February 19, 1999

By Rodrigo Muņoz, M.D.
APA President

Once a year organized psychiatry displays its might in one of the largest educational, social, and political medical gatherings in the world.

Preparations for every annual meeting take almost an entire decade. Under the direction of APA's Scientific Program Committee, staff and numerous components work steadily year after year so that as we finalize the plans one meeting, we are already working on the annual meetings well into the future, leading up to our return to San Diego in May 2007.

The main theme of the meeting, chosen by the APA president, permeates the selection of presentations and their order, format, and final place in the program. I was told that the president makes most of the decisions, but this is far from the truth, as it should be. Any person who doubts this should witness the debates among component members on selection of topics, settings, special interests, treatments, guest lecturers, and other issues.

The theme for this year's annual meeting is easy to remember: "The Clinician." I chose this theme because it represents the professional lives of most psychiatrists. I want to pay tribute to the knowledge, skills, and compassion of those who see patients day in and day out. Research has given precision to our diagnoses and effectiveness to our treatments. We are winning the war against anxiety and mood disorders, the psychoses, chemical dependence, and disorders resulting from structural damage to the brain. Psychotherapy and psychotropics are increasingly better targeted. People who are diagnosed with a mental illness today have hope as never before that they will improve or recover and once again lead productive lives in their communities.

As we convene in Washington, D.C., this spring, I want a dialogue with our members about new initiatives in mental health financing. Radical reform is possible with the use of tax exemptions/vouchers, defined-contribution plans (as opposed to defined benefits), and consolidation of programs to enhance individual control. I want to show why we have to work with those who believe employees are not costs but assets, that human capital is the best source of profits, and that employers can better work with physicians and not with insurance companies. I want to encourage individual initiatives, including cooperatives, alliances of small employers, and medical savings accounts.

This year's annual meeting will have sessions scheduled in clearly defined tracks, as indicated in the topic index in the program book distributed to all registrants at the meeting. Psychiatrists interested in specific clinical issues, special populations, diverse settings, new research, new systems of reimbursement, and new clinical strategies will be able to identify those sessions easily.

Come with us to Washington, D.C., and participate in the numerous activities and attractions that are available only in this city: meet with your members of Congress (see page 2), visit the best museums in the world (see pages 27, 33, and 39), and march with us for justice for the mentally ill. You'll also be able to meet with your APA leaders, visit the psychiatric office of the future (look for information about this in the next issue), and renew old friendships with colleagues.

I look forward to seeing you for an exceptional meeting in the nation's capital.