Blog and News

Approximately 70 doctors met in Washington on Wed Nov 2 until Friday Nov 4 for our annual meeting. There were representatives from 22 states in attendance.

As promised, each day was a separate event with its own flavor. The overall meeting was successful beyond everyone's expectations.

On Wednesday, we conducted our business meeting. We reviewed the history of D4PC, the state of the organization, and the strategic plan for 2012. We discussed state chapters, of which there are currently 7 (GA, IL, MI, PA, CO, AZ, OR). Each state chapter president was in attendance and gave a 5 minute summary of their organizational activities to date as well as future planning. Information was shared about starting new state chapters.

We then reviewed the features of the web site and discussed ways to improve current features, add enhancements and use the site as a central communication tool for the organization. The effective utilization of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter was discussed as a means to help D4PC go viral. Experts from our media consultant, Levick Strategic Communications, presented information about effective utilization of the media and how to conduct media interviews which was very informative for those doctors who have had little opportunity to speak publicly about healthcare. We heard about ways that we could message D4PC by using well thought out, professionally produced videos that could be aired on network TV or on YouTube.

We heard a talk about how an interactive tool that one of our consultants has developed could be used by D4PC as a recruitment tool, by standardizing our messaging. We also heard a presentation from two of our members about alternative healthcare delivery models- one of which they have developed and are using in Florida. Their Epiphany Health Plan received considerable scrutiny during Q & A and highlighted once again, that there are many innovative solutions to healthcare reform. Physicians simply must have the freedom to develop them. This is certainly not the current position of the federal government under the ACA.

One of the highlights of Wednesday's program was Presidential candidate Herman Cain’s speech and press conference. Mr. Cain’s appearance at the D4PC conference was electrifying. It is very easy to understand his current polling even in the face of the controversy that has engulfed him over the past several days. He commands the room, has a straight forward, common sense approach to solving problems, and is blessed with a magnetic personality. He accepted our invitation to speak as a result of the building notoriety of Docs4PatientCare nationally and the personal relationship that I have developed with him since the founding of the organization.

He spoke for about 30 minutes at a session with our doctors, closed to the media. The take away message was that when he wants to learn something, he goes to the experts. When it comes to healthcare, the experts are doctors. He has a deep appreciation of the importance of the physician- patient relationship and shared anecdotes about his own personal issues facing cancer. He agrees completely with the D4PC positions. At the conclusion of the private session we left our meeting room for an adjacent room which had been configured for the press conference. At this point the media descended upon Mr. Cain and our group who were escorting him to the press conference. The situation became impossible to control. As a result, his campaign called off the question and answer portion of the press conference that had been scheduled regarding healthcare and he simply gave a public statement making clear his goal of repealing the ACA (Obamacare) if elected President.

On Thursday, we conducted our House Calls On Congress. We split into 6 teams and were able to conduct numerous in depth discussions with over 45 Representatives, Senators, Healthcare policy experts from the Congressional leadership team, and Healthcare Legislative Assistants. These meetings were all very important as we continue to develop personal relationships with members of Congress and their legislative assistants. The highlight of this day was an afternoon meeting with the Congressional GOP Doctors' Caucus. Originally intended to be a small meeting involving 8-10 of our members, the session rapidly expanded to include all members due to the tremendous interest and enthusiasm that was the overarching theme of these three incredible days. There were 8 members of the caucus who initially and 3 later arrived. Our members, wearing their white coats, kept streaming in until the room couldn't hold another person. It was overwhelming for everyone in attendance.

After Congressman Tom Price gave a brief introduction and welcome, he invited each member of Congress to make a brief statement including identifying their former specialty and where they were from. Tom then turned things over to me and I gave an impassioned speech emphasizing to them the critical importance of their leadership as members of the medical profession in Congress and how important it is for them to unify as a group and align with Docs 4 Patient Care. Together we can present our comprehensive health care reform message to share with Congress and the public. They were moved by this show of support and pledged to work closely with us over the next year and beyond to create a unified position and to promote it. They have all promised to become members of D4PC (and several have done so already).

Friday morning we went to the Heritage Foundation where we met with their policy experts and listened to their presentations involving some of the legal, economic and constitutional issues pertaining to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The Heritage Foundation is one of our critical and most supportive strategic partners. The Heritage team opens their headquarters to us each time we come to Washington, providing their resources and expertise as if they are a home away from home in the Capitol. Bob Mofitt, the former head of the Heritage Healthcare Policy Team gave one of the most incredible speeches that I have ever heard. It was a call to action for anyone who loves freedom and clarified the fact that the struggle that we face is not merely about healthcare, but about the power of arbitrary government, and compared this struggle to that which our forefathers waged against the tyranny of the British Empire. Then former Congressman and current Heritage fellow John Shadegg explained why Obamacare is not only unconstitutional, but harmful to all Americans. He then accompanied us to Capitol Hill, where we gave the healthcare LAs a symposium on healthcare from the doctors' perspective and what problems we face. This was preceded by a short introduction by John Shadegg telling the audience why they needed to start listening to doctors.

This meeting was an incredible success, the best we have had to date. Several doctors told me that it was a life altering experience. Not a single person regretted making the sacrifice to come to Washington, and everyone learned something of value to assist them as leaders when they return home.

As a direct result of this meeting, we received commitments to begin chapters in North Carolina, California, Alabama, Montana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Virginia. We hope that more states will follow.

We received commitments from Congressmen to work together to establish a singular, strong healthcare message and for them to encourage the more than 7000 members of the Physicians' Council for responsible Reform to become D4PC members. We also received their commitments to all join D4PC.

This meeting will be the springboard for action over the next 12 months, leading up to the elections. If we succeed in voting the Democrats out of office, then we become a resource and partner in creating a new healthcare plan. We cannot fail. The consequences are that profound.

If you have not paid dues for 2011, then you are not currently a member. You need to pay annually to continue your membership. Please do so immediately and consider becoming a Gold member to allow D4PC to continue to fight for you. We have many good ideas but in order to implement them, we need your financial support. There is no other money coming in other than what we receive from you, our members.