SPRING/SUMMER
2000
Volume. 35
Number
1
 
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Joint Commission on Government Relations
Dudley M. Stewart, Jr., M.D., Area V
Commissioner, Assembly Liaison to JCGR
The Joint Commission on
Government Relations met in February, 2000 during the APA Legislative and
Public Affairs Institute in Miami. We were joined during that time by the
Chairs of Psychiatry and had a very positive meeting. We welcomed the inclusion
of the Chairs of the Departments of Psychiatry from across the country, and we
believe that this type of interaction will be beneficial in linking our agenda
not only at a state but also at a federal level. The particular items we would
like to mention are as follows:
1. We discussed at length the strategic
plan for dealing with non-physician prescribing, and we have that template to
go to the Board for implementation.
2. We dealt at some length with the
HCFA regulations on Confidentiality of Medical Records after having had a
telephone conference to finalize our draft and after having had an opportunity
to review the final draft prior to distribution. We see this as a tremendous
step forward in being able to actually have JCGR input into documents such as
this.
3. We have redoubled our resolve to work in a more integrated
fashion with the Division on Public Affairs and the Joint Commission on Public
Affairs. To that end we have revised the pocket issues format so that APA
positions will be readily available to members when they are to be contacted on
federal and or state legislative questions. |
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We have planned for more
frequent meetings and conceivably even a specific DGR ListServ so that the
members of the JCGR can have the opportunity to interact with one another
directly following a model very similar to that used by the North Carolina
Legislative Affairs Committee. We owe a debt of gratitude to David Ames, the
chair of that committee for sharing his plan with us.
Lastly, the
Legislative Representatives (LRs) from Area V had, what I consider, excellent
meetings and interactions with one another, and as a result were able to elect
a Deputy Representative, Les Secrest of Texas, who will be the Representative
to the JCGR when I am unable to attend due to schedule conflicts. I anticipate
that there might be a conflict or two in the upcoming year, as I will serve as
President of the Louisiana State Medical Society.
4. A full copy of the
minutes of the Joint Commission on Government Relations meeting will be
provided as soon as they are available from the Division of Government
Relations for anyone so asking. |
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