Name of Person Preparing Report:

Andrew M. Snyder, M.D., FAAP

President

Chapter:

Rhode Island

District:

District I

1. CME:                                                                                          $ 8,000.00    30   %
2. Pediatric Resident Advocacy :                                                   $ 6,000.00    26   %
3. Collaboration with other AAP Groups Regionally:                   $ 3,500.00    15   %
4. Membership Recruitment, retention and Participation:             $ 4,500.00    20   %
5. Chapter By Laws and restructure:                                              $ 2,200.00      9   %

                                                                                                               $24,200.00   100 %

The Chapter has initiated the process for pediatricians to provide fluoride varnish applications to young children to prevent and or reduce dental carries under an agreement with the Department of Human Services Rite Care Office.  The Chapter has promoted this procedure as part of quality clinical practice among its members throughout the state. The Chapter provided technical assistance to the Department of Health on regulatory matters relating to the provision of dental services to children. The Chapter is moving toward training issues and reimbursement for children’s oral health. 

The Chapter has a contract with the Department of Health to provide information and education on bioterrorism in Rhode Island. Currently a publication on bio-terrorism for all healthcare providers is in the process of publication.

The Chapter has initiated collaboration with the Rhode Island Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Association by inviting the association to a RIAAP Board meeting in August. Over 25 members of that community attended and participated in discussion and tour of the Providence Children’s Museum at the August Board meeting and social that followed. The Chapter provided a CME session on adolescent mental health at its Fall CME Program. The Pediatric Counsel has sought increased reimbursement to clinicians for children’s mental health services during the past year working on mental health parity.

The Chapter is a member of the HEAL Coalition which is a statewide coalition of healthcare agencies whose goal is to reduce childhood obesity in the state by 50% by 2015. The Chapter has representatives on the following action teams: Early Childhood, School aged children and community action teams. Also the Chapter has participated in designing a statewide conference in 2008 “Obesity: Strategies for Physicians & Health Care Providers”

RIAAP partners with KIDSNET the states computerized child health information system.  The program serves families, pediatric providers and public health programs for immunization.  The purpose is to make sure that all Rhode Island children are immunized and that pediatric providers have the vaccine and reporting resources at the right time to assure complete childhood immunization. The Chapter is a member of the Immunization Advisory Council  of the Department of Health.

The Chapter wrote and introduced and actively supported a bill in the state legislature which was passed and signed by the Governor mandating testing for HIV of all mothers in the state. Rhode Island became the fourth state in the country to pass this legislation.

The Chapter is a member of Rhode Island Kids Count’s “Covering Kids and Families Partners” Advisory Committee. This advisory committee was established under a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to extend health insurance coverage to all of the state’s children under an expanded “RIte Care Program.”  The Chapter has acted on its own initiative to expand the SCHIP Program as well as in concert with CKF Committee of the Kids Count Program.  The Chapter also works in close collaboration with the RI Parent Information Network, a statewide service and advocacy initiative working with developmentally delayed children and low income families seeking health care resources.   Additionally, the Chapter is a partner with the “Watch Me Grow Program” of the Department of Health and of the “Successful Start Program.”

The Chapter developed and sponsored a pediatric resident advocacy seminar in the Rhode Island Legislature which involved 23 residents and the House and Senate leadership and members of the Health, Education and Welfare Committee.  In addition, the Chapter appeared as the first- ever session of the Women’s Legislative Caucus to discuss the role of pediatricians, the health issues facing Rhode Island Children, the state of Rhode Island’s health care system, and current and future issues on which they may wish to consult with RIAAP. State legislators and senior policy staff from the legislature and the Department of Health attended a Chapter Board meeting to discuss legislation of interest to pediatric community in the 2007 General Assembly session.

The Chapter offered two major CME programs in 2007.  In May, the Chapter offered a program on coding and office practice attended by over 75 members and, in November, offered a five-credit program on adolescent health. The Chapter has co-sponsored CME with other healthcare organizations such as hospitals and health organizations

RIAAP has participated in numerous public forums and convocations during which focused on children’s healthcare issues. The Chapter Vice President was the featured speaker on health issues of school-aged children at community leaders meeting sponsored by Leadership Rhode Island. The Chapter President has made many public statements relating to planned reductions of children’s health insurance, nutrition in the states schools, and the importance of immunization for all children. The Chapter leadership has appeared in the electronic, television, radio and print media on issues of importance to children including, immunization, obesity, wellness, nutrition and health insurance.

The RI Chapter continues active participation with the PROS network. It also works with the Department of Health to use a standardized developmental screening tool on all children in RI and will continue to partner with them to measure outcomes.

The Chapter partners with the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Family Health Division on a number of programs, including: KIDSNET, the state information system for immunization, developmentally delayed children, lead poisoning and WIC;  Successful Start, Watch Me Grow, Lead Poisoning, Childhood Obesity, Family Outreach and Immunization .  The Medical Director of the Division of Family Health sits ex-officio on the Chapter’s Board of Director. In August of this year the Department of Health awarded its Community Partner Award to the Rhode Island Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics.  KIDS COUNT, the states principal organization for child advocacy awarded the Chapter its Community Service Award in November of 2007.

Presented a CME lecture on smoking cessation in adolescents in November of 2007. The Chapter was an active partner with the Rhode Island Chapter of the American College of Family Physicians in the “Tar Wars Program” a smoking prevention and cessation initiative targeted on children and adolescents.

The RIAAP has been active on the advocacy front trying to prevent the elimination of children of immigrant families from the state’s RIte Care Program (Medicaid managed care/SCHIP). The Governor and the state face a severe budget shortfall for this fiscal year and a strategy under consideration is the reduction of nearly 2,000 children from Rite Care.  The Chapter advocates in many forums for accessible, quality health care for all children in Rhode Island.

CME events are one of the most important membership development programs.  The programs are often geared toward general pediatricians.  They often connect community pediatricians – who are often separated from the major academic center - with the RIAAP. 

Additionally, we have a monthly e-mail to area pediatricians with updates regarding accomplishments of the RIAAP as well as upcoming events – including event such as legislation to review, upcoming CME events, and upcoming events of interest to pediatricians. 

Semi-annually, from an AAP Chapter Grant, have a dinner for senior medical students with faculty and residents to encourage entering pediatric training as a career.

Our residents are amazingly active with all advocacy efforts. 

• We provide close guidance for grant writing and our residents have the most Resident CATCH grants in District I. 
• The RI Chapter provides biannual ‘noon conferences’ to the residents to encourage participation
• Residents are always offered Chapter-subsidized, free, attendance to all CME events
• The RI Chapter offers a minimum of 4 travel grants for residents to visit and work in our ‘sister’ hospital of Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Last year our chapter was awarded a Young physicians grant from the AAP and we will launch a long-term recruitment effort in 2008, focusing on young pediatricians, that will improve their networking, communications and educational activities.

We have multiple medical subspecialists as active Board members who participate in all activities, programs, advocacy, and education as our primary care members.

We have 2 surgical subspecialists on our Board who act as a liaison with their professional organizations

Our Academic Faculty members represent about ½ of the Board, including the Chairman for the Department of Pediatrics.  We alternate between Academic and Private president terms, so that each are represented always between the Vice President and President positions.

Our Seniors, are active in all general Chapter activities.  Dr. Jack Farley is active with the AAP National Senior section and regularly updates the chapter president on news and activities.

While we have no specific engagement of minorities, our Board is multiracial/ethnic and represents a similar distribution of our pediatrician population.

The Rhode Island Chapter continues to develop into a leading agency for children’s healthcare in RI.  We are now sought after by legislators, the Department of Health, Medical Society, and many other advocacy groups for information and expertise.  We remain central in the discussions regarding insurance coverage, SCHIP, and health policy.  Further, we take pride in the amount and quality of our CME, both ourselves and in partnerships, offering great value to our members.  Pediatricians in RI lead all practitioners in electronic health records adoption living up to our dedication to improve the quality and efficiency of pediatric practice.  We remain engaged in statewide discussions to improve mental health access, obesity prevention through research and clinical education, dental care for children, and medical homes for all children. 

Establishing a long term relationship for education and training with Ankgor Children’s Hospital, Siem Reap, Cambodia

William Hollinshead, MD MPH, as the Chapter liaison to the Department of Health, Dr. Hollinshead embodies partnerships and collaboration to bring improvement efforts such as KidsNet and Successful Starts to life.

Gregory Fox, MD, has taken school health and oversight to a new level on behalf of the RI AAP.

Patricia Flanagan, MD , through vocal advocacy efforts aided in removing teenagers from the adult prison facility and removing abstinence only curriculums from our schools

Brian Alverson, MD, learning civics 101, in his first year worked to draft opt-out HIV legislation for RI and guided it to passage.