The American Medical Association ( AMA ) recently gathered physician and medical student leaders from all corners of medicine during its Interim Meeting and voted to adopt new policies aimed at improving the health of the nation.
Among a few of the policies are the following:
Parity in reproductive health insurance coverage for same-sex couples: In recognition that same-sex couples have sometimes been denied access to insurance benefits that cover fertility service, the AMA adopted policy aimed at promoting parity in reproductive health insurance coverage for same-sex couples.
The new policy adds to established AMA policy supporting measures providing same-sex households with the same rights and privileges to health care, health insurance, and survivor benefits, as afforded opposite-sex households.
Support for voluntary inclusion of gender identity, sex, sexual orientation options in electronic health records: To improve patient health, the AMA approved policy supporting the voluntary inclusion of a patient's biological sex, current gender identity, sexual orientation and preferred pronoun( s ) in medical documentation and related forms, including EHRs ( electronic health records ). The AMA also will advocate for collection of patient data that is inclusive of sexual orientation/gender identity for the purposes of research into patient health.
Improved access to mental health services at colleges, universities: The AMA adopted new policies to improve mental health services at colleges and universities. The new policies support strategies to improve accessibility to care and reduce the stigma of mental health issues. The AMA also urged colleges and universities to emphasize to students and parents the importance, availability, and efficacy of mental health resources, and to develop mechanisms of care that support timely and affordable access.
See AMA-assn.org .