The AMA vs. Sermo

 

Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

The American Medical Association (AMA), founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897,^[1] is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States, representing around 20% of practicing physicians . There are approximately 633,000 practicing physicians in the United States. The AMA represent about 130,000 physicians. In recent years the number of physicians in the AMA has been declining yearly. Physicians have not felt the AMA has represented their interests or their patients interests.

Sermo is an online social network of physicians that has grown since it onset in 2005 to over 110,000 practicing physician. Its membership is growning daily.

Sermo means “conversation” in latin. Physicians have conversations on Sermo about their  problem patients. Sermo has clinical rounds where problem cases are discussed. I am one of Sermo’s Clinical Endocrinology consultants.

As important Sermo conducts surveys of practicing physicians’ opinions on various political issues. A Sermo survey recently asked physicians their reaction to President Obama’s healthcare pan and the A.M.A endorsement of the plan. 

The AMA’s endorsement of Obamacare has generated much distress in the practicing medical community. I feel the AMA has been suckered into President Obama’s “Rope A Dope” methodology. The AMA is not represented the practicing physicians position. The AMA goal is to have a “seat at the table.

Sermo conducted a survey of its 110,000 members opinion of the AMA position on HR3200. Sermo has been far more transparent and egalitarian than the AMA. Sermo’s members feel that Sermo is far more representative of their opinions and far less political than the AMA.

 

Sermo Physicians Respond to AMA Endorsement of Healthcare Bill HR3200

Survey Results: Summary

4 questions.

Results as of August 04, 2009 2:10 PM

1. Do you endorse the current House Healthcare Bill as it is currently written?

     Single-choice question

2

. Does the AMA speak for you in endorsing the House Healthcare Bill?

     Single-choice question

3. What is the most important issue that must be addressed for you to support a Healthcare Bill? Please add the issue of most importance to you, if it’s not listed here.

     Single-choice question

 

 

4. Which statement best describes you:

     Single-choice question

 

Copyright © Sermo^™ 2009 All Rights Reserved

MeSH data created, maintained and provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. MeSH version "2006 MeSH".

Social networks such as Sermo are going to be the organizations that will be the real political action committees of the future rather than present day lobbyist in Washington. Social networks will give people in their individual fields the ability to express their opinions directly to politicians and their individual communities. There is no question what the opinions of the American practicing physician is toward HR3200 from the Sermo Survey.

President Obama’s healthcare reform plan is focusing on the wrong issues in his attempt to Repair the Healthcare System. Sermo has given us physicians an opportunity to express our individual opinions.

The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” are, mine and mine alone.