Table of contents:

ARTICLE I

Name

This organization shall be called the American Academy of Insurance Medicine.


ARTICLE II

Objective

The objective of the Academy shall be to advance the science and practice of Insurance Medicine.


ARTICLE III

Membership

The membership of the Academy shall consist of five classes:

(a) Active
(b) Associate
(c) Emeritus
(d) Honorary
(e) Affiliate

a. Active membership shall consist of physicians (MD or DO) who are medical directors, associate medical directors, assistant medical directors or medical consultants for insurance companies. Active members shall be entitled to hold office, vote, serve on committees, make nominations and generally exercise the rights of full membership.

b. Associate membership shall consist of physicians (MD or DO) who are not medical directors, associate medical directors, assistant medical directors or medical consultants of insurance companies, and nurses or other health professionals who serve in the capacity of insurance company medical directors, associate medical directors, assistant medical directors or medical consultants. They may not hold office or vote, but may be appointed to committees.

c. Emeritus membership shall consist of former dues paying members, retired or working less than 10 hours per week as an employee or consultant for a salary or fee in the field of Insurance Medicine. He/She may not hold office or vote, but may be appointed to committees.

d. Honorary membership shall consist of individuals who have rendered distinguished service to insurance medicine. They may not hold office or vote, but may be appointed to committees.

e. Affiliate membership shall consist of individuals who have a professional interest in Insurance Medicine such as paraprofessionals, underwriters and actuaries. They may not hold office or vote, but may be appointed to committees.

Membership Process

• To be nominated for active, associate or affiliate membership, each candidate shall complete an application form developed by the Membership and Credentials Committee and approved by the Executive Council. This application shall be forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer for consideration by the Membership and Credentials Committee which will in turn present each candidate’s name to the Executive Council with a recommendation for action. The Council will then vote on the applicant’s membership. Any candidate who shall be voted in favor of by at least three-quarters of the Council shall be accepted.
• Consideration for honorary membership shall require letters of sponsorship from two or more active members be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer. The application form is waived. The Secretary-Treasurer shall then forward the nomination to the Membership and Credentials Committee, which will deliberate and present the candidate’s name to the Executive Council with a recommendation for action. Honorary membership may also be revoked at any time by a majority vote of the Executive Council.

Resignation

• Any member may submit a letter of resignation to the Membership and Credentials Committee, and it shall become effective as of the date it was sent.

Reinstatement

• The Executive Council may, upon receiving written application from any member who has resigned, reinstate such member subject to any conditions it may prescribe.

ARTICLE IV

Officers and Other Elective Positions

Officers

The officers shall consist of the following positions:

1. A President

2. A President-Elect

3. An Immediate Past-President

4. A Vice-President

5. A Secretary-Treasurer

6. A Vice-President of Education

7. A Vice-President of Finance

8. An Editor of the Journal of Insurance Medicine

The duties of the officers shall be those that relate to their respective offices, in addition to and including those noted for each officer individually as well as those they may be requested by the President to perform.

President

• A President shall serve for a term of 1 year.

• He/She shall:
  • Serve as Chief Executive Officer of the organization
  • Serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee and Executive Council
  • Serve as an ex officio member of all committees,
  • Be accountable for the strategic direction and overall administrative functions of the Academy
  • Be responsible for developing a budget for the annual meeting for the year of his Presidency and presenting it to the Finance Committee for approval prior to finalizing the meeting plans
  • Coordinate, manage, and oversee the annual scientific conference
  • Give a report annually on the state of the Academy to the membership
  • Call meetings of the Executive Committee as deemed necessary
  • Call semi-annual meetings of the Executive Council and additional meetings as deemed necessary
  • Set the agenda for the annual business meeting of the Academy
• He/She shall appoint:
  • The Chairpersons of all standing committees when a vacancy occurs during his/her Presidency, with the exception of the Chairperson of the Education Committee who is appointed by the Education Vice President, and the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, who is the elected Vice-President of Finance,
  • The Chairperson of the Scientific Program Committee for the year of his/her Presidency, and
  • A representative to the International Congress of Life Assurance Medicine when a vacancy occurs during his/her term. 

President-Elect

• A President-Elect shall serve for a term of 1 year.
• He/she shall be empowered to act for the President in his/her absence and shall ascend to the presidency without election following the completion of the President’s term.
• He/She shall also ascend to the presidency without election in the event the President is unable to complete a term of office and shall further serve as President until the close of the annual meeting at which time his/her term as president would normally have expired.
• He/She shall also serve as an ex officio member of all committees.

Immediate Past-President

• An Immediate Past-President shall serve for a term of 1 year.
• He/She shall serve as chairperson of the Nominating Committee.
• In consultation with the Nominating Committee, he/she shall be responsible for reviewing the Constitution and By-Laws and proposing any revisions to the Executive Committee.

Vice-President

• A Vice-President shall serve for a term of 1 year.

• He/She shall ascend to the office of President-Elect in the event the President-Elect is unable to complete a term of office and shall further serve as President-Elect until the close of the annual meeting at which his/her term as President-Elect would normally have expired.

• He/She shall also serve as a member of the Finance Committee.

Secretary-Treasurer

• A Secretary-Treasurer shall serve a term of 2 years and may be re-elected for a second term. He/She shall have both administrative and financial duties.
• He/She shall:
  • Maintain a durable record of the activities of the Academy for the period of his/her two years in office, including responsibility for recording minutes of meetings of the Executive Committee and Executive Council and the annual business meeting of the Academy.  The latter will include a summary of reports presented at the annual business meeting.
  • Provide minutes and other appropriate documents to be added to the Academy website Document Library.
  • Be responsible (in consultation with the President) for developing an annual budget for the Academy that includes the annual meeting budget and presenting it to the Finance Committee for approval.
  • Maintain the Academy Directors & Officers liability insurance policy, and
  • Solicit, receive, and maintain signed Conflict of Interest Statements from the members of the Executive Council annually

 

• In addition, He/She shall:
  • Supply quarterly financial reports to the President, Finance Vice President, and Academy accountant.
  • Give financial reports at meetings of the Executive Committee and Executive Council and at the annual business meeting of the Academy.
  • Reconcile Academy financial records with the accountant.
  • Process the Academy’s day-to-day financial activities in conjunction with the Executive Director or Executive Secretary, if so employed by the Academy.
  • Arrange for an annual review of the books by an independent accounting organization, to be completed and presented at the subsequent year’s Annual Meeting, and
  • File the Academy income tax return annually.
• He/She shall serve as Secretary of the Executive Committee and Executive Council and as a member of the Finance Committee

Vice-President of Education

• A Vice-President of Education shall serve a term of no more than 4 years and may be re-elected for a second term.
• He/She shall have accountability for the strategic direction of the Academy’s overall educational program and the maintenance of the Academy’s accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) including direct responsibility for:
  • Reviewing the Academy’s Educational Mission Statement annually and proposing revisions as needed for the approval of the Executive Council
  • Maintaining the Core Body of Knowledge, with input from the Education Committee and the Board of Insurance Medicine
  • Appointing a Chairperson of the Education Committee
  • Filing the annual report for the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
  • Completing the accreditation survey for the ACCME and representing the Academy at the ACCME accreditation review
  • Serving as a liaison with other organizations regarding general educational matter
  • Maintaining regular communication with the Board of Insurance Medicine

Vice-President of Finance

• A Vice-President of Finance shall serve a term of 3 years and may be re-elected for a second term.
• He/She shall be accountable for overseeing the finances and investments of the Academy, choosing appropriate financial institutions to meet the Academy’s needs, and assisting and educating the incoming Secretary-Treasurer regarding the Academy’s financial affairs.
• He/She shall serve as Chairperson of the Finance Committee.

Editor of the Journal of Insurance Medicine

• An Editor of the Journal of Insurance Medicine shall serve a term of 5 years that may be renewed at the discretion of the Executive Council.
• He/She shall serve as Chairperson of the Committee on Publications.

Other Elective Positions

• In addition to the Officers, a Delegate and an Alternate Delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates and 9 At-Large members of the Executive Council shall be elected positions. 

Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates

• A Delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates shall serve a term of 3 years and may be re-elected for a second term.
• The Delegate shall be a member of the American Medical Association and an ex officio member of the Executive Council of the Academy.  He/she shall represent the Academy at all sessions of the House of Delegates.  He/she will also represent the Academy as a member of the AMA Section Council on Preventive Medicine.  Responsibilities shall include:
  • Regularly communicating AMA policy, information, activities, and programs to the Academy so that he/she will be recognized as the representative of the AMA
  • Relaying views and suggestions of the Academy, and advocating for the Academy to the AMA, particularly in matters relating to implementation of AMA policy positions
  • Attending and reporting highlights of House of Delegates meetings to the Academy
  • Serving as the official voting member of the Academy on issues before the House of Delegates
  • Advocating to improve the health of the public and the health care system
  • Cultivating promising leaders for all levels of organized medicine and helping them gain leadership positions
  • Actively recruiting new AMA members and retaining current members
  • Participating in the AMA Membership Outreach Program

Alternate Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates

• An Alternate Delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates shall serve a term of 3 years with the expectation of nomination and election to the position of Delegate following his/her term but may be re-elected for a second term if so desired.  The Alternate Delegate shall also be a member of the American Medical Association and an ex officio member of the Executive Council of the Academy.  He/She shall have the same responsibilities as the Delegate, except that he/she will sit with the Delegates on the House floor only at the discretion of the Delegate.  Otherwise, he/she will be seated with other Alternate Delegates at all sessions of the House.  He/She shall also represent the Academy as a member of the AMA Section Council on Preventive Medicine.

At-Large Members of the Executive Council

• The At-Large members of the Executive Council shall serve a term of 3 years and may be re-elected after an interval of three years.

ARTICLE V

Executive Director or Executive Secretary

• If employed, the Executive Director or Executive Secretary shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and the Executive Council.
• He/she will report directly to the President and be responsible for the day-to-day business operations of the Academy.
• The specific responsibilities of this position shall be negotiated and delineated in a time-limited contract between the position-holder and the Academy as represented by the President.

ARTICLE VI

Executive Committee and Executive Council

Executive Committee

Membership

• As a group, the officers shall serve as the Executive Committee of the Executive Council.

Functions and Responsibilities

• The Executive Committee shall oversee the activities of the Academy when the Executive Council is not in session and investigate professional conduct issues as defined under Article X involving member(s) that are identified and brought forward by the Membership and Credentials Committee.
• It shall deliberate and vote upon forwarding to the membership for approval revisions in the Constitution and By-laws that have been proposed by the Immediate Past-President working in conjunction with the Nominating Committee.
• It may make recommendations for action to the Executive Council.

Quorum

• The President and five other Officers shall constitute a quorum.

Meetings of the Executive Committee

• Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the President.
• Meetings shall be held as necessary to carry out its functions as outlined above.  Attendance at all meetings may be in person or remotely.  Members participating remotely shall be considered equal to those attending in person with all the rights and responsibilities of their position on the Committee, including discussion about and voting on all matters before the Committee.

Executive Council

Membership and Terms

• The Executive Council shall consist of the Academy’s officers; the two Past-Presidents who preceded the Immediate Past-President, provided they have maintained active membership; the Delegate and Alternate Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates; nine At-Large members, and as appointed members, the Chairpersons of the standing committees and the Board of Insurance Medicine.
• The terms of officer-members and the Delegate and Alternate Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates shall be that of the positions they hold.
• The term of At-Large members of the Executive Council shall be three years, and they shall be eligible for re-election after an interval of three years.

Functions and Responsibilities

• The Executive Council shall plan for the future direction of the Academy and conduct its affairs in the interval between annual business meetings.
• It shall approve the Academy’s annual budget submitted by the Finance Committee.

Meetings of the Executive Council

• The Executive Council shall meet during the annual meeting of the Academy and at other times as necessary to carry out its function and accomplish the business of the Academy.
• Meetings shall be called by the President, or by six members of the Council. The Academy’s President and Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as Chairperson and Secretary of the Executive Council, respectively.
• Substitutes for committee chairpersons, non-Executive Council AAIM members, and guests invited by the President may attend meetings of the Executive Council.  Substitutes for committee chairpersons shall have all the rights and responsibilities of the chairperson for whom they are substituting, including discussion about and voting on all matters before the Council.  Other invited guests may only participate in discussion on issues directly related to their reason for attending and may not vote on any issues.
• Attendance at meetings of the Executive Council may be in person or remotely.  Members participating remotely shall be considered equal to those attending in person with all the rights and responsibilities of their position on the Council, including discussion about and voting on all matters before the Council. 
• Non-Executive Council AAIM members who attend Executive Council meetings may not participate in discussion or voting and will be seated separately from Council members unless they are substituting for a standing committee chairperson or are a guest invited to address a specific issue.

Quorum

• Nine members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII

Nondiscrimination

The American Academy of Insurance Medicine will not discriminate in membership based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex or disability.


ARTICLE VIII

Elections and Appointments

Elective Positions

The following positions are elected by the membership of the Academy:

• Officers of the Academy
• Nine At-Large members of the Executive Council
• Members of the Board of Insurance Medicine
• One Delegate and one Alternate Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates

Appointed Positions

The following positions are appointed:

• Chairpersons of all standing committees, with the exception of the Chairpersons of the Education Committee and the Finance Committee, shall be appointed by the President. Assistant Chairpersons of standing committees may be appointed by the Committee Chairperson if necessary.
• The Chairperson of the Education Committee shall be appointed by the Vice President of Education.
• The chairperson of the Scientific Program Committee shall be appointed by the President for the year of his/her Presidency, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Education Committee.  
• A representative to the International Congress of Life Assurance Medicine shall be appointed by the President when a vacancy in this position occurs during his/her term.
• Members of standing committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the respective committees.

Nomination and Election Process

• By an appropriate, convenient, and efficient means, the Nominating Committee shall present a list of nominees for elective positions to the Executive Council at least 60 days prior to the annual business meeting.  Members of the Council will vote on the nominees by responding in writing or electronically to the Chair of the Nominating Committee. A three-quarters vote of the Council shall constitute acceptance and a recommendation that the nominees be presented to the membership for election at the annual business meeting. No nomination shall be made for the presidency because the President-Elect automatically succeeds to this office.
• The slate of proposed nominees shall be placed on the Academy website for viewing and deliberation by members no later than 30 days prior to the date of the annual business meeting.
• The names of candidates so nominated shall be announced at the annual business meeting of the Academy membership, and the President shall call for further nominations by the members in attendance. If not more than one person is nominated for each of the elective positions to be filled, a motion shall be made in order to direct the Secretary-Treasurer to cast a ballot for those nominees, and such nominees shall thus be declared to be duly elected.
• If additional nominations are made by the members present at the annual business meeting, the President shall ask for a vote on the slate of unopposed candidates as a group and then call for voting for those offices with more than one candidate individually.  Voting will be by voice.
• If a vacancy occurs among any of the Academy’s elected officials other than the President and President-Elect, the President shall request the Nominating Committee to present to the Executive Council a nominee to fill the unexpired term. Approval by a three-quarters vote of the Executive Council shall be sufficient to immediately fill the vacancy.

ARTICLE IX

Dues

• Members shall pay annual dues as recommended by the Executive Council and approved by majority vote at the Academy’s annual business meeting. Any member who is delinquent in his/her dues ninety days after written notice shall be deemed to have resigned his/her membership.
• Honorary members and members in the active service of their country shall not be assessed dues or other fees.

ARTICLE X

Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Proceedings

• The Executive Council shall have the power to establish principles of professional conduct for Academy members and to take action as herein provided. These principles are codified in Article XV of this document. The Executive Council shall receive and hear any complaint of member misconduct presented to it.
• In the discharge of this responsibility, the Executive Council shall utilize the Executive Committee which is empowered to investigate a complaint against a member and report its findings to the Council along with appropriate recommendations. The procedures for the Committee shall be prescribed by the Executive Council, and the Council may retain counsel to assist it and the Committee.
• The member will be informed of the nature of any complaint. In any hearing before the Council, the member shall have the right to appear personally or be represented by counsel. He/She shall have an opportunity to examine witnesses and to present evidence and witnesses in his/her own behalf. Witnesses called in the course of hearings shall vouch for the truth of their statements.
• The Executive Council will decide whether or not professional misconduct has occurred. If the Executive Council decides by three-quarters vote of its full membership that professional misconduct has occurred, it may admonish, reprimand, suspend or expel the member.
• All details of disciplinary proceedings under this Article shall be confidential, except in cases resulting in expulsion.  When disciplinary proceedings result in expulsion of a member, the Executive Council shall make an official written report to be recorded in the minutes by the Secretary-Treasurer.
• Expelled members may be re-elected to membership only by the procedures governing the election of new members. In cases of all other authorized actions, the Executive Council may, at its discretion, reinstate to membership a member suspended under this Article.

ARTICLE XI

The Board of Insurance Medicine

• The Board of Insurance Medicine is the Academy’s certification body. It is governed by a separate Constitution and By-Laws. Its purpose is to arrange and conduct examinations to determine the qualifications of candidates for certification and have sole authority to grant certifications in recognition of special knowledge and experience in Insurance Medicine.
• The Board will submit to the Executive Council an annual written report that details its activities during the preceding year.
• The Board will be composed of twelve members who are: 1) active members of the Academy, and 2) Diplomates of the Board. Their term is for three years, and they may be re-elected. When an unexpected vacancy occurs, the Board of Insurance Medicine will appoint a substitute member to complete the term.

ARTICLE XII

Standing Committees

• The Academy’s standing committees are accountable for its functional areas: Education, Promotion/Membership, and Administration. 
• Each committee has specific accountabilities as well as those which may be assigned by the President or Executive Council.
• Committees may become inactive, and then may be reactivated by the President when relevant issues arise.

Terms of Standing Committee Chairpersons and Members

• The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees will serve for a term of three years and may be re-appointed for a second successive term.
• Chairpersons shall be empowered to appoint their committee Vice-Chairs and other at-large committee members. The term for an at-large committee member will be three years, but this term may be extended on a yearly basis up to a maximum of six consecutive years. Terms of service shall be arranged in order to encourage the participation of new members.
• Recognizing that a committee’s composition is a function of its work and stated objectives, the number of members comprising a committee may vary and no arbitrary limits shall be set.

Meetings of Standing Committees

• Meetings of standing committees shall be called by the chairperson of each committee.
• Standing committees shall meet as often as is necessary to carry out their functions as outlined in this Constitution. Attendance at all meetings may be in person or remotely. Members participating remotely shall be considered equal to those attending in person with all the rights and responsibilities of their position on the respective committee, including discussion about and voting on all matters before the committee.

Education Committee

Purpose

This committee is responsible for conducting the Academy’s educational activities in accordance with the Educational Mission Statement and the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). 

Membership

This committee is comprised of:

• The Chairperson of the Mortality and Morbidity Committee, who shall recommend and approve directors for the Basic and Advanced Mortality courses and serve as a resource for activity directors and industry speakers on issues of mortality and morbidity
• The Scientific Program Chair of the upcoming annual meeting
• The Directors of all Academy-sponsored educational courses both directly- and jointly-sponsored
• A representative of the Board of Insurance Medicine, and
• Other individuals appointed by the Chairperson of the Education Committee.

The Chairperson

The Chairperson of this Committee shall be responsible for:

• Appointing at-large members of the committee
• Appointing directors for all directly sponsored activities, except the Scientific Program chairperson
• Assisting the Vice President of Education prepare periodic ACCME accreditation surveys
• Attending ACCME accreditation reviews with the Education Vice President
• Serving as chief contact person for the coordination of all joint sponsorship activities

The Committee

This committee is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the Academy’s educational activities, including, but not limited to:

• The Triennial Course on Insurance Medicine
• The Annual Scientific Meeting
• The Introduction to Insurance Medicine Course
• The Basic Mortality Methodology Course
• The Advanced Mortality Methodology Course

This committee shall:

• Have in place an evaluation process to assess the effectiveness of each educational activity and to ensure that this and other feedback is utilized in the development of future educational endeavors
• Ensure that each educational activity satisfies all requirements of ACCME
• Review all activities proposed for Continuing Medical Education credits and approve the number of credit hours to be offered

Scientific Program Committee

• The Scientific Program Committee of the annual meeting shall be a subcommittee of the Education Committee. It shall be responsible for the scientific program of the Academy’s annual meeting.
• The Program Chairperson of the annual meeting scientific program shall serve as Chairperson of this committee. This person will be appointed by the President nominated for the meeting in which he/she will serve in consultation with the Vice-President of Education. The Program Chairperson also sits on the Education Committee for the year prior to and the year of his/her meeting.
• The Program Chairperson of the upcoming annual meeting and the Immediate Past-Program Chairperson shall be members.

Mortality and Morbidity Committee

This committee shall:

• Review, evaluate, and report to the membership on matters of mortality and morbidity
• Initiate and coordinate plans for mortality and morbidity studies
• Work with other organizations that have a like interest in developing and implementing mortality and morbidity studies and projects
• The Chairperson of this committee also serves on the Education Committee to recommend and approve directors for the Basic and Advanced Mortality courses and serves as a resource for activity directors and industry speakers on issues of mortality and morbidity

Medical Management and Procedures Committee

This committee shall gather, review, and report to the membership on laboratory, paramedical, and medical issues pertaining to insurance medicine.

Committee on Publications

• This committee shall manage and produce the Journal of Insurance Medicine and other Academy publications.
• The membership of this committee shall include all editors, including associate and assistant editors, of Academy publications.

Professional and Public Relations Committee

This committee shall:

• Maintain a liaison with professional and public organizations
• Develop and maintain AAIM’s website and associated forms of electronic communication

Membership and Credentials Committee

This committee shall:

• Actively solicit candidates for membership, review the credentials of prospective members, make recommendations for membership, accept members’ resignations and handle requests for changes in membership status.
• Work with the Professional and Public Relations Committee to coordinate recruitment efforts within affiliate organizations identified as important professional liaisons
• Set and maintain disclosure standards for the officers, Executive Council members, and others as deemed appropriate, who will complete an annual disclosure form
• In the event a conflict of interest or ethical issue is identified, this committee shall refer the issue to the Executive Committee for investigation and appropriate resolution
• Review and make recommendations to the Executive Council as deemed necessary the suitability and adequacy of the Academy’s Code of Professional Conduct
• Ensure compliance with the Academy’s nondiscrimination policy

Nominating Committee

• In consultation with the President, this committee shall prepare a list of nominees for the Academy’s elective positions.
• This committee shall be composed of at least the three most recent active and emeritus ex-Presidents with the most recent active ex-President serving as chairperson. Nominees shall be approved by a majority vote of the members of the Nominating Committee.

Finance Committee

• This committee shall approve the Academy’s annual budget submitted by the Secretary-Treasurer and present it to the Executive Council for final approval, report on its financial affairs, recommend membership dues, and reconcile all Academy financial activities.
• It shall be composed of the Vice-President of Finance, who will serve as Chairperson, the Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, and two elected members of the Executive Council as selected by the Chairperson.

ARTICLE XIII

Meeting of the Academy

• The annual meeting of the Academy shall consist of a business meeting and a scientific program. It shall be held at such time and place as may be decided by the future President and ratified by the Executive Council. Other meetings of the Academy shall be called by the President upon request of the Executive Council or upon written request of fifty members of the Academy. At least ten days’ notice of all meetings shall be given by the President.
• The business meeting shall be held during the annual meeting of the Academy at such time as deemed appropriate by the President.
• An agenda for the business meeting shall be prepared by the President that will allow the membership to conduct the Academy’s affairs, including reading of the minutes and appropriate reports, presentation of the annual budget, recognition of members, election and installation of officers, and other such matters as are deemed appropriate.
• The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of a true and permanent record of the business session.
• Fifty members of the Academy at any duly-called meeting of the Academy shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XIV

Amendments

The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present in person or remotely at the annual business meeting of the Academy membership held at least 30 days after any proposed amendment has been posted on the Academy’s website and e-mail notice of this posting has been given.

ARTICLE XV

Code of Professional Conduct for Academy Members

The Academy is an organization of insurance medical directors with associate and affiliate members in related occupations. This Code of Professional Conduct adopted by the Academy defines the essentials of honorable behavior for the Academy and its members. Failure to adhere to these standards will subject the member to action by the Executive Council as described in Article X.

• AAIM members shall uphold high standards of professionalism in all interactions.
• AAIM members shall comply with the laws and government regulations that apply to their actions.
• AAIM members shall maintain the confidentiality of all individual medical information which is entrusted to them, releasing such information only as required or permitted by law. 
• When providing direct care for a patient, a physician member of the Academy shall regard responsibility to that patient as paramount. The physician will recognize that employers may be entitled to counsel about that patient’s medical work fitness, but not to diagnoses or specific details, except in compliance with laws and regulations or as authorized by the patient.
• AAIM members shall not accept gifts, grants, hospitality or the like if same might influence their professional or business judgment in making business decisions such as those involving the selection of vendors or products.
• Academy members shall disclose actual and potential conflicts of interest when involved with AAIM business so that they can be evaluated by AAIM and adjustments made in order to avoid undue influence of the disclosed interest. Such actions include:
  • Annual submission of disclosure forms by all Executive Council members.
  • Providing formal notice of any real or potential conflict of interest and abstaining from participating in any affected item of business when participating in AAIM board or committee meetings or other Academy business.
  • Disclosure of any real or potential conflicts of interest by a speaker or other active program participant that might introduce bias or otherwise adversely influence the views and information presented.
  • Disclosure to the editor of an Academy publication the existence of any financial support received by an author or any other financial interest that the author may have that might create bias or otherwise adversely affect the author's manuscript.