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Harmon does not report any relevant financial information.
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Gerald E. Harmon, MD, was recently sworn in as the 176th President of the AMA.
Harmon, a family doctor from Georgetown, South Carolina, brings more than 30 years of professional and military experience to the AMA presidency, according to a news release from the organization. He was also a member of the AMA’s Board of Trustees and a member of the Council on Medical Service. In addition, Harmon previously served as chairman and president of the board of trustees of the South Carolina Medical Association.
In a recent interview with Healio Primary Care, Harmon spoke about his priorities as AMA president, what doctors should tell their patients about COVID-19 and more.
Healio Primary Care: What Are Your Priorities For AMA?
Harmonious: It is an honor to assume the presidency of medicine in the country at such a historic moment. Our and my top priority is to put an end to the pandemic and encourage everyone to get the vaccine to put the pandemic in our rearview mirror and really preach the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. As doctors, we play a pretty important role as ambassadors for our patients. We must take on this role and do everything we can to vaccinate as many people as possible.
Right now my other personal priorities [are also] AMA’s priorities: removing barriers and burdens in patient care, improving medicine, preparing doctors for the future, and taking immediate steps to counter the rise in chronic diseases that are truly a major underlying risk factor for COVID -19 pandemic.
Healio Primary Care: In addition to your inauguration as AMA President, what are the other highlights of your career?
Harmonious: Here in rural South Carolina, I’ve looked after generations of families. My record is five generations in a single exam room in a hospital. That is a highlight. Even now when I think about it, my spine gets cold.
I have been invited into the homes and communities of my patients and have been introduced to their most precious possessions: their children, their grandchildren, and their spouses. I have been blessed with physical and psychological ability and good health along the way, this side of the stethoscope to provide this care.
I held several medical leadership positions along the way. I was the chief of staff in our community hospitals. I was elected and recognized as the head of a local, state, and now a national medical association. So, without any false modesty, every day is a highlight for me.
Healio Primary Care: What have you learned from your experience with the US Air Force and Air National Guard that will help you as a doctor?
Harmonious: The military has enabled me to witness and experience health care in a variety of settings, work on medical preparedness, and workforce fitness and training.
During my decades of service in the military, I served in numerous wartime and humanitarian locations, including West Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. I have seen how fortunate we are to have such an advanced medical system in the United States. I can’t say enough about how much my military and aviation experience has enabled me to prioritize. We multitask so well in medicine and the military really emphasized that for me.
Healio Primary Care: Many states have lifted their social distancing requirements, potentially leading patients to believe that the worst of the pandemic is over. What Should Doctors Tell Their Patients To Help Prevent COVID-19?
Harmonious: Three words: get the vaccine. We must emphasize to our patients and our colleagues and health care providers that all FDA approved vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective, and that widespread vaccination is the country’s best chance for a return to normal. The vaccine is still the best and most scientifically proven answer to COVID-19 right now.
Those who choose not to receive the vaccine for any reason should take steps to reduce their chances of getting COVID-19 or spreading it to someone else, including wearing a mask outside of the home, exercising more safely physical distancing and hand washing.
Healio Primary Care: The general practitioner medicine and other general practitioner practices have significant financial blow because of the pandemic. How did the AMA help affected doctors?
Harmonious: AMA has helped doctors and practices recover from the disruption and damage their practices caused by the pandemic by pushing for loans and other forms of financial assistance. It also helped set guidelines for the CDC and local authorities to reopen practices. We have urged the government to help provide personal protective equipment, remove barriers to care, apply science-based guidelines to combat the pandemic, and promote and support vaccine development and distribution.
There are literally billions of dollars in emergency funding to help business practices stay open, sustainable, and support through things like the CARES Act and subsequent emergency supplement laws. Many practices have qualified for CARES funding and we have helped practices understand the process of converting a loan into a grant. We have also called for broadband telemedicine to expand so we can practice telemedicine, and increased federal and state funding and funding to improve care for patients unable to travel.
The AMA quickly convened the CPT Advisory Committee and carried out the scientific rigor to set CPT codes [for COVID-19 vaccinations] to enable us to assert claims for compensation and reimbursement of patient care with the insurance companies and the CMS agencies. We also asked the federal government to expand the testing and the FDA to use their emergency clearance so we can deliver treatments. We have even tried to get private insurance companies to abandon or minimize the prior authorization requirements that are known barriers to patient care [causes of] Doctor dissatisfaction.
Healio basic care: What are the next steps for the AMA?
Harmonious: We have asked that the regulatory easing on telemedicine that took place last year be more regular as long as we can ensure quality of care and accountability for the doctors and the industries that provide telemedicine.
We don’t necessarily want to replace face-to-face, hands-on health care, but we want access to health care in areas with traffic problems and access to quality health care as geography can sometimes travel a long distance to see a qualified doctor. We also hope to improve rural internet and broadband service access.
Healio Primary Care: Do you have any final thoughts?
Harmonious: It will take a team-based approach to reshape healthcare in a post-pandemic world. We have seen the vulnerabilities that COVID-19 has brought to many Americans and marginalized communities who have a chronic burden of disease. We have also seen that marginalized communities are at higher health risk from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We can take what we learned from this pandemic cloud and response and find the silver lining and improve opportunities to advance health equity.
References:
AMA. Gerald E. Harmon, MD, wins the office of President-elect. https://www.ama-assn.org/house-delegates/special-meeting/gerald-e-harmon-md-wins-office-president-elect. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
AMA. The South Carolina family doctor is elected AMA President-elect. https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/south-carolina-family-physician-chosen-ama-president-elect. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
AMA. Susan R. Bailey, MD, was sworn in as the 175th President of the AMA. https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/susan-r-bailey-md-inaugurated-175th-president-ama. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
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