Statement attributable to:
George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA
President, American College of Physicians
WASHINGTON, D.C. June 16, 2021 –The American College of Physicians (ACP) applauds the American Medical Association (AMA) for its Board of Trustees Plan for Continued Progress Toward Health Equity, its Organizational Strategic Plan to Embed Racial Justice and Advance Health Equity, and for the policy adopted by its House of Delegates on Health Care and Organizational Policies and Cultural Changes to Prevent and Address Racism, Discrimination, Bias and Microaggressions.
These actions and commitments are aligned with ACP’s own policies on health equity, racism as a public health issue, and health care disparities. In January ACP published A Comprehensive Policy Framework to Understand and Address Disparities and Discrimination in Health and Health Care in the Annals of Internal Medicine The policy lays out a framework to confront the interconnected and compounding aspects of U.S. society that contribute to poorer health outcomes due to racism and discrimination. Along with the framework, ACP published three companion papers on ending disparities in general education, medical education and in health care organizations, in law enforcement and criminal justice, and for populations at greatest risk. These policies followed an organizational commitment from ACP, adopted last year, to be an Anti-Racist, Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Organization. Further information about ACP’s advocacy on this issue can be found on our website.
ACP looks forward to partnering with the AMA and our sister state and specialty societies to advance our shared commitments to ending racism, bias, and discrimination. As physicians we know the harm that racism and discrimination bring to the well-being of our patients, and we have a moral imperative to combat that harm. It is time for organized medicine and all physicians to work together to confront this issue and work toward greater health equity.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 163,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org