Projects

The Council on Long Range Planning and Development can initiate projects, or can be assigned projects/reports based on actions of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates or Board of Trustees.

Some recently completed projects have included making recommendations on how members can become better engaged in the AMA, the number of public members on the AMA Board of Trustees, redefining the definition of a young physician, and making recommendations on the membership standards that medical associations should meet to be represented in the AMA House.  One ongoing project is a demographic analysis of the AMA House of Delegates (2007 report, PDF, 175KB), which over time is becoming more diverse and younger. 

The CLRPD also offers its perspectives to the AMA Board of Trustees during the Board's annual planning session.  

CLRPD welcomes any comments or suggestions . Please feel free to contact us by e-mail. We are especially interested in any feedback on our major current projects:

Health care trends analysis. Practicing physicians are seeing many changes in all aspects of medical practice that have far-reaching implications for future medical practice and/or future generations of physicians. This environmental analysis work takes the form of the AMA Health Care Trends resource, which is published every two years. The 2008 edition will be available in the fall of 2008.
Any comments, thoughts?

Emerging challenges. The CLRPD has initiated a new effort that is designed to go beyond the traditional Environmental Assesment to help the AMA anticipate and address emerging issues early. This work is based on and informed by the environmental assessment trends work, and asks the "so what?" question with regard to what is going on in the broad health care environment and in society in general.
Any comments, thoughts?

Stakeholder analysis. The CLRPD solicits, synthesizes and analyzes comments from the AMA Councils and AMA Sections and Special Group on emerging issues, as well as what changes they are seeing in day-to-day medical practice. The Council also seeks similar input from the broader physician population. 
Any comments, thoughts?

Anticipating the impact of universal coverage on physicians' day-to-day practice. There is already considerable analysis of different health system reform proposals, but CLRPD is looking at what will happen in medical practices if universal coverage—in whatever form—is implemented. CLRPD wants to understand how the day-to-day life of practicing physicians will change.
Any comments, thoughts?

Role of physicians and medical societies under universal coverage. CLRPD assumes that universal coverage, in some form, will eventually be implemented.  What will be the role of the medical profession and their professional organizations in the implementation of universal coverage, including the transition phase and the mature phase? The experience of other countries that have implemented universal coverage might identify some interesting lessons, particularly if the medical societies had to evolve in order to meet the needs. CLRPD wants to learn how the AMA, specialty societies and component societies meet the needs of physicians practicing under a universal health system.
Any comments, thoughts?

Globalization. Globalization is the increased interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and countries. It relates to opening of borders to greater flow of goods, services, finance, people and ideas and depends on changes in national and international policies to facilitate such exchange. Globalization has been both positive and negative, from economical, social, and health perspectives. From the health perspective, globalization relates to transmission and prevention of disease, medical education, availability of pharmaceuticals, outsourcing of services, remote diagnostic and transcription services, and migration of physicians and other professionals to and from the United States. The relatively new development of "medical tourism" raises questions about follow-up and continuity of care, insurance coverage, liability, and credentialing and accreditation of providers and hospitals. Global trade agreements affect intellectual property, medical and other services, and investment, and present challenges to domestic health regulation, e.g. alcohol and tobacco control measures.
Any comments, thoughts?

We appreciate the input of others on suggestions for potential future projects.
Any comments, thoughts?

AMA governance advice when requested.  CLRPD receives assignments from the AMA Board and/or the House of Delegates on selected governance issues.  For instance, CLRPD issued a Report (97KB) at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in response to a 2007 resolution that sought greater representation in the House of Delegates for the International Medical Graduates Section. 
Any comments, thoughts?