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In this Issue:
- Governors Message
- I Raise the Rates! Newsletter
- Join the Indiana Chapter at Leadership Day 2022 in Washington, DC, May 17-18, 2022, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
- ACP Online Learning Center
- New Advocacy Toolkits
- Call for Fall 2022 Board of Governors Resolutions
Bradley M. Sutter, MD, FACP, ACP Governor
Governors Message
Greetings, ACP Indiana Colleagues and Friends:
As I prepare this newsletter in early Spring 2022, the latest COVID-19 Omicron variant surge is thankfully resolving, with rapidly-declining numbers of inpatient cases throughout the U.S. and Indiana. Unfortunately, vaccination rates have stagnated, as have booster immunization counts. Roughly 65% of the eligible population of the U.S. is “fully vaccinated” (not including booster shots), while only 54% of the eligible Indiana citizenry is fully vaccinated; hence, it behooves all of us to encourage patients, friends, and family to be fully vaccinated against COVID19 and other important pathogens. ACP has provided a new adult immunization videos series you may find helpful . Likewise, in mid-to-late August of 2022, our Chapter will be hosting an immunization “Raise the Rates” educational seminar featuring our own former Governor and Infectious Disease expert Dr. Brad Allen, who will lead a discussion on the importance of vaccination against COVID19, influenza, pneumococcus, and other relevant vaccines as we enter cold and flu season. Please stay tuned for further details and “save the date” information.
In keeping with our chapter's very important Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts—and in recognition of the invaluable contributions made to our own state's healthcare by physicians of color—we want to acknowledge the life and legacy of Dr. Frank P. Lloyd (Oct. 20, 1919-Aug. 27, 2002). Dr. Lloyd was a graduate of the Howard University School of Medicine, a Rockefeller Fellow at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in NYC, and a faculty member at Columbia. He then came to Indianapolis, where he launched a successful OB-GYN practice and performed research in that specialty. He was one of the first African-American physicians on the Medical Staff of Methodist Hospital, and he became the Director of Medical Research at Methodist in 1963. Thanks to Dr. Lloyd's clinical and research skills, leadership, and vision, Methodist became a leading teaching and research facility in Indiana and the Midwest. In 1981, Dr. Lloyd became the first African American president of Methodist, where he spearheaded the development of the successful cardiac transplant, kidney transplant, and critical care programs for which Methodist became famous. Dr. Lloyd also led the hospital's major expansion in the mid-80's to the “new” A building and critical care tower, and to eventually house a comprehensive Emergency Department and Level-1 Trauma Center. Dr. Lloyd also was the third chairman of the White River State Park in Indianapolis, as well as co-chair of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee. He was a founder of the Midwest National Bank, which worked to expand lending opportunities to African-American citizens; he also helped start/fund WTLC in Indianapolis, a pioneering African-American radio station in that market. Lastly, Dr. Lloyd was one of the co-founders of 100 BLACK MEN, a mentorship organization for African American youth. Quoting Sam Jones, then president of the Indianapolis Urban League: “He was a giant among men, not just African-American men, but a giant among men, period.” (References to the above information are available in Russ Pulliam's column in Indy Star from Nov. 12, 2020 and The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, a product of the Indianapolis Bicentennial effort 2020-21 .
Let me take this opportunity to remind everyone to register to attend the upcoming ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2022 to be held in Chicago at the McCormick Place Convention Center. We are looking forward to our first large gathering of IM physicians since April of 2019, and we are especially excited to host our incoming FELLOWS class at the impressive and always memorable Convocation Ceremony to be held Thursday evening, April 28th at 5:30pm. Lastly, please save the date and RSVP for our Indiana Chapter Reception, to be held at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant on 4/29 from 5:30-7:30pm. We anticipate a relaxing and joyous reunion of our chapter members while enjoying good food and drink.
Meeting and Registration information and links can be found HERE.
Another reminder that the ACP Board of Governors (BOG) will be considering 12 new resolutions at the upcoming BOG meeting to be held just prior to the IM 2022 meeting in Chicago. Our chapter recently distributed (via ACP Online) these resolutions for your review and comment; the issues are very relevant to our diverse membership and include important topics such as medical training supervision requirements, healthcare visitation guidelines during pandemics, and modifying EHRs to lessen clinical interruptions. We look forward to your valuable feedback by no later than March 22nd, which will help inform our input on behalf of the Indiana Chapter membership.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate our 2022 Chapter Award winners: Dr. Brad Allen received the Indiana Chapter Laureate Award, our Chapter's highest honor; and Dr. Warren Gavin was tapped for the ACP Indiana Chapter Physician Hero award for his tireless patient care and educational efforts treating COVID19 patients throughout the pandemic, as well as his unique opportunity to share with local and national media the impact of the pandemic on the well-being of patients and the medical community. It was a very joyous celebration of these two talented and deserving physician members of our Indiana Chapter. Please keep your colleagues in mind for potential nominees for next year's chapter awards and send those names/brief bios/rationales to our Nominations Committee via email to Colleen Keeku, our Indiana Chapter Executive Director.
As always, I/we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued service to your patients and communities during this very unpredictable and stressful time in your professional lives. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated, and we hope you will have the opportunity this Spring—especially with the pandemic (apparently) on the wane-- to spend meaningful and enjoyable time with friends and family, and to refresh from the grueling schedules all of you have endured. The ACP continues to support each of us in myriad ways, from providing a multitude of free CME activities and webinars, to the always timely and impactful articles in Annals of Internal Medicine as well as ACP's ongoing advocacy initiatives to support your wellbeing, your practice, and our profession. Please take advantage of all ACP membership offerings.
Sincerely,
Brad Sutter, MD, FACP
Governor, Indiana Chapter, ACP
I Raise the Rates! Newsletter
The February edition includes an opportunity to participate in ACP Quality Improvement initiative and Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD, MACP explains the ACIP's 2022 adult immunization recommendations.
Join the Indiana Chapter at Leadership Day 2022 in Washington, DC, May 17-18, 2022, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
This event provides an opportunity for ACP and our members to increase our presence in Washington and bring visibility to issues of common concern. Participants receive a comprehensive orientation and briefing on ACP's top legislative priorities and then have an opportunity to meet with legislators and the staff on Capitol Hill.
The Indiana Chapter is again sponsoring members to attend. Attendees will receive up to $1200 for students and residents and up to $1000 for practicing physician members as travel stipends for up to two attendees from the following member categories: student, resident/fellow, early career physician (less than 10 years out of training)(4 Total Attendees).
To enter please submit your response (500 words or less) to the following: “Why is physician advocacy important to you? What do you hope to accomplish by attending ACP Leadership Day?”
Essays should be submitted no later than Wed, March 30, 2022.
Submission Link HERE
General information regarding Leadership Day 2022 can be found HERE
ACP Online Learning Center
Wondering about Indiana CME requirements? You can now visit the Online CME & MOC Learning Center and click on the “State CME Requirements” tab to learn all about what you need to do.*
Easily find content by specialty or search by subject, learning format, or product.
See What's New
- Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for Internal Medicine: POCUS 12 – PEARLS: An Ultrasound Physical Examination
- Obesity Management Learning Hub: Obesity Management 2: Pharmacotherapy
- X-Express: The ABCs of Prescribing Buprenorphine
Access the Online Learning Center
*Note: You must be logged into your ACP Online account to access this information.
New Advocacy Toolkits
New Advocacy toolkit: Enables you to advocate for improved access to necessary menstrual hygiene products. The kit includes background information, relevant ACP policy, and sample letters that you can send to your state governors:
New Advocacy toolkit: Enables you to advocate with organizations and state medical boards to change or remove inappropriate medical licensing and application questions regarding mental health.
Call for Fall 2022 Board of Governors Resolutions
Are you concerned about a practice or clinical issue or have an idea you'd like to suggest? If so, you might consider submitting a resolution to your Governor or chapter council.
Not sure how to begin drafting a resolution? Researching the College's position on an issue can give you a start. Visit the ACP Online homepage and click the Advocacy link in the right-hand, top margin to access ACP policy positions, read about recent ACP advocacy activities, or search ACP's library of policies and recommendations.
Members must submit resolutions to their Governor and/or chapter council. A resolution becomes a resolution of the chapter once the chapter council approves it. If effecting change interests you, the deadline for submitting new resolutions to be heard at the Fall 2022 Board of Governors Meeting is March 30, 2022.