The 2010 ISMS Annual Meeting was held in Springfield during late April.  DCMS sponsored five resolutions, while individual delegates introduced three others.  Of the eight, four were adopted or amended and adopted, one was referred to the ISMS Board of Trustees for study and report back to the House, and two went to the Board for decision.  One resolution was rejected.  Details follow:

Memorial Resolution
Joseph R. O’Donnell, MD               
DCMS Delegation
ADOPTED
Acknowledges the late Joseph R. O’Donnell’s many contributions to patients and the profession and expresses condolences to his family and friends.

Resolution 45   
Patient Complication Compensation
Raymond Dieter, MD
SUBSTITUTE ADOPTED
Sought ISMS exploration of alternate medical liability mechanisms; Resolution 56 (see below) adopted as substitute.

Resolution 51   
ASTC Overnight Stay
DCMS Delegation
REFERRED FOR BOARD DECISION
Seeks modification of Illinois’ ASTC guidelines to comply with existing federal guidelines.

Resolution 52
Disaster Preparedness
Raymond Dieter, MD
NOT ADOPTED
Called for ISMS policy directing that physicians must be involved in developing Medicare disaster preparedness plans for ASCs and hospitals.

Resolution 53   
Multi-year Membership
DCMS Delegation
REFERRED FOR BOARD STUDY
Asks ISMS to implement, on a pilot basis, a membership option offering incentives for prepaying dues for multiple years.

Resolution 54   
Justice for Patients Campaign
DCMS Delegation
ADOPTED AS AMENDED
Directs ISMS to enlist like-minded stakeholders in a campaign to educate Illinois citizens about the need for meaningful medical liability reform.

Resolution 55    
ASTC Privileges and Hospital Privileges
Raymond Dieter, MD
REFERRED FOR BOARD DECISION
Obliges ISMS to work with state government to modify the ASC Treatment Center Act and remove the requirement that all ASC treatment providers also maintain hospital privileges.

Resolution 56   
Health Courts in Illinois
DCMS Delegation
ADOPTED AS AMENDED
Requires the preparation of an authoritative report on health courts and other possible solutions to Illinois’ medical liability crisis; calls for a collaborative effort to promote the adoption of a health court system; seeks a federal health court pilot project in Illinois, and calls for state legislation to create health courts.