India Post News Service
NEW JERSEY: The Legislative Day held by the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Washington has helped the US hear the voice of Indian-American doctors in the ongoing health care debate, AAPI national president Dr. Hemant Patel said.
Dr. Patel said AAPI leaders deliberated last week with over 30 Members of Congress including New Jersey's Representative Frank Pallone during the day-long engagement on wide ranging issues that affect their profession. The team briefed the elected representatives on the issues that impact not only Indian-American physicians, but physicians in general across the US.
Dr. Patel was addressing the Fall Governing Body and Annual Meeting and Gala Banquet of the Federation of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (FAAPI) of Greater NY, NJ and PA. The governing body meeting was attended by more than 75 of the Association's leaders from across the country, at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson in Jersey City, NJ on October 5-7.
The FAAPI gala banquet dinner saw more than 700 people including state health officials, political leaders and hundreds of physicians of Indian origin from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania along with their families enjoying a sumptuous evening complete with Bollywood entertainment provided by popular playback singer Kumar Sanu. Further on the success of the AAPI Legislative Day, Dr. Patel said the issues presented before the legislators included: Medicare Reimbursement, Medical Liability, health Coverage for the un-insured, access to Physicians and the doctors' right to make decisions in the interests of patients.
"I know the level of frustration with practicing medicine today is very high and I want to let you know that AAPI is listening and we're on the right track," he told the physicians attending the gala convention. Assuring that he did not go to Washington to make demands with the legislators, Dr. Patel added: "We went there to offer our support, guidance and advice to them as they look for new ideas on reforming the US health system with the 2008 elections round the corner." The national president said AAPI felt it was imperative that voice of Indian-American physicians be heard the healthcare debate.
The robust engagement during the AAPI Legislative Day had helped achieve this goal to a greater extent. Dr. Patel said 10 percent cut in medical reimbursement proposed by the federal government must be opposed by all physicians.
"We really need to fight back," he said to a thunderous applause from the physicians. In his keynote speech on the occasion, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey assured the physicians he would use his office to ensure their voice is heard and their knowledge is better utilized in the healthcare reform process, Sen. Menendez said, "We are in synch with your legislative agenda.
We share your goal of seeing that the 47 million un-insured Americans do not go to sleep without any medical insurance whatsoever." Responding to the issues placed before him by the AAPI Executive Committee on healthcare reform, Sen. Menendez said, "We need to ensure that we do not have gatekeepers - those in insurance companies who have no medical background telling doctors what kind of treatment they can or cannot provide for their patients; guarantee that physicians are not squeezed by the federal government by having their reimbursements reduced and malpractice premiums increased; and ensure that everyone has access to physicians."
"I don't see any major changes over the next year in what is left of the current administration, because there is hardly any time for making major changes with the Presidential elections. However, major healthcare reform will be the No.1 job for the new President who takes office in January 2009," he said. Sen. Menendez had earlier met with Dr. Hemant Patel and the AAPI Executive Committee to discuss key issues.
The AAPI had urged him to facilitate their representation in the national healthcare reform process and the officers briefed the Senator on the concerns expressed by AAPI leaders at the AAPI Legislative Day and asked the Senator to ensure that their voice was heard loud and clear in the healthcare reform debate.
Sen. Menendez who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is a member of the Senate India Caucus also showered praise on AAPI leadership for successfully staging the gala event. He said India was a great ally of the United States and that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he looked forward to further enhance the relations between the two nations.
"The Indian American physician community is very important because they deliver quality healthcare to fellow Americans; but you do it under some very trying circumstances considering the state of the healthcare system in the country today," he said. Presenting the President Progress Report on the first 100 days of his tenure as AAPI President, Dr. Patel said AAPI has become financially stronger now than ever before.
"This was made possible thanks to the tremendous success of the AAPI Silver Jubilee Convention held in Philadelphia past May. We had over 2,000 people turn out at the end of the day AAPI earned a record profit of $745000," a beaming Dr. Patel said. This strong financial position would translate into more benefits such as quality programs, conferences, member services, legislative advocacy and more support from the national organization, Dr. Patel added. Dr. Patel said the AAPI Charitable Foundation held a fundraising dinner at Mirage banquet hall in New Jersey on Oct 5, 2007 that helped raise more than $20,000 which will go towards the 16 charitable healthcare clinics run by the Foundation in India.
He said $50,000 from the excess funds generated during the AAPI Silver Jubilee Convention will also be channeled toward the Foundation's activities. Dr. Patel said the ensuing Indo-US Healthcare Summit in New Delhi in December 2007 was the result of the partnership between Indian Medical Association, the Medical Council of India and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
The Summit, expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and attended by Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi will work on a number of disease areas, and engage high level government officials including federal Minister of Health Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and Chief Ministers from several Indian states.
AAPI is also working on a number of other initiatives and programs to add value to its members. Some of them include Women's Health Summit in Houston on Feb 23, 2008, AAPI Leadership Development program next year to nurture future leaders from AAPI and the national convention in Las Vegas in June of 2008.
Dr. Patel had a word of praise for his team in taking AAPI to newer heights and said Dr. Sankar Rao, president-elect, Dr. Vinod Shah, vice president, Dr. Ajit Singhvi, secretary and Dr. Prasad Srinivas, treasurer, had played a leading role in realizing the goals. Dr. Fred Jacobs, New Jersey State Commissioner of Health said AAPI was one of the premier medical associations in the United States.
"Over the last 20 years, physicians of Indian origin have made significant contributions to medical education and research, and providing quality healthcare to Americans, especially in the State of New Jersey," he said. "Charity care in India itself has given you a better understanding of the vast health disparities there and the culturally relevant issues that you have brought here with you have helped to improve the delivery of healthcare to South Asian populations in New Jersey and around the country as well."
Dr. Jacobs spoke about the need for minority community specific education for medical students so the medical graduates can narrow the disparity gaps and give effective care. He also spoke about revitalizing the principles of humanism in medicine.
Dr. Seema Jain, President of the Federation of AAPI Greater NY, NJ and PA said the Federation, which was formed to providing a united front for physicians in NY, NJ and PA, boasts of 8,000 registered members, which makes for the largest concentration of Indian origin physicians in the country.
"The Federation had played a very visible role in the community, on Capitol Hill, in forming alliances with pharmaceutical companies and engaging young physicians and residents," she added. Consul General in New York Neelam Deo who spoke on women leadership said a recent McKinsey study had revealed that big corporations with women in leadership positions showed higher profitability.
"Women can be leaders just the same as men, but question of why there aren't more women leaders has to do with work place and in most cases, the home aren't designed to enable women to assume leadership positions," she added quoting an oft-repeated quotation of PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, "If you want to be a new woman, better marry a new man." On the occasion, all 16 AAPI chapter Presidents were presented with plaques.
Dr. Tarun Shah proposed a vote of thanks. Congressman Frank Pallone, Upendra Chivukula, New Jersey State Deputy Speaker and Sandra Cunningham, who is running for State Senate from Jersey City were present on the occasion.
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