It will be important for both the Center for Family Medicine Research and
OKPRN to write/rewrite bylaws, policies and procedures with the advice of
legal council to make sure that they can function successfuly as separate
but closely affiliated entities while avoiding conflicts of interest and
other political/legal/financial problems.  I will work on a drafts of these
and get your feedback along the way.

-----Original Message-----
From: noble ballard m d [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 9:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Update


so far it seems to be o k

James W. Mold wrote:
>
> Sorry to have been out of touch for so long.  Here's an update on what has
> happended of importance since our last Board meeting:
> 1. The Board of Directors of the Family Health Foundation, a 501(c)3
> incorporated,charitable organization affiliated with the Oklahoma Academy
of
> Family Physicians has agreed to accept OKPRN (the practice-based
> resource/research network) within it.  Bylaws, etc. have yet to be
rewritten
> to reflect this change. Hopefully, this organizational change will give
> OKPRN greater financial flexibility regarding both contributions and
> expenditures.  OKPRN will then contract with the Oklahoma Center for
Family
> Medicine Research for the services required to maintain and grow the
network
> and to design and carry out projects.  Dr. Paul Preslar has expressed an
> interest in taking over directorship of OKPRN at some point if funding
could
> be made available to cover his time/effort. The OAFP Board of Directors
had
> no problems with allowing non-OAFP members to join OKPRN.  (They indicated
> that such a change would not affect their willingness to continue to
support
> the network.) I have had very little success in recruiting Native American
> clinics into the network though I have made a number of contacts and
visits.
> However, a number of other practitiers have recently joined.
> 2. For now at least, it seems prudent to keep the Center as a discreet
unit
> within the Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine in OKC and the
> Department of Family Medicine in Tulsa.  I anticipate that we will
> eventually (as funding permits) need to have some additional staff
dedicated
> to Center activities (budget management, promotions/contracts, and grant
> writing).  I have chosen not to approach the Dean or Provost about making
> OCFMR a formal/recognized center within the OUHSC.  There hasn't been a
> pressing need to so.  The main reason to do so would be to see if we could
> negotiate for a larger share of indirect grant funds.  I don't know how
> likely that would be to happen, and we might just stir up trouble.
> 3. As I work on a 5-year business plan for the Center, it seems to me that
> one of our most stable sources of ongoing external support is probably
going
> to come from contracts.  We already have contractual arrangements with the
> State Department of Health, the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality,
and
> the Oklahoma State Medical Association.  We anticipate a contract with the
> Health Care Authority beginning in July.  A possibility exists for
contracts
> with the University Physicians Medical Group.
> 4. We have not yet heard from the NIMH regarding our $2.7 million proposal
> to study B-12 deficiency screening in the elderly.  I anticipate some news
> by mid July at the latest.  If that grant is not funded, we will have to
> regroup and seriously look at how we are going to keep the OKLAHOMA
Studies
> cohort going.
> 5. I am trying to get a formal agreement drawn up between the Center and
the
> Next Century Group, the technology firm that is helping us to develop the
> palm computer prevention application.  They are interested in an ongoing
> relationship and further development and eventual marketing of the
product.
> I have met with the OUHSC attorneys, and they have provided a generic
> contractual form that NCG is reviewing.
> 6. We now have PEAs in 11 practices and se have enlisted 13 sites in the
> palm immunization project.
> 7. The night sweats study has been completed and a manuscript is being
> prepared for submission to JAMA.  The HEDIS diabetes study has been
> completed and a manuscript will be prepared. Data from the first year of
the
> OKLAHOMA Studies is being analyzed by several different research teams.
>
> I don't think we need to schedule another Board meeting this summer.  If
you
> disagree, please let me know and we will schedule one.  I suggest we meet
> again formally in September.
> What about Tuesday, Sept 4 from 4-6 pm?
>
> James W. Mold, MD, MPH
> Director, OK Center for Family Medicine Research
> 405-630-2564 (pager)