legislation, Legal, and Regulatory Issues
• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Science and Technology
• AMA Governance and Finance
• Medical Practice
• Constitution and Bylaws

The Reference Committees hear testimony on each resolution, adjourn, and then meet privately (often into the wee hours) to develop recommendations to the full House. Their options include:

• Recommend Adoption
• Recommend Adoption With Amendment
• Recommend Referral (further study by one of several Councils)
• Recommend Referral for Decision (by the Board of Trustees after further study)
• Recommend for Non-Adoption

During the following 3 days, the full House of Delegates considers the Reference Committee recommendations. Any delegate may object to any recommendation and cause it to be debated and voted on by the full House of Delegates. Details about the outcomes of the 200+ resolutions are available at the AMA website (ama-assn.org).

The compendium of policies covers the entire range of topics impacting the practice of medicine – ethics, legislation, regulation, public health, individual health, and medical education among them. The full range of policies may be found in the AMA’s Policy Manual available on the AMA website (ama-assn.org).

CHEST members with an interest in the AMA policy-making process may observe any AMA-HOD meeting or participate in the AMA’s democratic processes. Attendees will also be able to increase their knowledge and skills with no cost at scores of educational sessions and will also be able to connect with more than 1,500 peers and other meeting attendees from across the country. CHEST members with the time (there are two 5-day meetings each year) and interest are invited to apply to be an official CHEST delegate to the AMA. Contact Jennifer Nemkovich at jnemkovich@chestnet.org for details.
 

Dr. Desai is with the Chicago Chest Center and Suburban Lung Associates; and the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy, University of Illinois at Chicago. He is also the CHEST Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates. Mr. Newman is the Senior Director of Strategy, Product, & Global Development at CHEST.