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AAPI: It’s All About Giving Back to the Society 27th Annual Convention in the Land of Disney Magic

Healthcare has come to occupy center stage, especially after President Barack Obama assumed office. About 47 Million Americans have no health insurance and are left to fend for themselves. There are several working poor in the US and around the world who have limited access to proper medical care. Physicians play a central role in providing healthcare services to every individual, both in preventing as well as treating diseases

Suvas Desai, Sanku Rao, Jim McDermitt,Vinod Shah, Sudha Parikh, Ajit Singhvi, Ashok Fulambaker, Narendra Kumar. During Legislative Day on the Capital,April 29,2009 - Congressman Dr. Jim Mcdermitt spoke on the HEALTHCARE REFORM.

A physician is a medical practitioner (Doctor of Medicine) and is trained to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. This is accomplished through a study of anatomy, physiology and different diseases states and treatment there of — the science of medicine — and its applied practice — the art or craft of medicine.

Especially in North America, the title physician is now widely used in the broad sense and applies to any legally qualified and licensed practitioner of medicine. In the United States and Canada, the term physician is used to describe those holding the degrees of Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). It is also used to describe the holders of medical degrees from other countries when practicing in North America (in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, such degrees are typically MBBS, MB BChir etc which are equivalent to the US MD degree). The American Medical Association, established in 1847, uses physician in this broad sense to describe all its members.

Physicians of Indian Origin have earned a name for themselves through their commitment and dedication to work, skills and expertise, and their profound knowledge of medicine and treatment. They are seen practicing medicine almost at every hospital or clinic, both big and small. No one can deny what Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, India ’s Minister for Health, said recently: “Indian physicians are the best in the world, be it in the US or UK thanks to the basic education imparted in India.”

American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) was formed to coordinate the efforts of the physicians of Indian origin, currently working in the United States. AAPI serves as an umbrella organization for more than 130 member associations nationwide. Headquartered in Chicago and with a Legislative Director in Capitol Hill in Washington DC, this organ-

AAPI leaders and organizers of Summit with Minister for NRI Affairs,Vayalar Ravi.

ization has come to be recognized as a strong voice in the healthcare legislation and the policy arena.

Dr. Sanku S. Rao, who took over as president of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) from Dr. Hemant Patel at its annual convention in Las Vegas during the month of June 2008, stated, “The organization’s meteoric rise from a basement chat more than two decades ago to become the premier ethnic medical organization is a tribute to its past leaders, a network of hardworking committees and a constituency of 42,000 physicians and almost 15,000 medical students and residents.”

Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar is the Chairman for AAPI’s 27th Annual Convention, which will be held June 10 – 14, 2009 at the Dolphin and Swan Hotel and the Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The convention features cutting edge CME and educational programs along with evening cultural programs and traditional Indian cuisine. In addition, attendees will have a chance to meet the deans of prominent medical schools, who will be there to present their institutes. A Women’s Healthcare Forum and Leadership development session will be conducted during the convention. Over 100 exhibitors will be showcasing their products and services to the 2,000 expected attendees.

AAPI recently conducted the 2nd Annual Indo-US Healthcare Summit in New Delhi, held in partnership with IndianMedical Association and the Medical Council of India. A large number of physicians from the US, UK, Canada and India attended this summit focusing on 6 crucial disease states to develop prevention, treatment, and management recommendations. Implementation of these programs is currently underway in partnership with the Government of India in the states of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Deepika Padukone with Dr. Rohini and Dr. Sanku Rao, During India Day Parade 2008 on Independence Day in New York.		Dr. Ravi lights the traditional lamp to mark the inaugural of the summit.

Medical Association and the Medical Council of India. A large number of physicians from the US, UK, Canada and India attended this summit focusing on 6 crucial disease states to develop prevention, treatment, and management recommendations. Implementation of these programs is currently underway in partnership with the Government of India in the states of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Health Minister of India, Dr.Anbumani Ramadoss with AAPI president Dr. Sanku Rao at PBD During the Panel Discussion on Health For All - Role of Diaspora, Dr. Rao receiving the Award.		Admiral Garcia with AAPI Secretary Dr. Prasad Srinivasan.

Agastroenterologist practicing in Enid, Oklahoma, since 1979, Dr Rao is married to Dr. Rohini Rao, pediatrician, with two children, Archana and Ameet. A graduate of Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, he did his internal medicine residency at Brooklyn Hospital, Brooklyn, New York and gastroenterology fellowship at Brookdale Hospital, Brooklyn, New York.

A past trustee of Oklahoma State Medical Association, he also served as alternate delegate of the AMA. Other positions include past president of the Garfield County Medical Society, Oklahoma; past president of NW Oklahoma Blood Institute and a former member of the Governing Board of Integris Baptist Medical Center, Enid, Oklahoma.

Dr. Rao had served as the regional director for SW region of AAPI for three years before becoming elected as the Treasurer, Secretary, Vice-President and president-elect for successive years and now has taken over the responsibility to helm the organization as its president. As a founding Chair of the Osmania Medical Alumni Charitable Foundation, he helped to establish through that foundation an electronic library at Osmania, Gandhi, and Kakatiya medical colleges. He is the patron member of AAPI Charitable Foundation and past chair of the India Cultural Foundation and Hindu Temple of Oklahoma. He has established the Durgabhai Deshmukh GI endoscopy unit in Hyderabad.

Upon assuming office, while outlining his vision for the year, Dr. Rao said AAPI would conduct CME programs across the US to hone up physicians’ skills and update on the latest in their respective fields. “As medical practitioners, we have very little time to keep ourselves abreast of the developments in the vast field such as medicine. Sound knowledge in the practicing field is a must and AAPI would be inviting top-notch experts from the US, researchers and faculty to inform us on the latest. AAPI will be inviting experts from different cities in US and also India.” In addition to conducting CMEs, the AAPI Journal that goes to all the members would be beefed up and revamped to carry informative professional articles and research papers. The stress will be on professional development, he added.

/p>As envisaged by him, AAPI focused more this year on healthcare issues. He said AAPI would team up with AMA for streamlining the procedure for the benefit of patients and physicians. About 47 Million Americans have no medical coverage now and these working poor have no access to proper medical facilities. AAPI supports universal health care but not a single payer system and would lobby against cutting reimbursement fee for physicians, he said.

Turning his attention to young physicians coming from India, he said AAPI has sought to help obtain externship/observership programs that would in turn help them get internship in hospitals. Also, AAPI has provided them with evaluation letters at the end of the program, which would become valuable in getting internships. The whole idea has been to help them get into residency, he added.

AAPI was launched to end discrimination and now it has 130 chapters in the US. Today, it has three primary goals: “We are into education, provide best medical care and maintain legislative presence in Washington DC. The country is witnessing a scenario where many hospitals are being closed across the US due to lack of reimbursement of medical care to patients. Physicians are feeling the heat of medical cut backs and hence we are engaging the lawmakers and legislators to support our cause to serve people better and also to save Medicare and set up a good working sys-tem,” said Dr. Hemant Patel, former President of AAPI.

Dr. Rohini,AAPI President Dr Sanku Rao, Manney Day (singer) AAPI Secretary Dr. Prasad Srinivasan.

According to Dr. Rao, AAPI has taken up the issue of shrinkage of residency spots for Indian-American physicians with the lawmakers and stated that if the trend continues, there would not be enough Indian- American physicians in the US. “We need more residency spots in tune with the population. Therefore, we engaged the US lawmakers to speak up on our behalf and ensure that justice is done,” he added. “No residency means no practice and the country will be deprived of the skills of Indian- American physicians.”

Dr. Rao said, the issue of J-1 visa waiver was another issue that was taken up with the new administration on Capitol Hill and ensured that qualified physicians from India are able to come to the US for higher education and training. Also, the organization took up issues relating to US-born young physicians and sought to rope in more youngsters into AAPI fold to infuse fresh blood. “We organized leadership camps to young doctors which were aimed at helping them take up leadership positions in various levels at AAPI,” he said.

With a view to strengthen the ties between physicians of India and AAPI, there are several initiatives taken up by Dr. Rao. “We are greatly indebted to our land of birth and AAPI wanted shy away from sharing the expertise and skills for the betterment of India. We would conduct seminars and workshops for transfer of knowledge and skills and adopt best practices followed in India,” he said.

The movement to train healthcare workers to screen people in India for major ailments in an institutional framework stemming from a dynamic public private partnership and AAPI is all geared up to train health care workers soon in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

AAPI has also drawn up a road map for the next five years. The action plan includes recommendations to improve the medical school curriculum in India on par with the US and other advanced nations and improving medical tourism.

AAPI is negotiating with the health ministry in India to sign an agreement for co-operation in the field of emergency and trauma care. AAPI has offered its services to the health ministry to improve the state of trauma care in medical colleges and on national highways. India lacks advanced emergency and trauma services of the kind available in the US. AAPI believes it can make a significant difference in this area.

AJAY GHOSH