Day 2 Chad Spain, MD, FAAFP Delegate The first full day of Congress of Delegates (COD) is typically full of debate and discussion — this year, not so much. 2024 marks the first year of significant process change. In years past, the first day of COD has opened the floor to delegates and alternate delegates from all across our nation to discuss the state submitted resolutions. This year resolutions were posted online weeks before the COD and were only open to comments on the website, which replaced the historical norm of in-person testimony. To be frank, I don’t think many chapters were aware of this process. Online comments just hit differently — context, personal experiences, tone, etc. are easily lost, and the volume of comments posted online didn’t seem to match previous years when comments were given in person. The online comments were then reviewed by committees, again, prior to COD, who then presented a revised resolution; these resolutions were then agreed to as a whole or extracted for individual review during day one of COD. Confused? Well, many states seemed to be in the same position. Fortunately, we have a great CEO in Maryann Martindale, who informed our delegation of the entire process along the way, which put us in a great position to take the microphone during times of need! Fourteen late resolutions were submitted early Monday with requests to be heard during this year’s Congress of Delegates and only two were accepted. Mississippi, please mark your calendars in order to not miss a deadline next year — j.k. we love you. Our delegation submitted four resolutions including topics of Annual Wellness Visit reform, research into why family medicine physicians are leaving the workforce, Social Security income limit adjustments, and pharmacy pricing practices; three of the four were approved (pharmacy pricing was not but with a note that similar policy from AAFP is already in place)! Lastly, we heard from Speaker Russell Kohl and AAFP President Steven Furr who made thought provoking comments regarding leadership, family medicine’s importance to righting the U.S. healthcare system, and the need to put an end to ongoing Medicare payment cuts. Since my first term (2018-19 as alternate delegate), I have had the privilege of getting to know and hear from so many of Utah’s great family physicians; attending the Congress of Delegates as your delegate gives me a great sense of pride and a role that I take seriously. Listening to you and being a voice when given a platform is a winning recipe in my book, and I look forward to serving again in 2025 COD in Anaheim, California. AAFP Speaker of the House Dr. Russell Kohl during the Town Hall meeting Drs. Chad Spain and Nick Duncan seeing the sites of downtown Phoenix, hoping to find something haunted Utah COD Delegation (from left to right): Dr. Nikki Clark, Dr. Katharine Caldwell, UAFP CEO Maryann Martindale, Dr. Nick Duncan, and Dr. Chad Spain 21
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