To Our 13th District Members:

 1. HOD Round-Up

When the ISMS House of Delegates (HOD) convened in Springfield, delegates debated and voted on 61 member-submitted resolutions. HOD actions set the Society’s policy direction and give ISMS legislative staff their marching orders for the upcoming year. You can view the complete 2010 Resolution Status Report here. Please note, this page is password protected and a user login is required. If you need help accessing the ISMS web site, click here.  

A handful of the resolutions adopted by the ISMS HOD specifically asked that the Illinois Delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA) introduce a similar resolution at the AMA’s annual House of Delegates meeting in June.  These resolutions ranged in scope from eliminating the use of social security numbers in Medicare claim numbers to encouraging the AMA to support the sale of health insurance across state lines to asking that the AMA establish policy to eliminate restrictions on physicians’ ability to determine their Medicare participation status. Click here to view a comprehensive list of the resolutions introduced by the Illinois Delegation and actions taken by the AMA. 

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 2. ISMS is Working for You 

During each session of the Illinois General Assembly, ISMS lobbyists track hundreds of bills that may affect the way that medicine is practiced. This spring, ISMS staff worked to defeat an extremely dangerous bill that could have dire consequences for mothers and their babies. 

If passed, this bill would provide for the licensure of “certified professional midwives” and allow them to dispense and administer drugs, perform histories and physicals, provide unsupervised home birthing services and treat women and infants postpartum. These midwives differ significantly from certified nurse midwives and have minimal education in science, first aid and pharmacology. Their limited training is not preparation to prescribe dangerous drugs and may prove to be life threatening to some patients. 

This bill did not move through the legislative process in a conventional manner. Instead, language was inserted into a shell bill that included nothing more than its title, Veterinary Records-Liability. The midwives language, House Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3712 was inserted and passed out of committee. Thanks to the watchful eye of ISMS and the efforts of OB-GYNs across the state, the bill was not called for a final vote before the General Assembly adjourned for the summer. This bill is not dead and will be called for a vote during the November veto session. Your call to action is two-fold. 

First, call your state representative and let them know that substituting under-trained, unsupervised midwives for physicians greatly increases risks to mothers and infants during and after pregnancy. Click here to find your state representative’s contact information. Second, spread the word. 

Members and non-members need to be aware of the work ISMS is doing to defeat this bill. Please keep an eye out in all ISMS publications for updates.

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3. Commentary

I am pleased to report that the annual membership drive has yielded 43 members, to date. This is a great success in an otherwise frustrating year on the membership recruitment and retention front. Click here to see the membership statistics for District 13. If you see that there a decrease in your county, do something! The strength of ISMS depends on it. 

Contact Sarah Young, our Outreach Representative, and request a list of non-renewing members in your county. Call them up and tell them what ISMS has been doing on thier behalf. Here are a few examples. 

• ISMS has been vocal in efforts urging Congress to find a permanent solution to Medicare’s funding woes by eliminating the flawed SGR funding formula. Click here to sign a petition that is part of a concerted nationwide effort that sends Congress the unmistakable message, "Fix the SGR once and for all!"

• Efforts to stop the “certified professional midwives” from obtaining licensure is just one example of the work done in Springfield. Visit the Legislative Action Hub for a comprehensive look into the issues and actions taken by ISMS.  

•  ISMS leaders are out and about talking to physician groups our next steps to restore fairness in our courts and Keep Doctors in Illinois. Speakers are available to make presentations on the past, present and future of medical malpractice reform in Illinois. Click here to schedule a presentation to your medical staff, medical group, or county medical society. 

Have a safe and relaxing summer! 

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4. BOT Report

The ISMS Board of Trustees met on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at ISMS headquarters. In part, the Board: 

• Approved recommendations for ISMS council/committee membership for the 2010-2011 membership year including Christine Mueller, M.D., John Prunskis, M.D., D. Andrew McNamara, M.D., Wayne Polek, M.D., Robin Purdy, D.O., Z. Ted Lorenc, M.D., Stasia Khan, M.D., Ms. Susan Moss, and myself.  

• Was updated by guest speaker Ed Murnane, President of the Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL), on the League’s efforts in un-seating four of the five Illinois Supreme Court justices who did not support our medical liability reform efforts; Thomas Fitzgerald (1st District), Charles Freeman (1st District), Robert Thomas (2nd District), and Thomas Kilbride (3rd District). ISMS is a founding member of ICJL and will play an integral part in guiding and supporting ICJL in an anti-retention campaign of these justices. 

• Approved expanding the ISMS continuous membership pilot program. ISMS members will now have the option to join as a continual member, eliminating the need for annual renewal. ISMS and county medical society dues payments are automatically collected monthly via credit card or bank debit.  

• Authorized the ISMS Executive Committee to begin comprehensive strategic planning for ISMS’ future, including a review of ISMS representational structures, programming and activities for physicians. Planning will also include broad input from a diverse group of stakeholders and constituencies. 

• Approved Pronto Connections, a medical telephone answering service, as an ISMS Recommended Solutions Provider. ISMS members will receive a 5 – 10% discount on all Pronto Connections retail services.

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5. Online Career Center 

Check out ISMS’ newest member benefit, the online Career Center. Thanks to your ISMS membership, filling an open position in your practice or advancing your career just got easier! 

Member offices can post job openings for 30 days at a discounted rate of $100; non-members pay $400. For 60 days, ISMS member offices receive the discounted rate of $150; non-members pay $500. Physicians nationwide have access to the Career Center and there are no fees for job seekers.

The online Career Center is part of the growing roster of practice-based cost savings through our Affinity Partners and Recommended Solution Providers. Contact Jim Jacobsohn for more information. 

From Paul  H. DeHaan, MD, McHenry County Medical Society