The American Medical Association ( AMA ), founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897, is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States. While its membership has declined in recent years, it claims approximately 20% of practicing physicians as members. The AMA's stated mission is to promote the art and science of medicine for the betterment of the public health, to advance the interests of physicians and their patients, to promote public health, to lobby for legislation favorable to physicians and patients, and to raise money for medical education. The Association also publishes the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which has the largest circulation of any weekly medical journal in the world. The AMA also publishes a list of Physician Specialty Codes which are a standard method in the U.S. for identifying physician and practice specialties. Ronald M. Davis MD finished his term as President on June 17, 2008 at which time Nancy H Nielsen MD, PhD was sworn in as the Association's 163rd President.
The AMA Foundation provides approximately $1,000,000 annually in tuition assistance to financially constrained students, who in 2007 carry a mean debt load of $140,000 after medical school and $220,000 after 4 yrs of negative amortization during residency, and has been increasing by 7% each year .
Despite its self-proclaimed public service nature, the American Medical Association's political positions through its history have been highly controversial. In the 1930s, the AMA attempted to prohibit its members from working for the then-primitive health maintenance organizations that sprung up during the Great Depression, an action that was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. American Medical Ass'n. v. United States , 317 U.S. 519 (1943) . The AMA's vehement campaign against Medicare in the 1950s and 1960s included the Operation Coffee Cup supported by Ronald Reagan. Since the enactment of Medicare the AMA reversed its position and now opposes any "cut to Medicare funding or shift increased costs to beneficiaries at the expense of the quality or accessibility of care" — and it also "strongly supports subsidization of prescription drugs for Medicare patients based on means testing". However, the AMA remains vehemently opposed to any single-payer health care plan that might enact a National Health Service in the United States, such as House Resolution 676. In the 1990s, it was part of the coalition that defeated the health care reform advanced by Hilary Rodham Clinton and her US President husband.
Separately, but not unrelatedly, the AMA has given high priority to supporting changes in medical malpractice law to limit damage awards, which, it contends, makes it difficult for patients to find appropriate medical care. In many states, high risk specialists have moved to other states with such limits. For example, in 2004, not a single neurosurgeon remained in the entire southern half of Illinois. The main legislative emphasis in multiple states has been to effect caps on the amount that patients can receive for pain and suffering. These costs for pain and suffering are only those that exceed the actual costs of healthcare and lost income. Multiple states found that limiting pain and suffering costs has actually dramatically slowed increases in the cost of medical malpractice insurance. Texas, having recently enacted such reforms, reported that all major malpractice insurers in 2005 were able to offer either no increase or a decrease in premiums to physicians. At the same time however, states without caps also experienced similar results; this suggests the cyclical nature of insurance markets may have actually been responsible. Some economic studies have found that caps have historically had a dubious effect on premium rates. Nevertheless, the AMA believes the caps may alleviate what is often perceived as an excessively litigious environment for many doctors.
History
- 1844 : A doctor named Nathan Smith Davis serves in the Medical Society of the State of New York. He works to better medical schools and licensing.
- 1845 : Davis introduces a resolution endorsing the establishment of a national medical association to "elevate the standard of medical education in the United States."
- 1847 : Nathan Davis founds the AMA at Academy of Natural Sciences. The Committee on Medical Education, Code of Medical Ethics, and first minimal standards for medical education are created.
- 1849 : AMA studies quack remedies and tells the public about the dangerous effects of such treatments.
- 1858 : AMA starts a Committee on Ethics.
- 1868 : AMA Committee on Ethics allows qualified female doctors.
- 1869 : Archives of Ophthalmology and Otology is created.
- 1870 : AMA advises Congress to adopt quarantine rules.
- 1873 : AMA Judicial Council created.
- 1876 : Sarah Stephenson is the first female member. AMA promotes sanitary city water and sewers.
- 1882 : Journal of Cutaneous Diseases (later Archives of Dermatology)
- 1883 : Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is created.
- 1884 : AMA condones experiments on animals.
- 1897 : AMA becomes incorporated.
- 1898 : AMA Committee on Scientific Research gives grants for medical research.
- 1899 : AMA Committee on National Legislation is created, the AMA's special interest group. Council on Exhibits educates the public on health. AMA studies tuberculosis, and how to control it, educates the public, and advises the building of government sanitariums. AMA tells local boards of health to pass mandatory smallpox vaccination.
- 1900 to 1939 : AMA creates the House of Delegates, inspects 160 medical schools, sets standards for internship, adopts standards for specialty training, and encourages the recognition of specialty boards.
- 1940 to 1960 : The AMA accredits programs for the MD degree and opens an office in Washington DC. The AMA forms the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, the American College of Surgeons, American College of Physicians, American Hospital Association and the Canadian Medical Association, Medical Association News, and the AMA Educational Foundation for financial aid to med students.
- 1961 to 1979 : The AMA discourages smoking and allows students and residents to be members.
- 1968 : The “color bar” excluding black physicians from most AMA branches, and thus from most hospitals, was ended.
The AMA publishes Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Guide to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. The AMA forms the American Medical Political Action Committee (AMPAC) a special interest group, the Resident Physicians Section, and the Medical Student Section.
- 1980s : The AMA starts the AMA Consumer Publishing program, Organized Medical Staff Section (for hospital staff), resolution agaisnts AIDs patient discrimination, and National HIV Policy that urges doctors to help HIV patients.
- 1990s : The AMA moves to Chicago and starts the AMA website. AMA discourages family violence, euthanasia, gag clauses, rushed maternity stay, smoking ads aimed at kids, and gifts to doctors from the pharmaceutical businesses. The AMA starts Health Access America(greater health insurance coverage), Patient Protection Act II bill, Institute for Ethics, National Patient Safety Foundation, antitrust relief, training for quality end-of-life care (through EPEC), organ donation awareness program, Physicians for Responsible Negotiations (PRN), The Cultural Competence Compendium, AMA Alliance, and health insurance reform. AMA lobbies for the proposed Patients' Bill of Rights.
- 2000s : The AMA starts a health literacy campaign, National House Call campaign, Reducing Underage Drinking Through Coalitions (RUDC), Disaster Preparedness and Medical Response Web site, Restored Earnings to Lift Individuals and Empower Families Act of 2001 (financial aid to med students and residents), Covering the Uninsured initiative, "No Butts About It…Tobacco Stinks" project, AMA HIPAALink, National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., AMA National Summit on Obesity, AMA Member Connect, Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, Commission to End Health Care Disparities, Tsunami Relief Project, and "Voice for the Uninsured" Campaign. The AMA sets limits on residency hours and consecutive hours on call. The AMA successfully lobbies against the 4.4% cut and then 5% cut in Medicare physician payments.
Charitable activities
- The AMA Foundation provides approximately $1,000,000 annually in tuition assistance to financially constrained students, who in 2007 carry a mean debt load of $140,000 after medical school and $220,000 after 4 yrs of negative amortization during residency, and has been increasing by 7% each year .
- Funds awareness projects about health literacy.
- Funds community service, community health, and healthcare education events held by local medical societies and student chapters.
- Supp
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