Delegation report highlights Colorado leadership, policy wins and opportunities for members to bring ideas to the national stage

Colorado physicians, residents and medical students traveled to Chicago June 5-10 for the American Medical Association Annual Meeting, where more than 700 physician and medical student delegates gathered to debate policy, elect leaders and set priorities for organized medicine. The AMA House of Delegates serves as the organization’s policy-making body, bringing state medical associations, specialty societies, sections and other physician groups together to shape national positions on issues affecting patients and the practice of medicine.

For the Colorado delegation, the meeting underscored both the state’s influence and the importance of member-driven policy. The small but mighty Colorado delegation is deeply connected across specialties, sections, regional caucuses and AMA leadership. These relationships help Colorado physicians build momentum for ideas that begin at home and move onto the national stage.

Colorado physicians in national leadership

Colorado physicians were visible throughout the meeting in elected and appointed leadership roles. Several delegation members stepped into new posts, continued national service or completed important terms.

• Jan Kief, MD, completed service as chair of the AMA Council on Long Range Planning and Development
• Brigitta Robinson, MD, was appointed to the Council on Long Range Planning and Development
• Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, MD, is moving into leadership as chair of the Council on Science and Public Health
• Carolynn Francavilla, MD, completed her term as immediate past chair of the AMA Private Practice Section
• Rachelle Klammer, MD, is a councilor for District 4 within the PacWest region.
• Jeremy Lazarus, MD, is AMA Foundation Board president-elect and Klammer is current AMA Foundation secretary.

Colorado’s presence in these roles gives the state a strong voice beyond the size of its delegation, and medical student and resident involvement are an important pipeline for future leadership in organized medicine.

Colorado policy reaches the House of Delegates

One of the clearest examples of Colorado’s influence was the passage of policy opposing the use of the term “provider” when referring to physicians. The issue began as a concern raised by a physician member and advanced through Colorado’s delegation before reaching the AMA House of Delegates. Speakers described the policy’s adoption with minimal changes as an example of how one member’s idea can move through organized medicine and become part of national AMA policy.

The AMA’s action reinforces the importance of clear terminology for patients, professionalism and patient safety. Delegates also discussed major national issues including scope of practice, artificial intelligence in health care, Medicare physician payment reform, Medicaid and public health.

Members are invited to bring ideas forward

All Colorado physicians are invited to bring policy ideas forward through CMS, component societies, specialty groups or directly with members of the AMA delegation so that Colorado can continue advancing policies that reflect the experience of physicians practicing in the state.

Colorado physicians have strong relationships across the House of Delegates, specialty societies and regional caucuses. Those connections help build support for resolutions before they reach the floor and amplify Colorado’s voice in national debates.

There is a path up. When members identify policy concerns in their practices, communities or specialties, those ideas can move from local conversation to state society discussion to AMA debate. Members are encouraged to use that pathway more often.

Colorado’s AMA delegation already reviews proposed resolutions for consistency with CMS policy, meaning the work physicians do within CMS helps guide what Colorado brings to the national level.

Growing the next generation of physician leaders

We need continued engagement from members, especially students, residents, fellows and early-career physicians. More Colorado physicians joining the AMA can increase Colorado’s delegate numbers, and broader participation in organized medicine can help ensure that the state’s physician leaders are most prepared to represent Colorado patients and physicians.

Colorado physicians already have influence at the AMA, but that influence grows when more members participate, submit ideas and help shape the policies that organized medicine carries forward.

• Read overall Annual Meeting highlights from the AMA
• Read “AMA: No, physicians are not “providers”