Highlights from TAFP’s Interim Session

The committees, commissions, and sections of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians met in Austin on March 1-2, 2013. The Board of Directors met on Saturday, March 2 to hear reports and recommendations. Below are the highlights of the meeting.

Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee had one recommendation for the Board of Directors to review. At the request of the Executive Committee, the Bylaws Committee drafted amendments to implement recommendations from the Task Force on Governance to alter TAFP’s governance model. The TAFP Board recommended adoption of the proposed bylaws changes. You can see the full bylaws with proposed changes here. These amendments will be voted on by the membership at the Business and Awards Lunch during the TAFP Annual Session in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013.

Executive Committee
The Executive Committee reviewed the TAFP and NPI Budgets. Dr. Troy Fiesinger discussed the legislative session. Tom Banning provided an update on GME funding, Medicaid expansion, and scope of practice.

Finance Committee
The Finance Committee reviewed the combined 2012 audit for TAFP and NPI. There were no major findings. The committee decided to request proposals from other CPA firms for the 2013 audit. The committee will review the bids and decide whether to switch accounting firms or stay with Glass & Co.

Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee proposed the following slate of officers for 2013-2014: Dale Ragle, M.D., president-elect; Tricia Elliott, M.D., vice president; Ajay Gupta, M.D., treasurer; Janet Hurley, M.D., parliamentarian; Linda Siy, M.D., delegate to AAFP; and Troy Fiesinger, M.D., alternate delegate to AAFP.

Commission on Academic Affairs
The Commission on Academic Affairs found that the current Goals and Objectives do not accurately reflect their activities. They are undergoing a major revision to be reviewed at Annual Session. The group started a prioritization process and will continue this via e-mail over the next few weeks. Goals and Objectives will be combined and condensed with measurable objectives for a more efficient commission.

Commission on Continuing Professional Development
The Commission on Continuing Professional Development approved program chairs for TAFP’s educational programs for the next year. Program chairs include Rebecca Hart, M.D., for the 2013 Primary Care Summit in Houston; Clare Hawkins, M.D., for the 2013 Primary Care Summit in Dallas; Stephanie Roth, M.D., for the 2014 C. Frank Webber Lectureship; and Dale Allison, M.D. and Robert Shields, D.O., for the 2014 Annual Session & Scientific Assembly.

Commission on Core Delegation
The Commission on Core Delegation discussed the work of the various AAFP Commissions. There are TAFP members on all but one AAFP commission. The commission also heard from TMA presidential candidates. 

Commission on Health Care Services and Managed Care
The Commission on Health Care Services and Managed Care heard from TAFP’s practice management consultant, Bradley Reiner, about recent developments in third-party billing practices for services delivered by mid-level providers and contracted providers. They also heard from Dr. Charles Stern on family medicine redesign efforts at Scott & White. Dr. Michael Sills from Baylor Health Systems gave a presentation to the commission on the evolving state of the health care delivery system in Texas, the effects of consolidation among providers, and the role of family physicians over the next several years.

Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs
The Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs had one recommendation for the Board of Directors to review. The board approved their recommendation that TAFP support Medicaid expansion to meet the health care needs of Texans.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, states can expand Medicaid coverage to uncovered populations including working-age adults below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The federal government will cover the costs of the expansion through 2016, and a substantial portion of the cost in subsequent years. States can opt in or opt out of the Medicaid expansion at any time. The commission voted unanimously to recommend this policy statement.

Commission on Membership and Member Services
The Commission on Membership and Member Services discussed membership statistics, the re-election report, and resident and student recruiting. The commission also selected several award and scholarship recipients.

Commission on Public Health, Clinical Affairs, and Research
The Commission on Public Health, Clinical Affairs, and Research had two recommendations for the board. The first was asking TAFP to work with the DEA to create a marketing campaign for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day to help remove dangerous drugs and promote appropriate medication disposal. Trace amounts of multiple medications have been found in the water supply, due to lack of educational materials on proper disposal of medications. The DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day exists, but is not widely marketed.

The second recommendation was that TAFP request DPS clarify the meaning of “anybody” in the DPS medication list release. According to release documents on the DPS site, physicians agree to not disclose information to “anybody.” This should be clarified as the term “anybody” is quite vague, and makes it appear that the information is not supposed to be discussed with the patient.

The Board of Directors voted to approve both motions.

Section on Special Constituencies
The Section on Special Constituencies discussed the National Conference of Special Constituencies and acknowledged the official representatives from TAFP for 2013: Lindsay Botsford, M.D., as the women’s delegate; Bruce Echols, M.D., as the GLBT delegate; Emily Briggs, M.D., as the new physicians’ delegate; Edward Chieke Nwanegbo, M.D., as the minority delegate; and Manjula Cherukuri, M.D., as the IMG delegate. The section selected Bruce Echols, M.D., as the recipient of the TAFP Special Constituency Leadership Award.

Section on Medical Students
The Section on Medical Students held their elections for the 2013-14 student officer positions. The new officers are: Jerry Abraham, M.P.H., chair; Brittant Taute, chair-elect; Jacklyn Chang, TAFP Board of Directors; Evan Perez, TAFP Board of Directors alternate; Matt Mullane, National Conference delegate; Anna Gamwell, National Conference alternate delegate; and Sharon Gilkey, FMIG coordinator.

Section on Resident Physicians
The Section on Resident Physicians held their elections for the resident officer positions. The new officers are: Linda May, M.D., chair; Amir Hendiani, M.D., vice chair; Laura Adams, M.D., secretary; Kassie Soefje, M.D., National Conference delegate; Hsin- Yi- Janey Wang, M.D., National Conference alternate delegate; Joshua Splinter, M.D., and Mike Leasure, M.D., delegates to the TAFP Board of Directors; Cesar Maldonado, M.D., and Tarina Desai, M.D., alternate delegates to the TAFP Board of Directors.