AVMA Delegate Report

MVMA QUARTERLY - SPRING 2022 Delegate Report Greetings to all! Hopefully in 2022 Covid will become a conversation of the past. It has impacted the way our profession has practiced and our daily interactions have changed dramatically. Our AVMA has worked diligently to keep our colleagues abreast of the ever changing; volatile information of the Covid pandemic barrage. The information provided by the AVMA has proven beneficial to protect and serve our patients, clients, and team members. Your Missouri AVMA delegates, Chuck Barry, and Carol Ryan, have worked as MVMA liaisons between our state and national association. Your AVMA House of Delegates (HOD), includes representatives from state and allied veterinary medical associations, veterinarians from across the profession, veterinary students, and AVMA staff members and volunteers. Your HOD gathers twice a year to conduct association business and consider and review AVMA policies. It is during these meetings that the interests of AVMA members like you drive the conversation, deliberation, and plan of action for the AVMA.

AVMA Annual Summer HOD Meeting

In July 2021, both Dr. Barry and Dr. Ryan participated in the virtual AVMA Summer HOD meeting. During this meeting the House of Delegates focused on Covid 19, telemedicine, student debt, the issue of diversity/equity/inclusion, improving veterinary access to FDA approved drugs and many more pressing issues.

AVMA Veterinary Leadership Conference

The HOD winter meeting was held earlier this month, January 6 - 9, in conjunction with the AVMA Veterinary Leadership Conference in Chicago. The Hybrid virtual/in person VLC attracted more than 600 attendees who gathered to expand and hone their leadership skills with a mix of continuing education sessions, AVMA governance meetings, featured speakers, and networking over the course of three days. If you’re interested in seeing what this year’s VLC had to offer, you may register and view all education sessions on demand through March.

Veterinary Information Forum

A highlight of the twice yearly HOD’s meeting is the AVMA’s Veterinary Information Forum (VIF), where delegates address issues of concern in the profession. The topics for this meeting were discussions involving concepts of license portability and AVMA membership expansion to allied groups and practice staff. The AVMA thanks the hundreds of members who answered our call for input on the topics addressed during this year’s forum. In response to these discussions the HOD voted to ask the AVMA Board of Directors to examine license portability and consider what actions could help, including modifying or creating new AVMA policies. Delegates also recommended that the Board collaborate with state VMAs and other AVMA-allied associations to understand their issues and how potential AVMA membership expansion might affect their own membership.

Policies and Resolutions

The HOD took the following actions on AVMA resolutions and policies: Resolution # 1 Regarding the Revised Policy on Rabies: The policy wording reinforces the importance of rabies vaccination as the primary method of prevention and endorses the 2016 Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control as the recommended guiding authority document. This resolution was approved. Resolution # 2 Regarding the Revised Policy on Rabies Vaccination Waiver: This policy explains the circumstances where an animal might be granted a rabies vaccination waiver in a political subdivision and how that animal should be restricted to protect the public. This resolution was approved. Resolution # 3 Regarding New Policy on Food Safety: This resolution streamlines some language concerns and emphasizes the unique skills and critical role of veterinarians in food safety. Resolution # 4 Regarding a New Policy on Support for the Collection of Antimicrobial Use Data for Antimicrobial Stewardship: This resolution encourages key stakeholders to collaborate and describes best practices for collecting the data and how the data might be used to inform and advance veterinary clinical decision making. This resolution was approved. Resolution # 5 Revised policy on Guidelines for Classifying Veterinary Facilities: This policy is used by other organizations when referring to definitions of how veterinary facilities are named. This resolution was referred to the Board of Directors for further study.

AVMA PAC Reports Success

The AVMA PAC makes the collective voice of AVMA members heard in Washington by opening doors and starting conversations. Contributions to the PAC allow us to build relationships that ensure veterinarians’ voices are heard on legislation that impacts the lives of AVMA members and our patients. The AVMA PAC is strictly non-partisan and supports candidates on both sides of the aisle to promote issues that matter to all veterinarians. Regulated by the Federal Elections Commission, the AVMA PAC is a transparent and legal way for AVMA members to participate in the political process and ensure that veterinary medicine speaks with a strong, unified voice. PAC dollars help open the door to provide a chance for the AVMA to have a seat at the table and speak for its members as they share scientific knowledge and real world perspectives with the political decision makers who impact animal welfare and the legal practice of our profession. Dr. Ryan and I want to encourage each AVMA member to consider making an AVMA PAC donation each year.

AVMA / AVMF

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation is the AVMA charitable arm. It continues to serve and support the profession by administering disaster aid, specific Covid 19 disaster aid, student scholarships, the Veterinary Care Charitable Fund with grants helping animals and clients in need, and support for research crucial to the future of veterinary medicine. In conclusion, we will leave you a quote by Viktor E. Frankl that was cited at our leadership conference. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.” In our response lies our opportunity for growth and our freedom. May each of our fellow colleagues slow down, breathe deeply and respond with the passion that sparked our love for this amazing profession. We have the power to choose our response. May 2022 bring you great health and blessings. The future is bright. If you have any questions regarding the AVMA, member benefits, or governance, please feel free to contact me or Dr. Carol Ryan. Respectfully Submitted, Chuck Barry chuck.barry63@gmail.com 660-909- 1504