Heading Into the Home Stretch

Over the years, I’ve watched more than a few presidents as they set priorities; represented the organization at the local, national, and global levels; and worked through the challenges they faced during their terms. One of the things I noticed is the balance they struck between the priorities on which they campaigned and the challenges they faced in getting them done. I’m about two-thirds through my term, and I am pretty sure that I’m not the first president who has said around this time, “It’s an interesting and challenging time to be president of APA!” So, as I am reaching this important milestone at the start of a new year, I thought I would share some of the reasons why I’m glad to be a psychiatrist and APA president right now.

I am extremely proud that we have continued to advocate on behalf of members on one of the most important issues faced by our members—maintenance of certification (MOC). As we enter the new year, we are focused on working to make sure that MOC requirements are not a barrier to medical licensure, hospital credentialing, or joining insurance panels. And although we remain committed to lifelong learning and professionalism, we will continue to work on solutions that offer options for our members to demonstrate continued learning and competence in their specific area of work.

I will always be proud that APA was the first professional medical organization to speak out against the harm done to children and their families separated at the border based on national policies. We were soon joined by other associations, and ultimately the policy was reversed. However, the repercussions from that and related policies have created emotional harm about which we are still concerned. One of our own, Dr. Pamela McPherson of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, brought the government’s child detention practices to our attention and represented the profession well in her appearance before a Senate committee and later on “60 Minutes.” The story touched most Americans and, as I told her in a personal communication, made me proud to be president of an APA with members like her.

It was a year of ups and downs as APA continued to focus its advocacy efforts on the lack of full implementation of mental health parity and the ongoing challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). From the landmark case in Texas in which the judge ruled that the ACA is unconstitutional to the current efforts in the House to create legislation to save what is considered the most important overhaul to the U.S. health care system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, APA has consistently spoken in favor of what is in the best interest of our patients and our members. And while engaged in these advocacy efforts, we have continued to provide high-quality services, including in response to a variety of natural disasters, violent incidents in the community resulting in mass deaths, and attacks on the profession.

Finally, the ongoing initiative involving physician burnout, wellness, and resiliency continues to be an important member benefit. We understand from members that excessive productivity quotas and documentation requirements and limits on the time we spend with patients are significant factors contributing to dissatisfaction for psychiatrists and other physicians, and we will continue to explore ways to promote the system changes needed to adequately address this problem.

These are some of the reasons that I believe that APA is a value-based, professional entity that asserts this identity every day as we advocate, champion, practice, research, and teach. I am looking forward to the final third of my term and pledge to continue to focus on maintaining that identity. May the new year allow each of us to do the same on an individual level in our roles as advocates, champions, practitioners, researchers, and teachers. ■