Final Action on Resolution 2: Adopted.
2. Streamline Prior Authorization Process for Physicians
RESOLVED, that MSMA reaffirm house policy as adopted at the 2021 MSMA House of Delegates, and that MSMA seek a legislative and/or regulatory remedy to streamline the prior authorization process for physicians.
Final Action on Resolution 3: Adopted as Amended.
3. Mississippi State Medical Association Council on Accreditation
RESOLVED, that the MSMA bylaws be changed to reflect that the MSMA Council on Accreditation shall be appointed by the MSMA Board of Trustees; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MSMA Board of Trustees will appoint no fewer than six physician members to the Council on Accreditation, who are members in good standing of the MSMA, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the MSMA Board of Trustees will take into consideration a diversity of geographic location and physician specialty/background in its appointments to the Council on Accreditation, where possible, as long as these Council members are able to satisfactorily perform all duties of the Council.
Final Action on Resolution 4: Adopted.
4. Mental Health Resources for Mississippi Teens and Pre-Teens
RESOLVED, that MSMA will work with the CHAMP service and the Department of Education to educate, enlighten, and train care givers and health care providers within the school system to contact CHAMP for immediate consultation in an effort to curb suicide in the child and adolescent population for immediate consultation.
Final Action on Resolution 5: Adopted.
5. Commendation for Job Well Done to Dr. Thomas Dobbs
RESOLVED, that our MSMA House of Delegates expresses its great appreciation for a job well done to Dr. Thomas Dobbs and wish Dr. Dobbs continued success in his future endeavors.
Final Action on Resolution 6: Adopted as Amended.
6. Scheduling and Banning the Sale of Tianeptine in the State of Mississippi
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate ban the sale of Tianeptine directly to the public.
Final Action on Resolution 7: Referred to the Board of Trustees for further study and action.
7. Disruption of the Physician Patient Relationship after Employment or Partnership Changes
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate fiercely to maintain and protect the sacred physician-patient relationship by seeking legislation and/or regulation to make it illegal for employers or former partners not to disclose fully when a physician is leaving and where a physician is relocating upon request of the departing physician for that information to be released to patients, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate that within this same legislation and/or regulation be contained protection of the employed physician who shall not be restricted from personally disclosing this information to his/her patients directly up to and including written, printed or electronic communication to the physician’s entire patient panel with said information all in the name of best practices, patient care and professionalism.
Final Action on Resolution 8: Adopted as Amended.
8. Physician Wellness in a Pandemic Era
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate for a culture of physician and trainee wellness and a revolution to overcome physician burnout as we exit what we hope is the worse of the current pandemic, and that MSMA work for meaningful culture shift for those who employ physicians to value and respect what physician experts bring to the medical team and to the hiring organization’s finances and reputation, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA continue their work to promote physicians both internally within workplaces and externally among the public and community leaders to reinvigorate trust in the profession, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA continue their heroic efforts at physician wellness by hosting events committed to the physical and mental wellness of physicians and advocating for physician leaders within an administrative capacity broadly to strengthen employer value and respect for physician employees, and that MSMA advocate for the position of Physician Chief Wellness Officer across our state at businesses who employ physicians committed to changing the current culture generally found in physician employment. Employers have been generally focused primarily on patient satisfaction which is an important metric, but physician satisfaction is equally important and has been ignored in many ways, and be it further
RESOLVED that MSMA advocate strongly and publicly that a well-balanced, healthy physician or trainee contributes to the public health in innumerable ways, and a healthy physician workforce should be promoted in all ways possible.
Final Action on Resolution 9: Adopted.
9. Graduated Membership Dues
RESOLVED, that MSMA Board of Trustees look at the feasibility of a similar graduated dues program to be instituted for our association and, furthermore, to enact such program if it is deemed financially responsible, appears that it will increase membership numbers, and is overall in the best interest of MSMA.
Final Action on Resolution 10: Adopted.
10. Protect our Heroes: Campaign in Support of Miss. Code Ann. §97-3-7
RESOLVED, that MSMA Launch a Campaign Aimed at Educating Health Care Employers and Employees of this disturbing trend of assault and promote that these attacks be reported and appropriately dealt with per the MS Code and encourage employees to support such reporting of assault on healthcare workers.
Final Action on Resolution 11: Resolution stricken as language affirms existing House of Delegates policy.
11. Create the Mississippi Assisted Suicide Ban Act
RESOLVED, that MSMA opposes physician assisted suicide.
Final Action on Resolution 12: Adopted.
12. Restrictions on the Ownership of Hospitals by Physicians
RESOLVED, that MSMA work on all state and federal levels to alleviate any restriction upon physicians from owning, constructing and/or expanding any hospital facility type - in the name of patient safety, fiscal responsibility, transparency and in acknowledgment of physicians everywhere who have given of themselves valiantly in the name of patient care, and be it further;
RESOLVED, that the MSMA House of Delegates direct the Mississippi Delegation to the AMA to take this resolution to the AMA and advocate for its passage as AMA House of Delegates Policy.
Final Action on Resolution 13: Adopted as amended.
13. Screening and Approval Process for the Over-the-Counter Sale of Substances with Potential for Recreational Use and Abuse
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate for the implementation of a state level screening and approval program to fall under the authority of the State Health Officer which would bestow the authority on his/her office to approve or deny the over-the-counter availability and/or sales of any substance with the potential to be recreationally used and/or abused based on anecdotal, scientific or any other relevant and available evidence to help determine such approval or denial. An appeals process, should one be necessary, would be available by way of appeal to the Board of Health directly by the manufacturer or distributor of such substance that was denied by the State Health Officer initially, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA direct the Mississippi Delegation to the AMA to take this policy to the AMA House of Delegates if successfully passed, to be considered as a model for national advocacy to begin the proactive fight against these substances in lieu of a reactive one.
RESOLVED, that MSMA work with stakeholders to create a public education campaign regarding these unregulated substances.
Final Action on Resolution 14: Adopted.
14. Medical Decision-Making Autonomy of the Attending Physician
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate that no matter what may change in regard to a physician’s employment or job status, that there is a sacred relationship between an attending physician and his/her patient that leads the patient’s attending physician to hold the ultimate authority in the medical decision-making that affects that patient, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate strongly that if there is a unique circumstance that puts the attending physician’s care into question by a hospital administrator of any sort such as listed above but certainly not limited to that list– physician or not- in the event of a disagreement between an administrator and the attending physician regarding a decision one would call a mere judgment call, the onus would be on the administrator to prove to an ethics committee why the attending physician is wrong prior to anyone having the authority to overturn or overrule the order of the physician attending the patient directly, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA reaffirm that the responsibility for the care of the individual patient lies with a prudent and responsible attending physician, and that his/her decisions should not easily be overturned unless there has been an egregious and dangerous judgment error made, and this would still call for an ethics committee consult in that instance, and be it further
RESOLVED, that MSMA aggressively pursue any encroachment of administrators upon the medical decision making of attending physicians that is not in the best interest of patients as strongly as possible, for there is no more sacred relationship than that of a doctor and his/her patient, and as listed above, first, we do no harm.
Final Action on Resolution 15: NOT Adopted
15. Eliminate Mandated Content for CME
RESOLVED, that Mississippi should eliminate all content specific areas of CME; and further be it
RESOLVED, that the Mississippi State Medical Association shall actively engage with the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure as well as the state legislature to eliminate all mandates for content specific CME; and further be it
RESOLVED, that until such time as mandated CME content is eliminated, the MSMA will provide efficient courses for physicians to satisfy all mandates and that such courses shall be free for MSMA members.
Final Action on Resolution 16: NOT Adopted.
16. Clarify for Patients that All Emergency Departments Will Have a Physician Present
RESOLVED, that no facility in the state of Mississippi shall bear the designation of Emergency Department, ED, Emergency Room, ER, or other similar title, facility logo, or design implying provision of emergency medical care without the on-site presence of a licensed physician 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whose primary duty is to patients seeking emergency medical care at that facility; and further be it
RESOLVED, that coverage by an “on-call” physician who is either off-site or who has responsibilities primarily for clinic or inpatient services shall constitute non-compliance with the above; and further be it
RESOLVED, that facilities which have no 24/7 on-site presence of a physician primarily dedicated to the emergency care of patients, but rather use retrospective physician review of non-physician clinician charts or off-site collaboration with a physician such as, but not limited to, by phone or video or other indirect physician involvement in the care of emergency patients, shall constitute non-compliance with the first resolved; and further be it
RESOLVED, that the prohibition of such terminology shall also apply to facilities seeking to provide emergency medical care to special populations (e.g. Pediatric ED, Psychiatric ED, Geriatric ED, etc.); and further be it
RESOLVED, that the Mississippi State Medical Association seek the enactment of legislation or regulation to facilitate the above.
Final Action on Resolution 17: Adopted.
17. Hold Accountable the Regulatory Bodies, Hospital Systems, Staffing Organizations, Medical Staff Groups, and Individual Physicians Supporting Systems of Care Promoting Direct Supervision of Emergency Departments by Nurse Practitioners
RESOLVED, that in accordance with CMS Regulations and standards of practice for emergency medicine as defined by ACEP and AAEM, MSMA will hold accountable the regulatory bodies, hospital systems, staffing organizations, medical staff groups, and individual physicians supporting systems of care that promote direct supervision of emergency departments in Mississippi by nurse practitioners.
Final Action on Resolution 18: Referred to the Board of Trustees.
18. MMPAC Board of Trustees Membership
RESOLVED, that the House of Delegates request that the MMPAC Board of Directors amend their bylaws to add three (3) members elected at large by the House of Delegates at Annual Session to serve a one-year term and be it further
RESOLVED, that an at-large member elected by the House of Delegates may serve up to ten (10) consecutive terms on the MMPAC Board.
Final Action on Resolution 19: Adopted as amended.
19. Monopoly Effect of Blue Cross Blue Shield in Mississippi that is Detrimental to Patient Care
RESOLVED, that MSMA support UMMC, as the only provider of unique specialty care in Mississippi, in their mission to deliver quality patient care for all patients regardless of insurance status and to support UMMC in their efforts to resolve the current conflict with Blue Cross Blue Shield to find a resolution that will positively impact patient care, and finally be it
RESOLVED, that MSMA advocate for expansion of the Insurance Commissioner’s authority to intervene in current issues and to prevent the formation of insurance monopolies that adversely affect patient care and physicians’ ability to practice in the State of Mississippi.
Final Action on Resolution 20: First Resolved and Second Resolved referred to Board of Trustees for further study; Third Resolved Adopted.
20. Firearm Safety in Mississippi
RESOLVED, that our MSMA advocate for legislation for universal background checks of all firearm transactions, including private sales and transfers; and
RESOLVED, that our MSMA advocate for legislation to remove firearms from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others while ensuring specific due process measures for removal and return of firearms; and
RESOLVED, that our MSMA advocate for legislation ensuring access to formal gun safety training for all new gun owners and safe gun handling education.
Final Action on Resolution 21: Adopted.
21. Decriminalize Fentanyl Testing Strips
RESOLVED that MSMA work with all interested parties and state lawmakers to advocate for the decriminalization of fentanyl test strips to curb fentanyl related overdose deaths.
Final Action on Resolution 22: Adopted as Amended.
22. Extend Telemedicine to Out of State Enrolled College Students to Avoid Emergency Room and Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalizations when in Crisis
RESOLVED, that MSMA work with the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Osteopathic Association, and the Federation of State Medical Boards to advocate to Congress that legislation be introduced and passed to extend telemedicine coverage for out of state enrolled college and graduate-level students with an established physician-patient relationship to avoid emergency room and inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations.
Final Action on Resolution 23: Referred to the Board of Trustees.
23. Succession for MSMA Representation at Events When the MSMA President is Not Available
RESOLVED, that the bylaws of Chapter XI Duties of Offices, Section 1 President, be amended to add: If the President is not available to attend an individual event as the representative of the Association, the order of succession for MSMA representation shall be: President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary-Treasurer, Speaker of the House of Delegates followed by any Trustee of the Board.