MANUEL PACHECO MD - CANDIDATE FOR AREA 1 TRUSTEE

---

Photo:  2019 Massachusetts State Legislative Mental Health Advocacy Day with Lisa Bosco MD

Adaptability

To ensure our continued survival and relevance, I believe the American Psychiatric Association must become more adaptable in terms of anticipating and reacting to the ever-changing challenges facing our organization.

If our current structure, spending, and Bylaws are no longer sustainable, then we need to take an honest 360 look at what needs to change.

Business as usual is unfortunately no longer viable from a financial and strategic standpoint. 

Advocacy

In the next five years, our profession needs to be in a more secure position in terms of parity, workforce, and scope of practice.

The Board of Trustees plays a critical role in in all these domains. 

As an Association, we must continue our efforts to end the discriminatory treatment of our patients.  Specifically many health insurance providers still impose burdensome preauthorization, carve-outs, and nebulous level of care criteria for mental illness and substance use disorders. These marginalizing practices notably contribute to the growing crisis of access to care and prolonged Emergency Department stays for our most critically ill patients. 

It is vital that our Association supports all psychiatrists in their everyday professional lives.  Maintenance of board certification being required for medical licensure, hospital credentialing, and insurance empaneling is doing nothing but exacerbating the alarming loss of practicing psychiatrists.  This relentless hemorrhaging of psychiatrists further detracts from the provision of competent patient care.

Lastly if elected, I will be an ardent voice on the Board of Trustees in combating the ever-expanding encroachment on our scope of practice by non-physicians.

Transparency

The BOT can do better in disseminating information to the membership in a timely manner.  As a Trustee, I pledge to endorse full transparency regarding Board decisions as possible.  This enhanced openness will increase the understanding of all members as to the rationale and necessity of Board actions.