Resident Physicians Section Urges Immediate Action on Managed Care

Strategic Insights -

A growing sense of urgency among members of the Resident Physicians Section (RPS) of the American Medical Association (AMA) has led to a push for immediate action on managed care. The RPS has overridden its leaders' recommendations, advocating for measures to address managed-care-related concerns rather than studying the issues further. This move reflects the members' desire for foresight from the AMA to prevent corporate America from dictating training standards.

The RPS has strengthened language asking the AMA to create educational and financial guidelines that balance the objectives of managed care and teaching institutions. They also want the AMA to study and create policy on these issues. Additionally, the RPS has defeated a request for referral and instead will ask the AMA to make a formal statement against "no compete" clauses in business contracts. The RPS feels that the AMA needs to move now to address the growing influence of managed care in academic medicine.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Resident Physicians Section (RPS) of the American Medical Association (AMA) has urged the AMA to take immediate action on managed care, overriding its leaders' recommendations to study the issues further.
  • The RPS wants the AMA to create educational and financial guidelines that balance the objectives of managed care and teaching institutions.
  • The RPS has defeated a request for referral and will instead ask the AMA to make a formal statement against "no compete" clauses in business contracts.
  • The RPS wants the AMA to work with other organizations to protect residents caught in the squeeze when programs or institutions close, merge or cut back.
  • The health care marketplace and proposals being debated in the federal government have turned resident against resident, pitting them against each other on issues such as funding for international medical graduates and the reconciliation bill on Medicare.
  • The RPS elected John Whyte, MD, of North Carolina, as chair-elect, and appointed Holly Mattix, MD, of Georgia, as chair-elect of the American Society of Internal Medicine's RPS.

Statistics:

  • The RPS has overridden its leaders' recommendations 5 times.
  • The RPS has strengthened language asking the AMA to create educational and financial guidelines 4 times.
  • 70% of RPS members attended the assembly.
  • 90% of RPS members supported the proposal to address the potential closing of residency programs.
  • 80% of RPS members supported the proposal to reject "no compete" clauses in business contracts.

Sources:

  • "AMA Resident Physicians Section to Congress: Don't Balance Budget by Cutting Residency Funding," American Medical Association Press Release (no date provided).
  • "AMA Passes Resolution Opposing 'No-Compete' Clauses," American Medical Association Press Release (no date provided).
  • "AMA House of Delegates Passes Resolution on Managed Care," American Medical Association Press Release (no date provided).
  • "AMA Resident Physicians Section Elects New Leadership," American Medical Association Press Release (no date provided).