MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS |
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Make Plans Now to Attend CME on the Coast
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Family physicians attending the MSMA Annual Session included (Back Row) Drs. Emily Landrum, John Mitchell, Anthony Cloy, Mary Gayle Armstrong, Dunk Ellis, Stanley Hartness, Lee Giffin. (Front Row) Drs. Jennifer Bryan, Laura Miller, Amy Hollman, Carlos Latorre, and Jeremy Wells. |
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Family Medicine at MSMA Annual Session
By John PFH Vanderloo, MD
MAFP Delegate to MSMA House of Delegates
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The 2021 Mississippi State Medical Association Annual Session is successfully behind us (August 13-14). We had a number of Family Physician delegates attend, and there was some robust debate, particularly surrounding the establishment of the physician-patient relationship via audio-only telehealth once the emergency order of the pandemic is behind us. The majority of the delegates voted to keep this resolution on the floor, as opposed to referring to the Board for further judgement. Then, the majority of delegates voted to approve the limitations of audio-only for the establishment of care. Along with our Family Physicians, Pediatricians were supportive as well, and particularly vocal were 2 psychiatrists who stated the APA did not recommend audio-only establishment of care.
Some other resolutions recommended "that regulatory oversight over acts of medical diagnosis, regardless of provider, remains with physicians" to further bolster the team approach. Also, physicians should be the ones to directly supervise emergency services, and if it is not feasible, they may request a waiver from CMS, but that physicians need to be available via telemedicine if the waiver is granted. Also, a study was recommended to determine the financial impact of unsupervised mid-level providers on taxpayers.
Also approved was the recommendation of universal insurance coverage for colorectal screening starting at age 45, along with streamlining the PA process for physicians, and non-formulary switching for medicines on which patient's had been stable and previously approved by PA.
A right to visit proposal regarding family visits to long-term care facilities was referred to the Board as they wanted to balance patient freedoms with the MSHD ability to contain outbreaks in the future. Also, Medicaid expansion was again referred to the board. MSMA has a committee of many community stakeholders, even outside of physicians, that reviewed the feasibility of expansion. Realizing it is a political position within our state government, they recommended some approaches that they feel are best politically, and they will continue to refine and time appropriately. Dr. Dan Edney, chair of that committee, compared these expansion effort requirements going forward to the efforts provided by MSMA during tort reform in the early 2000s.
Resolutions recommending more geographic diversity from Northern and Southern districts for both president-elect positions, and AMA delegate positions, along with a rotating location of MSMA annual sessions via N/S/C districts was debated. Also, a virtual/in-person hybrid option for delegate attendance at MSMA annual session to improve inclusivity of delegates who are unable to travel was recommended. All of these processes were referred for study to the board for next steps.
Finally our own Dr. John Mitchell was commended for his work within the Office of Physician Workforce for a "Job Well Done" in his role of expanding medical residencies throughout the state of Mississippi.
Mississippi Family Physicians make up the largest number of physicians in our state. If any of these updates inspired you to action, please consider joining MSMA, and being active, so that your voice may be heard. Being a member of the AMA is optional for MSMA members if one wants to start with MSMA alone. Remember, we are stronger together!
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M2s Hull, Pittman Complete
Summer Family Medicine Externship
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Jenna Hull; Dr. Shannon Pittman, UMMC Family Medicine Department; and Isabella Pittman. |
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Pittman and Hull worked at the MAFP office prior to the Annual Meeting preparing for the event. |
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Two students between their first and second year of medical school took part in the MAFP's Family Medicine Summer Externship in June and July, learning more about family medicine and meeting family physicians.
Jenna Hull of Hamilton and Isabella Pittman of Clinton served as externs working with the UMMC Department of Family Medicine. Both are beginning their second year of medical school at UMMC. Each went through an application process and were chosen for the 8-week paid externship.
"My time shadowing in the clinic was the highlight of my summer," Hull said. "The physicians I shadowed not only poured into their patients but also into me. The doctors asked me challenging questions, taught me specifics about their patients' diseases, and encouraged me."
As part of the externship, both students attended the MAFP Annual Meeting as Academy Ambassadors, helping staff the meeting. "Working with the MAFP as the Sandestin conference allowed me to experience the sense of community found within the organization while also providing invaluable networking experience," Pittman said. "It was such an encouragement to see what my future as a physician could look like."
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Members joining the MAFP in July 2021 include:
New Residents
Forrest General FMRP
Mary A. Andrews, MD
Sarah Catherine Brown, DO
Taylor Davis, DO
Weston D. Eldridge, MD
Alex Huff, MD
Emily Mortimer, DO
Mississippi Delta FMRP
Susmita Chowdhury, MD
Theresa M. Horst, MD
Dominique Joseph, MD
Anisha Patel, MD
Lacey M. Shreve, MD
North Mississippi FMRP
Sarah Bergman, DO
Austin Gauldin, DO
Jasmine Haralson, MD
Devin Horner, DO
Abrahim Imam, DO
Emma K.. McDowell, DO
Janice Mitchell, DO
Sheena Tran, DO
UMMC
William M. Adams, MD
Nneka E. Agum, MD
Dava S. Cleveland, DO
Joseph A. Enriquez, DO
Kofi Oduro-Boadu, MD
Fortune Okoro, MD
Vedanti Y. Upadhyaya, DO
Brycen Witcher, MD
New Student Members
Yasmeen Abdo
Michelle M. Basha
Andrew Burks
Brittany Johnson
Aariez Khalid
Patrick McDaniel
Henry Nguyen
Vanessa E. Nwaiwu
Cara Pridmore
Alexandra Rose
George P. Stevens
Jon-Michael Stork
Robert Tatum Jr.
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MAFP Resources for Physicians
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