Surgical Caucus of the AMA (SCAMA)
Minutes of Meeting

Saturday, June 23, 2007
1:00 – 2:45 pm
Hilton & Towers Hotel, Chicago, IL

Call to Order  - The meeting was called to order at 1:00 pm by Dr. John H. Armstrong, chair.  He extended a warm welcome to all surgeons and new members in attendance. 

Universal Health Care Coverage:  Here We Go Again! – Dr. Thomas V. Whalen, SCAMA Secretary and program moderator, opened this educational session and introduced the guest speakers.  Robin McLeod, MD, FACS, a Regent from the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents and a colorectal surgeon from Toronto, began the program with a description of the Canadian health care model and how it impacts the provision of care to surgical patients including access to care, quality and cost.  She noted that five principles exist with the Canadian system, including:  1) public administration; 2) comprehensiveness; 3) portability; 4) universality; and 5) accessibility.  In addition, she frankly noted some of the problems in the system, including the need for improvement of wait times for some elective surgical procedures.

The Honorable Thomas Price, MD, FACS, an orthopaedic surgeon and member of Congress from Georgia’s 6^th Congressional district, discussed current federal legislative initiatives to address the issue of universal health care coverage and provide a political view/reality check from Congress on the issue.  He noted there is considerable attention being given to universal health care coverage due in part to the 2008 presidential election, and that candidates from both parties have announced reform plans or are in the process of doing so.  Dr. Price indicated that while there are great challenges in the system, which seems on the brink of crisis, he thought that health care system financing and delivery reform was possible in the next few years provided that reforms produce patient centered health care with an unencumbered patient/physician relationship.

Dr. Price also noted that he had introduced HR 2626 containing many reforms, and that discussion on this legislation would be ongoing.

Minutes – Minutes of the November 11, 2006 meeting in Las Vegas were approved.

Treasurer’s Report – Dr. Charles Drueck treasurer, reported a balance on hand of $2,982.12 as of June 11, 2007.  Absent objection, the report was accepted.

Reports and Resolutions were reviewed earlier in the day by the SCAMA Executive Committee and delegates from the ACS and ASGS. A chart with recommended actions was distributed at the meeting, with spirited and focused discussion by Caucus members.

Specialty Society Updates – In the interest of time, Dr. Armstrong reminded the Caucus that specialty society updates be forwarded to Mr. Jon Sutton, Caucus Administrator, for posting on the SCAMA website.

Adjournment – There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:45 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas V. Whalen, MD, FACS, Secretary

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