AMA inaugurates Barbara L. McAneny, MD, as president

The AMA has sworn in Barbara L. McAneny, MD, an oncologist who has spent her 35-year career as a practicing physician in New Mexico, as the organization’s 173rd President, according to a press release. She is the first oncologist and fourth woman to lead the organization.

The release stated that McAneny will dedicate her time as president to enhancing the nation’s health by “confronting” the increasing burden of chronic disease, “reimagining” lifelong learning, training and medical education to assist physicians in growing and adapting to the digital age; and “attacking the dysfunction” in health care by eliminating barriers and obstacles that interfere with patient care.

“As healers, we have everything we need to fix what ails our health care system. We have the most important ingredients in our hands — we have our patients’ trust,” she said during her inaugural address.

“We have the will, the expertise, and the view of our system at its most crucial point — inside the exam room with patients. And thanks to organizations such as the AMA, as well as state and specialty societies, we have a voice. We have a platform from which we can lead on any issue — and work to re-align our health care system so that patients and physicians are back in the center,” she continued.

Prior to assuming the AMA presidency, McAneny was chair of the association’s Council of Medical Service. She has served as delegate from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, for which she also served on the board, according to the release. She is also a past president of the New Mexico Chapter of the ACP.

According to a separate release, the new chair of the AMA Board of Trustees is Jack Resneck, Jr., MD, a dermatologist from San Rafael, Calif. In addition, Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, an anesthesiologist from Nashville, Tenn., was named chair-elect.

The release also stated that the other executive officers on the AMA Board of Trustees for 2018-2019 are:
•    Susan R. Bailey, MD, an allergist practicing in Fort Worth, Texas, the newly re-elected speaker of the AMA’s House of Delegates.
•    Gerald E. Harmon, MD, a family physician from Pawleys Island, S.C., the newly instated immediate past chair.
•    Russell W.H. Kridel, MD, a facial plastic surgeon from Houston, Texas, the newly inducted secretary.
 
The newly elected members of the AMA Board of Trustees according to the release are: 
•    E. Scott Ferguson, MD, a diagnostic radiologist from West Memphis, Ark.
•    Sandra A. Fryhofer, MD, an internist from Atlanta, Ga.
•    Mario A. Motta, MD, a cardiologist from Salem, Mass.

The release also stated that the returning members of the AMA Board of Trustees are:
•    Willarda V. Edwards, MD, MBA, an internist from Baltimore, Md.
•    William E. Kobler, MD, a family physician from Rockford, Ill.
•    William A. McDade, MD, PhD, an anesthesiologist from Metairie, La.
•    S. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, an otolaryngologist from Flint, Mich.
•    Albert J. Osbahr III, MD, a family and occupational physician from Hickory, N.C.
•    Ryan Ribeira, MD, MPH, a resident physician in emergency medicine at Stanford University from Mount View, Calif.
•    Karthik V. Sarma, MS, a medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif.
•    Bruce A. Scott, MD, an otolaryngologist from Louisville, Ky., the newly re-elected vice speaker of the AMA’s House of Delegates.
•    Georgia A. Tuttle, MD, a dermatologist from Lebanon, N.H.
•    Kevin W. Williams, MSA, a former senior executive at General Motors from Nashville, Tenn., the public member of the AMA Board.

– by Janel Miller

Disclosure: Healio Family Medicine was unable to determine McAneny’s relevant financial disclosures prior to publication.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the names of other executive board members as well as the board of trustees for 2018-2019.