Governor's Newsletter - Summer 1998

Message From the Governor

Merging the ACP and ASIM at the Local Level

At its Fall meeting, with encouragement from national, the Chapter Council agreed to move forward with bylaws discussions between the Chapter and the Indiana Society of Internal Medicine. The ISIM President, Cheryle Southern, and I met several times to decide a strategy for proceeding. We elected to set up a task force to develop the new set of bylaws for the new merged organization.

Meeting regularly in the headquarters of the Indiana State Medical Association, the task force has nearly completed the draft bylaws, which could, by the time this newsletter is distributed, be complete. Beside Cheryl and me, the group includes Linda Abels, Frank Byrne, Dick Campbell, Rick Dexter, Ray Dunkin, Cloyd Dye, Rob Goshorn, Clay Molstad, Ed Ross, and Bob Rudesill, with administrative assistance from Carolyn Downing. As we worked locally, a joint ACP-ASIM task force worked at the national level to develop a model set of bylaws. By the time those were sent to us, we had already worked out many of the essential details for our draft. Although the format of our working draft and of the model from the national task force differed to a considerable degree, our earlier efforts made it fairly easy to rework our version to resemble substantially the model bylaws.

Work remaining at the time of this writing includes clarification of wording regarding the purposes of the organization and membership requirements. When we have completed our draft, we must retain local legal counsel to ensure that they are consistent with the national bylaws and state law. The bylaws must be reviewed by national staff and then approved locally. Ultimately, the Board of Regents of the College must approve the Key Elements of the Proposed Bylaws

Some key elements of the new draft bylaws include:

  • Council composition: The Council will consist of the Governor, Past Governor or Governor-Elect, one representative each from telephone areas 219, 765, 317, and 812, one from the full-time faculty of the medical school, three at-large representatives, and the Chair of the Associates' Council. Council members will serve four-year terms.
  • Elections: Elections of new Council members will occur every two years, with terms staggered so that about half the Council members are elected each time. Elections by mail will be permitted.
  • Chapter meetings: A Chapter meeting must be held annually. The Governor, any two members of the Council, or at least 10% of the members entitled to vote may call special meetings of the members at any time. Written notice of all meetings must be sent to all members not less than 30 days before such meeting. Should business be transacted at the meeting, it would be subject to ratification by the Council. Should Council vote not ratify such transacted business, then the members at large would vote upon it.
  • Committees: The only statutory committee is a Local Nominations Committee charged with the responsibility to nominate candidates for Governor-Elect and Council. Another committee named in the bylaws is an optional Credentials and Membership Committee to review qualifications of persons for membership and advancement to Fellowship and to seek members who might qualify for advancement to Fellowship and to encourage them to apply. A Scientific Program Committee may be appointed to plan local regional scientific and educational meetings. A Finance Committee may be appointed to prepare an annual budget, provide liaison with any accounting and legal firms retained by the Chapter, and obtain audits as needed. A Health and Public Policy Committee will keep abreast of technological and public policy developments in the areas of medical practice, health care and the organization and delivery of health services and make recommendations to the Council as deemed appropriate. Although not specifically stated in the bylaws, we anticipate that members of this committee would assume responsibility for certain activities currently carried out primarily by the ISIM, including meetings at the state level with Medicaid and Medicare and more active participation in the Indiana State Medical Association.
  • Other Committees: The Council may create additional standing and temporary committees as it sees fit to carry out the business of the Chapter.

At the time of this writing these bylaws remain a work in progress. If you would like a copy, contact me. If you have opinions or suggestions about the bylaws, please share them with your Council representative or with me.

Time to Select New Governor-Elect Approaches

My successor will take office at the Spring ACP Annual Session in 2000 and will be elected within the next year so that (s)he has a year to "learn the ropes". The local nominations committee consists of Robyn Goshorn (chair), Steve Anderson, and Randall Lee. They will forward the names of two Fellows or Masters from the Chapter to national ACP headquarters. After verification of their credentials, they will run for Governor in an election to be held by mail. If you would like to suggest a name to the committee, please contact one of the members.

Resolutions Passed at the Spring Board of Governors Meeting

The BOG passed the following resolutions at its San Diego meeting that preceded this year's annual session:

  • Volunteerism in Internal Medicine: Be it resolved that the ACP help facilitate volunteer opportunities for delivery of Internal Medicine services to underserved areas at the community, regional, and national levels.
  • Opposition to Anti-Personnel Land Mines: Be it resolved that the ACP support the prohibition of use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel land mines as well as the timely destruction of such weapons. Be it further resolved that ACP communicate this position to the appropriate national and international leaders and organizations.
  • Training and Certification in Quality Assurance/Utilization Management: Be it resolved that the ACP provide assistance to physicians by identifying and promoting appropriate sources of training and certification in Quality Assurance/Utilization Management.
  • Examine the Role of Hospitalists: Be it resolved that the ACP evaluate the role of Hospitalists in the provision of inpatient care.
  • HCFA Primary Care Exemption Rule: Be it resolved that the ACP recommend that the Health Care Financing Administration allow the onsite attending physician in primary care clinics to provide both direct and supervised resident patient care during a clinic session.
  • Structure and Function of the Board of Governors: Be it resolved that the ACP establish a process for ongoing evaluation of the structure and function of the Board of Governors.
  • CME through Web Sites: Be it resolved that the ACP facilitate the granting of CME credits through College web sites.

These resolutions, having been approved by the Board of Governors, will be forwarded to the Board of Regents for further action. The Board of Regents may approve or disapprove these resolutions. These resolutions will likely be forwarded to appropriate committees for comments and recommendations. If you have strong opinions regarding any of these resolutions, I encourage you to send them to me to forward to the chair of the Board of Regents (or you may wish to do so yourself).

Associates Meeting Held in March

The Chapter Associates held their annual meeting in the Methodist Hospital Conference Center in Indianapolis in March. The featured speaker was Faith Fitzgerald, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Fitzgerald spoke informatively and entertainingly on the role of the general internist in academic medicine. Other presentations and workshops were provided by Lynn Witty, Mort Tavel, Bill Fisher, Pat Loehrer, Greg Grammelspacher, David Harsha, and Steve Wolverton. Workshops focused on ventilator management, office dermatologic procedures, obtaining a fellowship, ethics, and office casting and splinting.

In addition, hospitals and other organizations from Indiana and Kentucky participated in a job fair. The booths were heavily visited by Associates during the meeting. Besides providing the Associates with information regarding job opportunities, the job fair exhibitors helped offset the meeting expenses by paying display fees.

The meeting was coordinated by the Associates Council led by Ismo Kaarianen, Ball Memorial Hospital. He was ably assisted by Chris Karras, Joe Koss, Mike Reeder, Melanie Bozard, Britt Smith, Rob Watt, Eric Milbrandt, Rosalie Siy, Clifton Bong, and Mike Sha. Bob Lubitz and I provided advice.

The Council has already begun to plan the next meeting. Details will follow as plans solidify.

New Fellows Inducted in San Diego

Nine members of the Chapter were inducted into Fellowship in the ACP at the annual convocation in San Diego. They are:

  • Shahabul Arfeen, Valparaiso
  • Daniel Barrido, Jr., Marion
  • William Clark, Jr., Fort Wayne
  • Man-Cheong Fung, Indianapolis
  • John Klemme, St. John
  • Robert Love, Zionsville
  • Jeanne Rowe, Fort Wayne
  • Ravi Sarin, Muncie
  • Indra Sriram, Fort Wayne

Congratulations!

1998 Fall Chapter Meeting Program Set

Brad Sutter, chair of this year's Chapter Program Committee, has released the program for this Fall's annual Chapter meeting. The meeting will be held at the downtown Hyatt in Indianapolis on Friday, November13, and Saturday, November 14. The Associates will hold their meeting on Thursday afternoon, November 12.

Friday, November 13
7:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00 Welcome
8:10 Update on HIV Disease Management
John Black, MD
9:05 Update on Use of Low Molecular Weight Heparin
Douglas Triplett, MD
10:00 Associate Presentation
To be announced
10:30 Break and Poster Viewing
11:00 Update from National
Faroque Khan, MD
11:30 Business Meeting
Noon Luncheon - Presentation of Laureate Awards
1:00 PM Internists Use of Estrogens and Birth Control Medications
Mary Ciccarelli, MD
1:45 Update on Headache Management
Richard French, MD
2:30 Break and Poster Viewing
3:00 Osteoarthritis - Transitioning from Medical to Surgical Therapy
Robert Lubitz, MD
3:50 Complications of Acute Respiratory Failure in the Intensive Care Unit
Faroque Khan, MD
4:45 Adjourn
6:00-8:00 PM Friday Evening: Special Event
Reception at the Eiteljorg Museum including Dinner and Tour

 
Saturday, November 14
7:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-Noon Workshop 1: Evaluation and Management
Coding Session and Practice
Barbara Walker, Indiana State Medical Association (Limited to 70 participants) ($10 workbook fee)
8:00-10:00 Workshop 2: Advanced Cardiac Auscultation
Morton Tavel, MD
8:00-10:00 Workshop 3: Improving Community-Based Teaching Skills
Debra Litzelman, MD (Limited to 25 participants)
8:00-10:00 Forum for International Medical Graduates
Faroque Khan, MD
10:00-Noon Repeat of Workshops 2 and 3
Noon Program Evaluation and Adjournment

The meeting registration fee will be $65. Registration forms will be sent out in about 6 weeks. Individuals wishing to register now may do so by calling Kathy Bunnell at (317) 630-6262.

Hope to see you all at the meeting, and have a good summer!

Richard B. Kohler, M.D., F.A.C.P

What's New

Contact Information

Indiana Chapter Governor:
Michael C. Sha, MD, FACP

Shelly Symmes
Chapter Administrator
Ph: 317-261-2060
Email: ssymmes@ismanet.org