Membership

Utah Chapter Member Application (physicians)

Utah Chapter Membership Renewal

Utah Chapter Affiliate Member Application (non-physicians)

Membership can mean:

Advocacy

• Increase your knowledge of and participation in policy and advocacy activities. The Chapter represents the needs of children and pediatricians on key state councils and committees.
• Increase involvement in the legislative arena to positively influence the payment for and quality of pediatric practice and the welfare of children in Utah.
• Build coalitions with other organizations working toward improving children's health and well-being.
• Promote the interests of Utah pediatricians within the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Leadership

• Help set and contribute to the goals of the Utah Chapter and its committees in your areas of interest.
• Attend leadership development and professional enhancement courses.
• Mentor residents and medical students interested in pediatrics.
• Provide testimony on key issues to help develop pediatric policy at state level.

Networking

• Network with other pediatricians with similar interests, find new interests, and learn about others.
• Expand local membership participation and influence in national AAP affairs.

Education

• Receive The Growing Times newsletter and other informative mailings.
• Attend annual scientific conference sponsored by the Utah Chapter.
• Participate in learning collaboratives to improve the quality of health care delivered.
• Request free, interactive CME pediatric courses presented close to your office.

What has the Utah Chapter done lately?

Child Advocacy:

• Reach Out & Read Utah - During 2011, 76966 books were distributed to 43,724 Utah children. Pediatricians continue to counsel families about the importance of reading aloud; clinical sites participating has increased to 39. Chapter funding was matched by local Rotary Club to support outreach efforts.
• Utah Safe KidsPartner in sponsoring Boost 'till 8 campaign including new website, www.boosttil8.org, developed for provider referral and public education. Distributed over 60 booster seat DVDs to practices statewide. Child Safety Road Show CME course offered free of charge for providers and office staff. Successfully blocked proposed legislation to repeal Utah's booster seat law.
• Legislative AdvocacyUrged protection of Graduate Medical Education federal funding for children's hospitals and support for Clean Air Act. Successful in protecting state vaccine funding, opposed cost shifting/budget cuts to Utah's School for Deaf & Blind, advocated funding for Early Intervention Program, protected children's with disabilities satellite clinics from budget cuts. Advocated immunizations for teen mothers, patient safety prescription labels, and strengthening reunification services. Successful in defeating proposed legislation allowing psychologists to prescribe psychoactive medications to children and repeal of booster seat law. Approximately 16 members provided testimony during legislative hearings, 30 pediatricians were available to attend the Capitol as needed and many members served as Key Contacts.
• An Evening at the State LegislatureAdvocacy training event attended by over 60 pediatricians, residents and medical students and 11 key legislators. Chapter website, www.aaputah.org/aapLegislation, features advocacy toolkit.
• Childhood Obesity Prevention & Healthy Lifestyles- Assisted in promoting Visualize Victory, Good Health Club toolkit and Champions of Change-Knocking Out Obesity in Utah Conference.
• Environmental Health- Published position statement opposing local government policies, issuing permits, industry proposals that make air pollution worse and impact child health. Work collaboratively with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment to increase public awareness on health consequences of environmental degradation.
• Child Mental Health Access- Collaborative efforts continue with Intermountain Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry to improve mental health access. Conducted provider needs assessment, Common Problems in Pediatrics Conference topics/expert panel discussion focused on mental health. Assist in website development to enhance communications and provide tools/resources for providers and families. Improve behavioral health education and training in residency program. Continue to advocate for improved private/public insurance mental health benefits and provider compensation.
• Child Care & Parenting- Successful in securing Healthy Future Medication Administration in Child Care Curriculum in Utah grant to improve the health and safety of children in child care. Assisting in the development of resource materials for parents seeking quality child care providers.

Pediatrician Advocacy:

• CATCH/Healthy Tomorrow Partnerships - Mentored residents and members to secure 2 CATCH grants. Mandy Allison, MD, received an AAP Special Achievement Award for improving the infrastructure for coordinated school health and increasing access to care for high-risk adolescents in Salt Lake County.
• Payor Advocacy - Provide forum for pediatricians to discuss concerns about covered services and plan policies/administrative procedures impacting access, quality efficiency of treatment and reimbursement through the Chapter's Utah Pediatric Council. Advocated for Medicaid to change Synagis to a specialty pharmacy billing program slated for implementation in 2012 and reimbursement for telephone care. Actively opposed DOH's proposal for statistical sampling rule of Medicaid cases. Promoted Medicaid Electronic Health Incentive Program and distributed information and materials on health information technology including EHR vendor selection. Appointed Chapter Health Information Technology Champion.
• Practice Managers Group - Support group of key office staff to get help, information and resources on management issues. Membership has increased 85 representing practices statewide. During 2011, three meeting were held focusing on improving practice management, team building, understanding doctors better, meaningful use of HER/Medicaid incentives, building life resilience, child safety campaigns and VFC program challenges/changes.
• Medicaid Reform - Sponsored forum for pediatricians and key players to discuss Utah Medicaid Demonstration Waiver and learn more about Medicaid reform. Members participate on Medicaid Reform Leadership Team.
• UPIQ - Utah Pediatric Partnership to Improve Healthcare Quality (UPIQ) remains the quality improvement arm of the Chapter. During 2011, learning collaboratives focused on improving immunization delivery, mental health, medical home, early identification referral of ASDs, and motivational interviewing. There were 313 total participants. Supported 15 members in pursuing MOC credit through UPIQ. Supported UPIQ and CHIC medical home demonstration project on children with chronic conditions.
• Medical Home Portal - Support online development of information, tools and resources for physicians, parents, teachers and other professionals caring for children. Distribute quarterly the medical home newsletter to pediatricians statewide. Support development of new traumatic brain injury module offering CME credit and fetal alcohol syndrome disorder module.
• Utah Medical Association- Work with provider organizations to advocate for physicians and their patients; foster collegiality among Utah physicians and promote public health. Submitted six resolutions adopted by the UMA House of Delegates to improve child health and advocate appropriate provider compensation.

Professional Education:

• 33rd Annual Common Problems in Pediatrics Conference - CME provided during this 3-day conference with record attendance of 181 participants.
• CME Pediatric Partnership Courses - Assist members in identifying education needs and design interactive CME courses on chosen concepts with the aim of improving quality of care and patient outcomes. Over 20 topics/courses offered at no charge for CME. During 2011, over 430 providers participated in this program.
• PASS Initiative - Physicians Against Secondhand Smoke (PASS) is a resident initiative implemented through the Chapter to provide training and CME course for providers on tobacco use cessation and secondhand smoke exposure in the practice setting. Conducted provider needs assessment; presented CME course at 10 locations throughout the state with over 91 providers participating in this program. No charge for CME credit.
• FASD Visiting Professorship - Successfully in securing education grant to increase provider knowledge and skills in the treatment, diagnosis and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Promote management of patients with FASDs in the medical home, published provider referral resources/guide and increased awareness of FASD in the community. State House Rep. Rhonda Menlove was presented the Chapter Child Health Advocate Award for leadership in passing legislation requiring establishments to serve alcohol to post signs warning of the effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. H. Eugene Hoyme, MD, an internationally recognized authority on FASDs, presented at Pediatric Grand Rounds with record attendance totaling over 120 with broadcast links and web streaming. Dr. Hoyme also presented at Resident Noon Conference, medical genetics case conference, and Utah Fetal Alcohol Coalition.
• PROS - Facilitate practice-based research through the Chapter's Pediatric Research in Office Setting (PROS) with over 70 members participating. PROS study results are featured in the Chapter newsletter.
• Medical Home on Asthma - Appointed Medical Home Chapter Champion Program on Asthma. Facilitated the dissemination of best practices, education/advocacy related materials to implement the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute asthma guidelines in the practice setting.
• Disaster Preparedness - Appointed Chapter Disaster Preparedness Champion to raise provider and public awareness of needs of children during an emergency/disaster. Instrumental in establishing the Utah-1 CMAT, a disaster medical assistance team. Numerous articles on disaster preparedness published in Chapter newsletter.
• Breastfeeding Provider Education/Advocacy - Active in promoting breastfeeding, as well as improve reimbursement for breastfeeding care. Hot topics in breastfeeding were a featured component of Common Problems in Pediatrics Conference. The Chapter continues to be involved in breastfeeding education/training of residents and medical students and the state's Baby Friendly Initiative.
• Child Oral Health Initiative - Promoted role of pediatricians in assessing children's oral health, distributed materials/information and trained members in fluoride varnish application at Common Problems in Pediatrics Conference.

Membership:

• AAP National Committees - Encourage and support members seeking to serve on AAP National Committees, Councils and Sections and provide input regarding AAP policies and programs. There are 3 members currently serving on national committees.
• Executive Committee Meetings - Implemented outreach initiative to determine how the Chapter could better serve member needs. Executive Committee meetings were held in different locations along the Wasatch Front and attended by area pediatricians.
• Member Value - Demonstrated member value and benefits. Financial rewards include tuition discount for Common Problems in Pediatrics Conference, UPIQ learning collaboratives, and no charge for attending regional CME Pediatric Partnership courses. The Chapter newsletter is published quarterly in electronic format; informative emails are sent monthly and mailings as needed. Pediatric subspecialists are invited to speak at Common Problems in Pediatric Conference and regional CME courses. Chapter dues are waived for residents, Chapter resident representative attends NCE and a noon conference features advocacy opportunities within the local and national AAP. The Practice Managers Group is an additional network for getting timely information to members, as well as a resource for key office staff to get help, information and support and improve overall staff competency.
• Young Physicians - Executive Committee includes young physician and three resident representatives. Tuesday's with Tom provided legislative advocacy training for 6 residents and medical students during the Legislative Session. The Chapter was awarded a grant to host two young physician events allowing colleagues to become better acquainted and promote Chapter involvement. A young physician column is featured regularly in the Chapter newsletter.
• Senior Physicians - Executive Committee includes a senior physician representative. The Utah Pediatric History column is features in each newsletter and the AAP Senior Bulletin distributed to members 55 and older. A Pediatric Grand Rounds on Utah's pediatric history was presented during 2011. Senior members remain active in legislative advocacy, public service/volunteer work, and participate in Chapter activities.
• Medical Students - Executive Committee includes a medical student representative. Members, including residents, were surveyed regarding residency experience; results were compiled into a "tip sheet" and distributed to medical students applying to a pediatric residency program. The Chapter co-sponsored the annual Pediatric Medical Interest Group annual round table luncheon with over 65 students and pediatricians attending. Provided support for annual Match Day Dinner with over 140 attendees. During 2011, 16 students elected to enter into pediatrics. Medical students serve as Key Contacts and are mentored through the legislative advocacy process by Chapter members.
• Awards - Paul Young, MD, received the Chapter's highest honor-the Marty Palmer Service to Children Award for outstanding teacher, clinician and researcher, as well as a role model for colleagues who mentor others. Robyn Nolan, MD, received the Chapter's Resident Service to Children Award for helping physicians better understand how to improve the quality of life for children with disabilities.

Annual Dues:  $125
Please Note: Membership in the national AAP is not required for membership in the Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Whom do I contact? Cathy Oyler, Executive Director, at office@aaputah.org or (801) 968-3411. You can visit the Utah Chapter's Web page at www.aaputah.org.

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