Other business ventures could include product offerings through the Internet, expanding the Physician Recognition Award program, marketing CPT internationally and rolling out the American Medical Accreditation Program or some version of it to other countries. As issues become global, AMA leaders said, there is much to be learned from the rest of the world and many areas where cooperation will benefit the Association. AMA Trustee Yank D. Coble, MD, said there are several issues, including confidentiality and privacy, and the human genome project, that have worldwide implications. People are very much concerned about private information, how it will be used in one country or another, how it gets transmitted. And he said collective bargaining, health system reform and public health are also ripe for collaboration.
Collective negotiation is something that's been under way in other countries for a number of years.
We want to know what's worked, and what hasn't, in other countries and why. It occurs in this country and it is a worldwide dilemma. There is a great deal to be said for trying to resolve that on an international basis. It's something WMA and AMA should work on together. Back to top.