The 2024 House of Delegates (HOD) convened Sept. 7-8 at the Embassy Suites in Plainfield to elect officers and AMA delegation members, set organizational policy, and engage in fellowship. The HOD considered 59 new resolutions this year. Twenty-three were adopted as introduced, 18 were adopted as amended, five were referred to the Board of Trustees (BOT) for Study, and two were referred to the BOT for Action.
A total of 172 delegates attended the closing session of the HOD.
During Convention weekend, David Welsh, MD, an ISMA member since 1989, was recognized with a resolution of appreciation for his advocacy, service, and leadership regarding organized medicine, patients, and the people of Indiana and the United States. In June, Dr. Welsh, a general surgeon from Batesville, was elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees.
AMA President Bruce Scott was in attendance during the HOD and made it a point to thank Dr. Welsh for his commitment to organized medicine.
Two retiring physician-lawmakers, one at the state level and the other in the federal government, received awards during the closing session of the HOD. Rep. Rita Fleming, MD (D-Jeffersonville) was named Legislator of the Year, and U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD, received a Special Recognition Award for his service in Congress.
Resolutions passed in 2024 touch on issues such as physician noncompetes, interference in the doctor-patient relationship, and creating a preceptor tax incentive program. Examples include:
- Resolution 24-004 directs ISMA to support legislation in Indiana that allows Legally Responsible Individuals (LRIs) to provide attendant care to waiver recipients via the Medicaid waivers, and expanding access to the Medicaid waiver for qualifying people.
- Resolution 24-008 directs ISMA to actively seek and support legislation that specifies physician noncompete agreements are per se invalid unless the employer clearly demonstrates a protectable interest, other than the typical expenses incurred when a departing employee must be replaced. It also directs ISMA to actively seek and support legislation to expand the prohibition on physician noncompetes to include subspecialty physicians in Indiana.
- Resolution 24-009 directs ISMA to seek a tax incentive program for preceptors residing in the state of Indiana, through legislation or addition to rules and regulations.
- Resolution 24-038 directs ISMA to support legislation that removes the designation of fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia.
- Resolution 24-047 directs ISMA to strongly oppose regulatory or legislative interference in the patient-doctor relationship (in further support of ISMA House Resolution 22-06), except when doing so directly conflicts with a more specific ISMA policy.
The complete 2024 Actions on Resolutions and resolutions of appreciation are posted at
www.ismanet.org/resolutions.
ISMA Pulse will again offer a tracking grid that allows members to follow what happens to each resolution year-round. ISMA members can subscribe to the resolutions you want to track and receive regular updates on their status. Visit
www.ismapulse.com to utilize the features.
The Convention weekend also offered several unique opportunities to commemorate and celebrate the association’s 175th year, including a
special video. The first-ever ISMA
Physician Wellness Symposium was also held on Sept. 6, drawing a crowd of more than 130 attendees.