Michigan Delegates Write, Testify in Support of Resolutions at NCCL

Michigan's five delegates to the 2016 National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL) took active roles in drafting and testifying on resolutions with their colleagues from across the country May 5-7. Rachel O'Byrne, MD (Detroit), Woman Physician Delegate; Jorge Plasencia, MD, FAAFP (Saginaw), International Medical Graduate Delegate; Leanne Swiderski, MD (St. Clair Shores), New Physician Delegate; Tina Tanner, MD (Montague), GLBT Physician Delegate; and Preston Thomas, MD (Farmington Hills), Minority Physician Delegate met with their constituencies to draft formal proposals/recommendations to establish AAFP policy, request investigation or implementation of an AAFP program, address issues of concern, or request elimination of non-essential AAFP activities.

Resolution topics included eliminating patient satisfaction scores as a metric of quality healthcare, recognizing HIV/AIDS as a chronic disease, increasing the pipeline of underrepresented physicians to address diversity and inclusion, physician management of patient reviews on social media, and more.

Each submitted resolution was then assigned to a reference committee, which heard testimony from delegates in support of the resolutions. The reference committees then presented their recommendations to adopt, not adopt, or reaffirm via consent calendar during the NCCL's final business session on May 7. Resolutions that were adopted will now be forwarded to the AAFP's Board of Directors and assigned to appropriate commissions.

If you are interested in applying to serve as a Michigan Delegate at next year's National Conference of Constituency Leaders, April 27-29, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri, watch for MAFP's application period to open in December 2016. This provides an unique opportunity to share your perspectives and concerns to help bring about change in your Academy.

To see pictures of Michigan's 2016 NCCL Delegates in action, click here to access the photo album on MAFP's Facebook page.