Interim Session 2003

 

The Texas Academy of Family Physicians’ Board of Directors dealt with several key issues at the TAFP Interim Session held in Round Rock March 11-14. Below is a summary of these issues. For a complete copy of the minutes, contact John Ashbaugh at (512) 329-8666 ext. 16 or at jashbaugh@tafp.org.

 

FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

Approved that the Foundation provide up to $1,700 in funding for the annual poster competition and that it become the TAFP Foundation Student and Resident Poster Competition.

 

Approved providing $1,250 annually for the Student Externship Program beginning in fiscal year 2005. The TAFP Commission on Academic Affairs will administer the program and when there are qualified applicants interested in conducting research, the Foundation will agree to provide the $1,250 if the AAFP Foundation approves the student for matching funds.

 

Approved increasing the budget for Research Grants for FY2004 by $10,000.

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Approved the TAFP joining the National Federation of Independent Business as a small business member and for the TAFP staff to develop a mechanism to fund up to five TAFP physician members to become members of the NFIB representing the TAFP.

 

Approved the TAFP nepotism policy.

 

Approved sending Susan Combs a letter commending her on her efforts to get the food standards in schools changed.

 

Approved sending Sen. Jane Nelson a letter congratulating her on her recent Nathan Davis award from the AMA.

Approved the funding of an officer to visit each medical school each year at $300/day per diem plus travel expenses.

 

Approved the funding of officers representing the TAFP at functions requiring a TAFP representative at $300/day per diem plus travel expenses up to a $10,000 limit. These meetings could include:

  • Installation of Chapter Officers,

  • TMA Meetings,

  • Meetings as requested by the President, and

  • TAFP representative to state or Federal Councils and Commissions or other important meetings.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Approved the Fiscal Year 2003 and Fiscal Year 2002 Audited Financial Statements and unaudited Fiscal Year 2004 Financial Statements.

 

Approved the transfer of $500,000 from the Operating Funds to the Building Fund, pending auditor approval.

 

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Approved the submission of the names of Lloyd Van Winkle, M.D. for the position of AAFP Delegate and Sheri Talley, M.D. for the position of AAFP Alternate Delegate.

 

Approved the submission of the following slate of Officers in nomination:

  • President-elect: Samuel T. Coleridge, D.O.

  • Vice President: Douglas Curran, M.D.

  • Treasurer: Linda M. Siy, M.D.        

  • Parliamentarian: Kaparaboyna Ashok Kumar, M.D. 

  

COMMISSION ON ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Approved the gathering information about current projects that align with the Future of Family Medicine initiatives from every medical school and residency program in Texas that support-placing physicians in underserved communities.

 

Approved the TAFP repeating the Clerkship Coordinator program next year and include residency coordinators for a separate program, which introduces and reinforces the benefits of family medicine to them and their communities. A networking lunch with the two groups can be considered.

 

Approved the TAFP Executive Committee developing a uniform grant review and selection process to be used by the organization as a whole.

 

Approved the developing of a centralized Web-linked resource site for students and pre-doctoral students to access information for support through medical training from communities, Office of Rural and Community Affairs, AHECs, special medical school programs and residency programs.

 

COMMISSION ON ANNUAL SESSION AND CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

Approved the amending of the “Texas Academy of Family Physicians Continuing Medical Education Program Mission Statement” to read as follows:

The Texas Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP) is the medical specialty society for family physicians in Texas. Planning, developing, and presenting high quality continuing medical education in compliance with the essentials of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education is the fundamental education goal of the organization. CME activities are produced by a process based on physician learning needs. This process utilizes past CME activity evaluations, member needs assessments, literature searches and direct physician input. TAFP produced continuing medical education will provide information and activities designed to maintain and improve the skills and abilities of family physicians, other primary care physicians, and other primary care providers. Evaluation of the effectiveness of TAFP produced CME shall be accomplished through post CME quizzes, physician questionnaires and immediate feedback utilizing currently available technology. TAFP CME activities will be presented in small group seminars, interactive workshops and large group didactic presentations followed by time for questions and answers and through currently available technology. Presentation of CME will also utilize currently available technology where warranted.

 

Approved and validated the CME evaluation form as it is written.

 

Approved and validated the Joint Sponsorship form as it is written.

 

Approved a $5,000 budget item, which would allow one TAFP officer and one TAFP staff to travel and to observe those organizations that offer procedure workshops where physicians may acquire those procedure skills. A subcommittee will also be created to discuss the procedures and the education program staying current in life-long learning.

 

Approved the continuation of the TAFP Winter Symposium for 2005 and have the Commission on Annual Session and CME evaluate this program on a yearly basis.

 

COMMISSION ON CORE DELEGATION

Approved recognizing the distinguished service of C. Tim Lambert, M.D., as Alternate Delegate and Delegate to the AAFP and that a resolution of commendation be sent to the AAFP commending Dr. Lambert for his distinguished service as the TAFP Alternate Delegate and Delegate to the AAFP.

 

Approved the establishment of two Future Leadership Scholarships for TAFP future leaders to attend the AAFP Annual Leadership Forum meeting.

(Fiscal Note $2,500)

 

Approved that the TAFP Nominating Committee be charged with ensuring leaders’ compliance with duties and responsibilities and provide direct constructive feedback as appropriate.

 

COMMMISSION ON HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND MANAGED CARE

Approved the Commission on Annual Session and CME review a submitted list of recommendations for education programs on medical ethics and professional responsibility for future CME meetings.

 

COMMMISSION ON MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBER SERVICES 

Approved that the TAFP send a list of TAFP medical student members from the local medical school to the respective local chapters with a letter asking them to adopt the schools with the purpose of increasing student interest in family medicine. Those chapters with monthly dinner meetings should be encouraged to invite students to attend the meetings free of charge.

 

Approved surveying third-year residents and new physicians (1-7 years out of residency) to gather information regarding their needs. The survey will ask what services they would want the TAFP or AAFP to provide and whether they would be willing to pay extra for these services.

 

Approved conducting an electronic survey to collect information on EHR use among members.

 

Approved allowing TAFP staff to review the contract with appropriate counsel and make the necessary commitments to enter into a partnership with FPJobsOnline.org. This contract will be reviewed annually. 

 

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL AFFAIRS

Approved the continued work toward reducing the time that a conscientious objection affidavit is valid from the two-year period to one.

 

Approved forwarding to the Commission on CME and Annual Session a request to include programs related to the implementation and promotion of vaccinations across all ages.

 

Approved organizing and creating a series of CME activities targeting the translation and identification of best practices in obesity prevention and management. Furthermore, that we explore alternate delivery mechanisms for these presentations to potentially include: group care sessions, workshops or other formats.

 

Approve the TAFP becoming proactive at the state level in addition to lobbying through the AAFP at the national level in the issues surrounding the current and future provisions in Medicaid. Specifically that we increase priority to a tier-one level, until replacement with a more equitable and responsible system can be designed and implemented.

 

Approved reproducing the maternity care survey to gain updated information.

(Fiscal Note: $10,000)

 

FLOOR MOTIONS

Approved that the board write a letter to the Texas residency program directors stating in a firm, but cooperative manner that:

  • Residency programs should interact with each other in a supportive way for the promotion of family medicine as a specialty to medical students through the various Family Medicine Interest Groups at each school.

  • All residency programs in the state should set a goal to send at least one resident representative to each TAFP meeting. They should also encourage their residents to run for office and participate in committees/commissions/sections. We should remind the programs of the funding available to support resident participation.

  • Most of all, we should foster a collegial relationship among all family physicians, residents, and residency programs in the state of Texas.