1. Mark your calendars and request your days off!

The third annual meeting of the National Physicians Alliance will be in Houston Texas, March 14-17^th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel

Our theme is "Healing Communities." More information will follow but we know how important it is to give people advance notice for time-off requests.

2. NPA in the News: Fighting for Prescription Privacy

You've already heard that the NPA received front-page coverage in the Washington Post, and that we've released a video on the insidious practice of datamining, but do you feel well informed about the issue?

We recommend you print out the following two articles by NPA members and share them with your colleagues. They're concise, well written pieces that bring the issue into focus. Our website is rich with additional resources.

Prescriber Profiling: Time to Call It Quits
by David Grande, MD, MPA

Following the Script: How Drug Reps Make Friends and Influence Doctors
by Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD

3. New and Improved NPA Blog

Our blog has been revamped and looks great! Check it out here. You can register to contribute and also comment on current posts.

4. Call for Leadership

We are seeking applications for those interested in serving on the NPA Ethics Committee which, among other duties, will formulate rules or principles of ethics for adoption by the NPA. As the NPA grows and seeks to broaden member benefits, this committee will help develop guidelines for engagement with outside parties. The ethics committee is also responsible for receiving, initiating, and investigating complaints of unethical conduct of members (a confidential process) and for formulating rules and procedures governing disciplinary process, which must be approved by the NPA Board of Directors. To be considered for this important committee, please send a statement of interest and a copy of your C.V. to npa@npalliance.org and we'll be in touch with you promptly.

5. Local Action Groups: Rhode Island and Chicago

Rhode Island: The NPA's local action group in Rhode Island co-sponsored a forum with Ocean State Action on May 20 to discuss a plan for universal health care inspired by NPA member Nick Tsiongas. The event was held at the home of NPA member David Lewis and his wife, Elly, and was attended by over 30 persons, including a group of Brown medical students who raised over $200 among themselves to support the initiative for universal coverage. Dr. Tsiongas's plan envisions a single, nonprofit insurer for the state that would aggregate all payments and that would function as a democratically controlled quasi-public entity to insure all Rhode Islanders. A new, more robust cost-containment program would also be instituted. The savings from the restructuring along with new public funds would be used to expand coverage.
Attendees commented on the need to create a revitalized primary care and public health infrastructure, to build in incentives for doctors to be creative in finding new ways to improve care, and to promote best practices. These comments will be incorporated into the ongoing planning under the auspices of Ocean State Action, an advocacy organization that has assembled a broad coalition of stakeholders to move the initiative forward. The NPA local action group will play a continuing leadership role in bringing these ideas to fruition.

Chicago: Over 9 million children nationwide and 344,000 children in Illinois are uninsured. Unfortunately, these children are less likely to have a primary doctor, receive needed medical attention or to seek medical care. The federal government has the chance to impact this issue in 2007 by reauthorizing SCHIP funding at appropriate levels to cover all eligible children. The Chicago area LAG is working in partnership with neighborhood churches to address these issues at a local level. It is our goal to both educate community members about the importance of quality health care for all and to increase the number of community members who have access to health care. We hope to promote awareness among parishioners regarding the importance of SCHIP renewal and the consequence of being uninsured. We will also empower them to become child advocates by distributing the Campaign for Children's Health Care petition in support of health care for all children. In order to increase the number of community members with insurance, application materials for public insurance programs will be provided. Chicago LAG members will aid families in identifying which program suits them best and assist in applying for the programs. By working with local parishes, the Chicago LAG hopes to address the issues of providing quality health care for all and restoring integrity and trust in the medical profession.