MINNEAPOLIS, June 9, 2008—When the American Medical Association House of Delegates convenes in Chicago on June 14, it will be the initiation of a grassroots process to shape the health care agenda of America’s largest physician organization.

The Minnesota delegation will present Resolution #606 to the AMA House of Delegates:

“Resolved, that our American Medical Association request that all national specialty societies include a succinct list of our AMA’s advocacy goals and the benefits of being an AMA member with the societies’ annual dues statements, and that the societies’ annual dues statements include the AMA dues amount and a chance to join the AMA.”

The Minnesota Medical Association delegation will be:

Frank J. Indihar, M.D., chair of the delegation
John M. Van Etta, M.D., F.A.C.P., delegate
Raymond G. Christensen, M.D., delegate
Kenneth W. Crabb, M.D., delegate
Anthony C. Jaspers, M.D., delegate
Sally J. Trippel, M.D., delegate 
John Abenstein, M.D., M.S.E.E.,alternate
Gail Baldwin, M.D., alternate
Blanton Bessinger, M.D., MBA alternate
David L. Estrin, M.D., alternate 
Paul C. Matson, M.D., alternate
Benjamin H. Whitten, M.D., alternate
Jason Meyers, delegate, Medical Student Section

Seated as an alternates at the meeting will be MMA President James J. Dehen Jr., M.D. Also accompanying the delegation will be President-elect George Schoephoerster, M.D., CEO Robert K. Meiches, M.D., Dave Renner, director of state and federal legislation, and Karolyn Stirewalt, policy counsel. 

The Annual Meeting will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago, Saturday, June 14, through Wednesday, June 18

Some of the high-profile issues the AMA HOD will weigh in on include:

• Medical tourism
• Health effects of high fructose syrup
• Simplified nutritional rating system for processed foods
• Risk of injury or death from tasers
• Medical student debt burden and its impact on the physician shortage
• "Secret shopper" patients

For a complete list of policy topics under consideration by the House of Delegates, visit the the AMA website page on reports and resolutions.