It is traditional to use the end of the calendar year to sum up the
previous 12 months and make New Year's resolutions. As I complete two-thirds
of my presidential year, it is time to assess accomplishments and focus work
for the next four months.
One-year terms are brief, even with preparation in the president-elect
year. Fortunately, my theme of advocacy and communication resonates with that
of Nada Stotland, our presidentelect, but I recognize the limits and have
emphasized ongoing capacity building and organizational performance.
Consequently, I have worked internally to strengthen the function of the Board
of Trustees (more about that in my next column).
My focus on communication and advocacy has addressed several groups:
legislators and policymakers, the media, other physicians, other health and
mental health professionals, advocacy groups such as the National Alliance on
Mental Illness, the business community, and the public at large, especially
teachers and clergy (who often are the first to notice or be consulted about
mental distress), and of course, psychiatrists—our communication with
each other.
Our interactions with policymakers have been full of promise, but still
awaiting legislative action. The process for parity passage has been
demanding, with wonderful support from some in Congress and the community, but
also with many challenges posed by those who are opposed to psychiatric care.
As this is being written, the decision is still pending. Please call your
congressional delegation to thank members for supporting full parity and
nondiscriminatory access or encouraging them to do so.
In concert with other medical groups, we continue to address the
potentially devastating impact of the 10 percent cut in the Medicare sustained
growth rate, or SGR, and modification of the discriminatory Medicare 50
percent copay for mental illness treatment. We also have been working
assiduously to protect patient privacy and to promote patient safety as well
as provide care for returning military, and maintain funding of psychiatric
research. Communication with legislators continues to be vital for our
success.
We continue to strengthen our involvement with the AMA, not only in
legislative affairs, but also through psychiatrists' participation in AMA
councils on medical services, science and public health, education, and
long-range planning. APA member Jeremy Lazarus is the highly effective speaker
of the AMA House of Delegates. The AMA has expanded its work on scope of
practice, involving multiple specialty organizations, and Jay Scully, our
medical director, has assumed considerable leadership in that arena. Jay is
also president-elect of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, bringing a
psychiatric perspective to its deliberations.
We also have engaged in some specialty-specific work to inform other
physicians and improve patient care. We have completed a joint report with the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on SSRIs in pregnancy, and
we have initiated communication with the American Heart Association on the
role of depression as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease. In addition to
developing educational and clinical efforts to assist primary care physicians
in recognizing and caring for people with psychiatric disorders, we are
working to enhance collaboration and strengthen membership with the major
psychiatric subspecialty organizations
Media interaction continues to improve in amount and quality. Our op-ed
pieces and letters to the editor have been placed in the New York
Times, as well as other national and local newspapers. APA members are
more frequently quoted in radio and seen on TV. Public information Web sites
such as
HealthyMinds.org
and
DepressionIsReal.org
receive many visits, as does our new medication guide on ADHD prepared in
collaboration with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and
available at<parentsmedguide.org>.
We have expanded media training for residents, as well as on-site training for
district branches.
Under the aegis of our Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, funded by
the American Psychiatric Foundation, I participated in the U.S.-Canadian Forum
for Mental Health Productivity, informing the business community that
promoting mental health in the workplace is not only the right thing to do,
but is also a good business decision that positively influences productivity
and the bottom line.
Obviously, much more has been done and is ongoing. For 2008, we need to
continue our communication and collaboration outside of our specialty. We need
your involvement to educate the public and to assure access to
care. At the same time, we will work internally to inform and involve our
members. Please e-mail me at
Carolynrobinowitz@usa.net
with your thoughts and suggestions. I am looking forward to seeing you at our
wonderful annual meeting in Washington, D.C., May 3 to 8 and to our work
together in the New Year. ▪