Board Meeting Minutes

American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting
Rosemont, Illinois
October 26, 2002

IN ATTENDANCE: Joseph Wood, MD, JD; Robert McNamara, MD; A. Antoine Kazzi, MD; Tom Scaletta, MD; Howard Blumstein, MD; Anthony DeMond, MD; William Durkin, Jr., MD; ; James Li, MD; Geoffrey Mitchell, MD; Kevin Rodgers, MD, Paul Sierzenski, MD; Jason May, MD. Absent: Carol Barsky, MD; Raymond Roberge, MD. Staff: Kay Whalen and Beth Wilson.

Approval of August 12, 2002 Board of Directors Conference Call Minutes

Dr. Wood began the meeting by welcoming everyone to Chicago and turned their attention to the first agenda item. After a brief discussion regarding the previous meeting, Dr. Li moved and Dr. Durkin seconded that the August 12, 2002 conference call minutes be approved. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

President's Report

Dr. Wood reported that he had presented on Fairness and Contract Issues at the recent ACEP Scientific Assembly. He had been introduced as the president of AAEM.

Dr. Wood will be speaking at the upcoming AAEMLa meeting and in Orange County. Other Executive Committee members have also presented to various academic programs.

Dr. Wood also reported that both he and Dr. McNamara are representing AAEM at the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke Meeting.

Finally, Dr. Wood reminded the Board of the letter that had been sent to the LA County supervisors.

Treasurer's Report

Dr. Scaletta then reviewed the Treasurer's Report. He reminded the Board that AAEM's auditors were concerned with AAEM's negative net worth and that AAEM needed to end 2002 with a positive net income (which is predicted) and should budget accordingly in 2003.

The Board then discussed various line items on the 2003 budget. Due to increased costs for JEM subscriptions and other general increases, the Board felt a need for increased dues was warranted. The proposed 2003 management fee paid to EDI was approved in executive session.

Since several items that appear later in the agenda may impact the budget, the approval of the proposed 2003 budget was deferred until later in the meeting.

Membership Report

The Board then reviewed the membership totals for 2002. Full voting membership had increased by 5% while associate membership had increased by 40%. This combination resulted in an overall full voting and associate membership increase of 10%. This compares to an 11% increase between 2000 and 2001.

Next, the Board discussed several mechanisms that would provide incentives for entire groups to join AAEM. After much discussion, Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Li seconded that AAEM offer a group discount of 10% if 5 or more physicians joined AAEM as a group. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

The Board then reviewed Eddie Hooker's request for emeritus status. Since Dr. Hooker met the qualifications for emeritus status, Dr. Blumstein moved and Dr. Durkin seconded that AAEM grant emeritus status to Edmond Hooker, MD. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Education Committee

The Board reviewed and discussed the plans of the Education Committee, chaired by Joe Lex. Dr. Lex proposed an AAEM Written Board Review Course Jam Session the night before the Written Board exam. The Board felt that this would be a worthwhile member benefit.

State Chapter Bylaws Approval

Dr. McNamara reported that a group of AAEM members living in the Delaware Valley (Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) believed that an AAEM chapter in this area would be a worthwhile endeavor. They had submitted organizational bylaws for approval by the Board. The chapter planned to have its first organizational meeting during the Scientific Assembly meeting in New Orleans. Dr. Blumstein moved and Dr. McNamara seconded that the bylaws for the Delaware Valley Chapter of AAEM be approved as drafted. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Expert Testimony

Dr. Kazzi then asked the Board to consider amending the previously approved AAEM Plaintiff Experts Policy to disallow testimony by any past, present or future Board member. After discussion revolving around the need to testify regarding due process and other democratic issues, Dr. Blumstein moved and Dr. McNamara seconded that this issue be tabled until the Board meeting in New Orleans. MOTION PASSED 10-2.

Bylaws Changes

Dr. Durkin moved and Dr. McNamara seconded that the following section should be included in the AAEM bylaws, "Unless disabled , on family leave or temporarily physically incapacitated, all Officers and Board Members of AAEM must be actively practicing Emergency Medicine defined as a minimum of 20 clinical hours in an ED per week for at least 46 weeks of the calendar year in which they hold office. New electees may not take office unless they meet this requirement. A current Board Member who is not able to achieve such a level of practice after a three month period shall resign his or her position. This provision will go into effect as of the 2003 election for Officers and as of the 2002 election for Board Members." be added as Section 8.14 Practicing Physician Requirement of the bylaws.

Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Kazzi seconded that the number of clinical hours read "12" rather than "20" in the proposed bylaws change. MOTION PASSED 10-2.

The Board then voted on the amended motion which now reads the following section should be included in the AAEM bylaws: "Unless disabled , on family leave or temporarily physically incapacitated, all Officers and Board Members of AAEM must be actively practicing Emergency Medicine defined as a minimum of 12 clinical hours in an ED per week for at least 46 weeks of the calendar year in which they hold office. New electees may not take office unless they meet this requirement. A current Board Member who is not able to achieve such a level of practice after a three month period shall resign his or her position. This provision will go into effect as of the 2003 election for Officers and as of the 2002 election for Board Members." be added as Section 8.14 Practicing Physician Requirement of the bylaws. MOTION FAILED 8-4.

Dr. Durkin then moved and Dr. Blumstein seconded that the following be included in the AAEM bylaws, "All candidates for the BOD must have been active voting members for a minimum of 2 years prior to being nominated. All candidates for the Executive Committee must be active members for a minimum of 5 years prior to being nominated." MOTION FAILED 1-11.

Dr. Durkin next moved and Dr. Sierzenski seconded that Section 8.8 of the bylaws be amended to read as follows: "...and confirmed by the Board of Directors for the unexpired portion of the term within 30 days of the seat becoming vacant...will be eligible at the completion of the term of their predecessor for election to one full term unless the vacancy was for less that half the elected time (18 months for the Board of Directors, 1 year for Officers), in which case the member could serve for 2 full terms." MOTION FAILED 3-9.

Dr. Durkin moved and Dr. Kazzi seconded that Section 8.4 of the bylaws be changed to read, "President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer...shall be one two-year term." MOTION FAILED 3-9.

The next proposal from Dr. Durkin was an election procedure policy change rather than a bylaws change. Dr. Durkin moved and Dr. Blumstein seconded that, "Members running for a position on the Executive Committee must run individually, not as a group. Any mailings or campaign material can only be sent out on an individual basis, not as a group or 'party ticket'." MOTION PASSED 9-3.

Finally, Dr. Durkin moved and Dr. Kazzi seconded that, "The President may not serve concurrently as an elected officer of any other organization (other than local hospital medical staff offices) in medicine during his term." MOTION FAILED 3-9.

Website Report

In the interest of time, Ms. Whalen briefly reported on the website trends report included in the agenda packet. The Executive Committee will work with Ms. Whalen to keep website expenses to a minimum.

Strategic Plan

Malpractice Efforts
Dr. Blumstein reported that this committee is working on developing a website to address this issue.

Fairness Efforts
Dr. Kazzi reported that the committee had developed a Fairness Resolution and now need to develop a position paper.

Job Security/Contract Control/Due Process
This committee has had little activity to date.

Increase Membership
The ways in which AAEM can increase membership are discussed at each Board meeting.

Committees/Involvement
Dr. Rodgers reported that this committee should have a reorganization template by the beginning of next year.

Political Presence
Dr. McNamara reported that the AMA does not provide political consultants for its members. In addition, ACEP has declined to work with AAEM in this arena. Therefore, this committee had met via conference call and recommends that AAEM should move forward with its own agenda.

Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Scaletta seconded that $7,500 be budgeted for 2003 for a legislative website. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

In order to have the funds for the lobbying activity, AAEM will need to increase its dues. Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Rodgers seconded that AAEM increase its dues by $20 for full voting and associate members to aid in the funding of legislative activities. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

New Business

Dr. Wood then, once again, turned the Board's attention to the proposed budget. Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Durkin seconded that the proposed 2003 budget with modifications be approved. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

The Board then discussed the possibility of creating an ad hoc joint smallpox committee with SAEM and ACEP. Dr. Wood appointed Dr. McNamara to chair this committee.

Dr. Kazzi reported on the progress of the meeting in Sitges/Barcelona. This meeting should be extremely successful.

Dr. Kazzi moved and Dr. Scaletta seconded that the president of the Catalonian Society be presented with a special award. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Dr. Kazzi Moved and Dr. Scaletta seconded that the president of Spanish Society be granted international honorary membership in AAEM. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

Dr. Scaletta asked if AAEM's Code of Ethics should be incorporated into AAEM's bylaws. Dr. Wood asked him to create a specific proposal for the next Board meeting.

The Board then discussed the current requirements for Associate Membership in AAEM. Since Ms. Whalen stated that most associate members are in this category only until they take their boards, the AAEM Board felt this should be clarified in AAEM's bylaws. Therefore, Dr. McNamara moved and Dr. Sierzenski seconded that AAEM's bylaws, Section 4.3, Associate Membership, read as follows: "Associate Membership is limited to graduates from an ACGME or AOA approved Emergency Medicine training program. Associate Members shall have no right to vote." MOTION PASSED 10-2.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Kay Whalen
Executive Director