Mobeen H. Rathore Q&A

1. How will your skills and experiences help the AAP navigate the politically polarized national landscape?

I have had the privilege of working with organized medicine at the local, state and national levels for decades. These experiences have taught me to form coalitions, regardless of political affiliations, to successfully advocate for children. I have succeeded in my efforts because of my focus on children, which disarms polarized constituencies, which allowed for success in advocacy. As a regis-tered independent, kids are my focus. Advocating for children is my life’s mission and passion.

I successfully advocated for increased resources for access to health care for HIV affected children and families. I formed coalitions with government agencies, activists and parents, and effectively used media to get women and children’s programs funded ade-quately. This allowed me to establish a multidisciplinary, comprehensive HIV program in north Florida after several previous failed attempts.

I also organized a free clinic for the uninsured in my community.

When it was absolutely necessary, I led the charge for children in the courts. As president of the AAP Florida Chapter, I led the court battle to successfully overturn the Florida law prohibiting physicians from discussing firearm safety with patients and parents. I also successfully fought for improved access to health care for children by bringing Medicare parity for Medicaid payments. Both of these court battles had many partners, including the AAP and several professional organizations.

I have the skills and experience required to form partnerships, build consensus and find common ground. Please visit my website to learn about my experience and positions.

2. What is one of the most important issues facing today’s pediatricians, and how would you work with the board and CEO to address it?

Wellness is the most important issue facing pediatricians. Increasing pediatrician burnout is multifactorial, including financial stresses, insurance company challenges, lack of services for children (including mental health services) and the burden of electronic medical records (EMRs).

Financial challenges due to poor reimbursement and the fact that pediatricians receive the lowest compensation among medical specialties while still accruing enormous student loan debt can be difficult to handle. This combination is placing pediatricians at high personal stress and professional financial risk. Pediatrician wellness hinges on addressing these fiscal stresses.

Pediatricians are particularly affected by the increasing number of uncompensated mandates, constantly changing rules for re-imbursement and the insurance marketplace, and unnecessary insurance company roadblocks. Pediatricians from rural to urban areas, in primary or specialty care, or academia are experiencing burnout.

Stress caused by EMRs also contributes to decreased satisfaction and burnout. Many of us are spending hours in the evenings, sometimes even at home, eating into the precious little personal and family time we have. This is certainly negatively impacting pediatricians’ work-life balance.

As a profession, we must address pediatrician burnout. Focusing on pediatrician wellness will only have a positive impact on the care of children. To accomplish this, I will raise a task force, co-chaired by the CEO and the president-elect, which will generate a comprehensive strategic framework for pediatrician wellness. This multiyear roadmap will offer specific recommendations on plans to improve reimbursement, decrease uncompensated care mandates, demand insurance reform and to give pediatricians the abil-ity to practice without interference from insurance companies.

3. In your view, what is the most important child health priority for the AAP and how would you work with the board and CEO to move it forward?

I never imagined that I would be faced with such demands on my time, due to Coronavirus pandemic, when I agreed to be a President Elect nominee of the AAP. I thought that this is a great opportunity to serve children and pediatricians on a much larger scale than what I have done so far.

The most important priority in AAP’s child health agenda is ABCD: Advocacy; Burnout prevention; Care access for all children; Diversity , inclusion, and equity. Those are also my priorities for children and pediatricians. The Coronavirus pandemic allowed me to put ABCD agenda into practice and ABCD was validated.

My role with the largest health system in northeast Florida and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, gave me a platform. It allowed me to put ABCD priorities into action. To accomplish the ABCD agenda I did what I have always done, built coalitions with physicians, healthcare and business leaders, elected and government officials, media, and other stakeholders.

As president, I will charge the CEO to develop AAPs next strategic plan that includes advocacy for federally funded healthcare for all children and guarantees fair payment to pediatricians. It will prevent inequities in access to care and remove financial stress on pediatricians thereby helping to prevent pediatrician burnout. This guarantee would be provided by the federally financed “Medikids” program, a program akin to Medicare. The board we will play a key role in forming a broad coalition with state chapters and other stakeholders to get this accomplished.

Please visit my website mobeenrathore.com