MedTenn 2010 on Memphis Medical News

MedTenn 2010

By: Cindy Sanders

Dr. Richard DePersio passes the gavel to Dr. B W. Ruffner at the 175th Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Medical Association last month in Nashville.

TMA Covers Wide Range of Issues at 175^th Meeting

Last month, the Tennessee Medical Association convened in Nashville for the organization's 175^th annual meeting. The TMA represents the professional interests of more than 7,800 physicians and 44 component medical societies statewide.

Highlights of MedTenn 2010, the association's primary membership meeting and policy forum, included a gubernatorial candidates' luncheon, two-day meeting of the House of Delegates, continuing education offerings, recognition and awards honoring outstanding physician members and community partners, and the installation of officers.

New president, B W. Ruffner, MD, of Chattanooga said healthcare reform had been a hot topic among delegates. "In general, people are opposed to what's already happened. There's great concern that we've taken some steps in the wrong direction. That said, physicians will continue to see patients," he noted. Ruffner added there are also beneficial parts of the reform package, but he said most physicians are still trying to digest the 2000-plus pages. "We're going to make the best of a bad bill," he stated, adding the TMA would work to make changes to improve outcomes for both physicians and patients.

As for the coming year of his presidency, Ruffner said his top priority would be a focus on electronic health records. He plans to look at how the TMA might better assist physicians in going electronic and in choosing a system that won't be obsolete in a few years. Chair of the TMA eHealth Technology Task Force, Ruffner believes EHRs make physicians more efficient and the practice of medicine safer. He said it was feasible for Tennessee to have a statewide health information exchange within five years. Currently, regional exchanges are operational in West Tennessee and East Tennessee.

Other event highlights included the following.

House of Delegates Actions

During the meeting, the TMA took action on a number of public health and patient safety concerns, as well as organizational issues. "Our House of Delegates considered and took action on 13 resolutions, including some critical decisions dealing with the Board of Medical Examiners independence, after-hours emergency specialty care and important peer review functions of the TMA Judicial Council," outlined Ruffner.

The TMA House of Delegates (HOD) voted to seek legislation establishing the State Board of Medical Examiners (BME) as an independent entity with limited state government oversight. This resolution was born from delegates' concern over the recent seizure of BME funds by the state government for purposes outside the BME mission. This action left the office without the necessary funding to conduct its investigative and regulatory functions.

The TMA also agreed to pursue possible solutions to having adequate specialists available for after-hours care. Currently, there is a shortage of specialists in the emergency departments of small hospitals and rural facilities. Study results and potential solutions are to be presented in 2011. Additionally, the HOD amended the association's bylaws to empower the Judiciary Committee to handle peer review complaints for component medical societies in areas of the state that do not have enough members or specialty representation to adequately review the actions.

In other business, the HOD reaffirmed several current policies including a call to increase physical education in state schools, strengthen the laws and regulations on physician supervision of mid-level providers, support placement of AEDs in public locations and seek immunity for lay bystanders who attempt good faith efforts at CPR and AED usage, and encourage college administrators and legislators to discourage excessive tuition hikes and improve available funding for medical students.

New Leadership

The gavel was passed from Richard DePersio, MD, to B W. Ruffner, MD, FACP, who became the TMA's 156^th president on April 10. As president, Ruffner will serve on the association's Board of Trustees, which is responsible for the implementation and direction of TMA activities between HOD sessions.

Ruffner has held multiple leadership roles within the TMA including sitting on the Board of Trustees Finance Committee, the Ad Hoc Leadership Elections Committee, Insurance Issues Committee and Membership Committee. He is a TMA delegate to the American Medical Association and is chair of the TMA eHealth Technology Task Force. Ruffner also serves on the executive committee of the Health Information Partnership for Tennessee.

The new president is a medical oncologist and internal medicine specialist from Chattanooga. He has been on the medical staff at Erlanger Medical Center for 33 years and was honored in February 2009 as a "Baroness Erlanger Foundation Distinguished Physician." Ruffner received his medical degree with honors from Duke and served as a research associate and Fellow with the National Institutes of Health. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Subspecialty Board of Medical Oncology. Ruffner is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Other officers installed are:

Michael Minch, MD, (Nashville) president-elect for 2010-11,
Charles Eckstein, MD, (Nashville) chairman of the TMA Board of Trustees,
Richard Briggs, MD, (Knoxville) vice-chairman of the TMA Board, and
Keith Lovelady, (Tullahoma) secretary-treasurer for the TMA.

Gubernatorial Candidates

During a luncheon on April 10, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Congressman Zach Wamp, both GOP candidates, addressed the packed audience of physician leaders and engaged in a spirited Q&A session that touched on TennCare, addressing the physician workforce shortage, stances on health insurance regulation, health system reform at the state level, and medical liability reform.

Prior to the luncheon, Ruffner said, "Doctors will have a chance to hear directly from these candidates on the issues they care most about, and what they learn will likely help them decide who they will be supporting in November."

Awards

During the meeting, several members and community partners were honored for their service. The awards included:

Outstanding Physician Awards: Phyllis Miller, MD, Chattanooga; and Hershel P. Wall, MD, Memphis;
Distinguished (Physician) Service Awards: Mark Brzezienski, MD, Chattanooga; and Robert D. Kirkpatrick, MD, Memphis; and
Community Service Awards: Charlotte Boatwright, Chattanooga; Christ Community Health Services, Memphis; Judge Seth W. Norman, Nashville.

Dr. Michael Minch Elected TMA President-Elect

Nashville surgeon Michael Minch, MD, was selected as the TMA president-elect for 2010. Subsequently, he will take the reigns as association president in 2011. Minch will sit on the TMA Board of Trustees, a body for which he has previously served as chairman and vice-chairman.

Over the years, Minch has held a broad range of leadership and committee positions within the TMA including vice-chair of the Executive Committee, chair of the TMA Medical Liability Reform Committee and chair of IMPACT (Independent Medicine's Political Action Committee – Tennessee). He has also served as a member of the Nashville Academy of Medicine Board of Directors.

Minch received his medical degree from Ohio State and trained as a surgical resident at Vanderbilt University. He is a co-founder and former CEO of Diabetes Care Club and has practiced surgery in Nashville for 15 years.