FMA and AMA

OOPEN LETTER TO THE DCMA LEADERSHIP:


According to the published summary of a recent Board of Governors meeting, the Florida Medical Association is actively pursuing a reevaluation of its relationship with the American Medical Association. "We also began the process of a very serious and methodical reassessment of the FMA’s relationship with the AMA. Specific time will be set aside at the spring Board meeting to continue the discussion. Please feel at liberty to share your thoughts on the FMA-AMA relationship with me."
In this context the Board also tried to pass a bylaws change making the FMA President Chair of the AMA Delegation. This attempt to undermine the AMA delegations role did not pass. Furthermore, the Florida AMA Delegation did not support Dr. David McKalip run for office in the AMA , but the FMA Board of Governors overturned their decision. This is the same Dr.McKalip who was forced to step down as President-elect of the Pinellas County Medical Association, apologizing profusely for forwarding an e-mail image that portrayed President Barack Obama as a witch doctor in a loin cloth and headdress with bones in his nose. In a statement, the Florida Medical Association said it found "the actions by Dr. Mc Kalip to be hurtful and in poor judgment" but he still remains on its board ( District C, David M. McKalip, M.D., St. Petersburg). At that time he said that he is taking a year's leave of absence from a leadership role at the American Medical Association. He also planned to take a lower public profile in the health care reform debate. Instead, he was celebrated by the Tea party activities and spoke at several meetings. Now the FMA is using him as the ideological bulldozer to destabilize the AMA and Dr. Miguel Machado, a neurosurgeon and former DCMA President, runs for FMA leadership office spearheading the separation from the AMA.
Whats the goal? The FMA want to take the lead to form a new and "pure" national medical organization based on their ideological principles.
Its just astounding that physicians never miss an opportunity to divide the House of Medicine. That's the reason why I left the FMA .
There are many other important issues we should focus on to help physicians to survive and succeed in the rapidly changing healthcare environment. We need leaders who base their decisions on rational thought but not partisanship and ideologies.
I call upon each you to challenge the FMA and Dr. Machado to clearly and publicly state their support for the AMA and their policies. Furthermore, they should assure each and every AMA member that they refrain from dividing the House of Medicine and that they stop collaborating with other state medical organizations(s) to create a separate national medical organization. Dividing us just plays in the hands of our political opponents. As a loyal DCMA and AMA member I expect that my county medical society supports my right to be represented by the AMA and to stop supporting candidates who undermine the important function and role of the AMA. Otherwise, I have no other choice but to relinquish my DCMA membership effective immediately!
Its your choice to unite or to divide the House of Medicine.
Yours
Bernd
Immediate Past DCMA President