J. Kevin Duplechain, MD, FAACS | AACS Advocacy Committee Chair
There are continued items that keep the AACS Advocacy Committee engaged. Over the past year, we have been engaged in multiple states advocating for the rights of members of the AACS. Earlier this year, we became involved and successfully defended attempts in New York that would have prevented AACS members from being able to perform fat grafting including BBL in an office-based facility. In a similar manner, the state of Florida developed legislation that would again have limited fat grafting and BBL to board certified plastic surgeons.
The Academy, along with a strong coalition of physicians in Florida, provided compelling medical evidence that our own members were not responsible for the large number of deaths attributed to intramuscular fat injections during BBL procedures. Wewere able to assist in providing input and subsequently language was adopted that removed restrictions related to board certification.
Most recently as of this writing, the Division of Office-Based Surgery in New York contacted the AACS through this committee and requested input and guidance regarding ultrasound-assisted fat grafting including BBL procedures. These types of advances in advocacy are paramount to the future of the AACS. The significance of now being “asked to the table” to discuss medical care of patients is historical. Never before has advocacy been so important or so influential for our membership.
Establishing a State-by-State Network
Because of our successes in New York and in Florida, we are developing a state-by-state advocacy network that will provide “boots on the ground” when future issues arise. In key states, these rapid response committees will identify lobbyists and influential members of legislative and medical boards. Their primary goal will be to develop a dialogue prior to future issues arising that might be perceived as damaging or restrictive to AACS members. The reparedness of these committee members will facilitate early intervention through educational initiatives, dissemination of factual data, and presentation of our latest efforts of developing publishable studies that demonstrate the safety protocols of AACS members who perform surgical procedures.
AMA Policy Impact and Call to Action
In November, Drs. Kamran Dastoury, Robert Jackson, and Tony Geroulis attended the 2023 AMA Interim Meeting in National Harbor Maryland. Over the past 10 years, we have had dialogue with the AMA regarding subspecialty board recognition and the suggested advertising language used by some states to prohibit non-AMBS boards from advertising as “board certified.” Resolution 316 contained the following language:
In addition to ABMS and AOA-BOS, there are several other entities that provide initial and continuing board certification. These entities have varying standards for obtaining initial board
certification and maintaining continuing certification over time.
These entities include:
American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM)
American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS)
American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS)
American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS)
American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS)
National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS)
United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS)
American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine
During the meeting, the Council on Medical Education recommended the following resolve be adopted, which and was voted on by the House of Delegates and has now become part of the AMA policy:
That our American Medical Association advocate for federal and state legislatures, federal and state regulators, physician credentialing organizations, hospitals, and other health care stakeholders and the public to define physician board certification as establishing specialty-specific standards for knowledge and skills, using an independent assessment process to determine the acquisition of knowledge and skills for initial certification and recertification.
Additionally, the resolution acknowledges the impact that this will have on the suggested board
certification language currently in place in approximately five states. It further states that this language will be addressed in the future by the House of Delegates.
This recognition by the AMA of our educational and certifying standards demonstrates the lifelong commitment that the AACS has for its membership. It is without doubt the result of the unwavering efforts of our delegate, Dr. Tony Geroulis, our alternate delegate, Dr. Robert Jackson, and the recent support of Dr. Kamran Dastoury. Read their report in this news article. This is a truly historic accomplishment. As such, now more than ever, we need the AACS membership to continue its support of the AMA. If you are not currently a member of the AMA, I ask that you please join.
To join or renew your AMA membership, visit this page.
To become a member of the AACS, visit this page.