FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 08, 2008

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laurie Peacock, 312-580-6497
(cell) 312-608-3620

ILLINOIS DOCTORS MEET TO DEBATE POLICY, PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

What:  Physician delegates from across Illinois will debate and establish policy for the Illinois State
            Medical Society on issues such as:

• Public health: expedited partner therapy for treating sexually transmitted diseases, rural physician workforce shortages, allowing portable health insurance policies, health care access

• Physician advocacy: State Medicaid, All Kids and Family Care programs’ timely reimbursement, medical lawsuit reforms, frivolous lawsuits 

• Patient education: obesity, banning direct consumer pharmaceutical advertising, patients rating physicians via internet sites

• Election of ISMS officers for 2008-2009
  

When:   April 11-13, 2008 (Friday-Sunday)

Friday, April 11, 2008
10:00 a.m. – ISMS House of Delegates meet (afternoon reference committees not open to the media)

Saturday, April 12, 2008
9:00 a.m. – “Confronting the Issue of Covering Illinois’ Medically Uninsured,” Panel with leading legislative experts from ISMS, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the Service Employees International Union and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association

10:30 a.m. - “Deep Vein Thrombosis: Understanding the Risk,” Education Seminar: Joseph Caprini, M.D.

2:00 p.m. - House of Delegates, President’s Address: Outgoing ISMS President Rodney C. Osborn, M.D.

Sunday, April 13, 2008
7:30 a.m. – “Pay for Performance: What Every Doctor Needs to Know,” Mary Hoppa, M.D., MBA, health care leadership and management expert

9:30 a.m. – House of Delegates, President’s Address: Incoming ISMS President Shastri Swaminathan, M.D.

Where:  Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort, 3500 Midwest Road, Oak Brook, Ill., Phone: 630-850-5555

** Results of the resolution and election processes will be available Sunday. **