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Dr. Graham received her medical degree from Bowman Gray School of
Medicine (AOA), Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1961. She took her residency
training in dermatology at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
Virginia (1962-65). Dr. Graham is the author of 50 publications.
Dr. Graham's activities with the Academy include: Board of Directors
(1991-96); Consultant (1989-91) and Member (1991-97), Guidelines of Care
Committee; Chair, Guidelines Task Force for Cryosurgery (1989-94); Chair,
Membership Surveys Committee (1992-93). Dr. Graham has served as a member of
the following committees: Audit Committee (1996-2000); Ethics Committee
(1996-2000); Task Force on Dermatologic Surgery (1989-92); Task Force on
Guidelines for Actinic Keratoses (1992-93); Interdisciplinary Education
Committee (1992-97); Ad Hoc Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors
(1991-92, 1994-95 and 1995-96); Environment Council (1994-98); Presidential
Commission (1992); Melanoma/Skin Cancer Committee (1992-96); Council on
Communications (1992-95); Committee to Administer Planned Giving Program
(1994-96); Ad Hoc Committee to Prepare Feasibility Study for Skin Exhibit at
National Museum of Health and Medicine (1995-96); Committee of Board on
Administrative Regulations (1993-94). Dr. Graham has served as a Faculty Member
(1977-97) and Director (1989-94) of the Basic Cryosurgery Course at the Annual
Meeting. She received the Academy's Gold Award for Exhibit (Cryosurgical
Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma, 1977), and the Silver Award for Exhibit (Two
Hereditary Osseocutaneous Syndromes, 1965).
Other dermatologic activities include: Vice President (1995-97),
President (1997-98), Eastern Regional Director (1987-90), Chairman, Symposium
on Aging Skin, Durham, NC (1987), Co-Chairman, Symposium on Hair, Durham, NC
(1989), Speaker, Symposium on Cosmetics, Cleveland, OH (1990), Moderator,
Update on General Dermatology Seminar, Huntington Beach (1991), Women's
Dermatologic Society; Board of Directors (1995-present) and member
(1976-present), North American Clinical Dermatologic Society; Co-Chairman,
Cryosurgical Workshop, New York (1992) and Co-
Chairman, Cryosurgical Symposium, Sydney, Australia (1997), World Congress of
Dermatology; Board of Directors (1978-81), Ethics Committee (1994-96),
Chairman, Focus Seminar on Ethics and Dermatologic Surgery, San Diego, CA
(1993), AMA CPT Advisory Committee (1993), American Society for Dermatologic
Surgery; Co-Chair, Ethics Symposium (1995) and member (1992), Pacific
Dermatologic Association; Member, American Skin Association (1994 and 1996);
Board of Directors, Wilson County Chapter, American Cancer Society and Board of
Directors, North Carolina Chapter, American Cancer Society (1980-92). Dr.
Graham was elected to membership (1992) and serves on the Education Committee,
American Dermatologic Association; One of the Founders (1977).
Secretary-Treasurer (1977-80), Membership Chairman (1980-88), Board of
Directors (1983-87), Vice President (1988-89), President-Elect (1989-90),
President (1990), Chairman of Board (1992-93), American College of Cryosurgery;
Clinical Attending Staff (1978-93), Department of Medicine, Division of
Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Clinical
Professor (1992-95) and Clinical Associate Professor (1971-92), University of
North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and President
(1966-91), Wilson Dermatology Clinic, Wilson, North Carolina.
Dr. Graham has served as a Member, Carteret County Medical Society
(1995-97); Secretary-Treasurer (1981-82), Vice President (1982-83), President
(1983-84), Delegate to North Carolina Medical Society (1979-89), and member
(1966-95), Wilson County Medical Society; Committee Advisory to Auxiliary
Chairman (1975-76), Committee on Exhibits (1975-76), Committee on Arrangements
(1979-82), Committee on Ethics and Religion Chairman (1979-83), Chairman
(1981-82) and Member (1979-82), Nominating Committee, Committee on Cancer
(1980-84), Annual Convention Commission Commissioner (1981-82), Consultant,
Committee on Finance (1981-82), Member (1966-94) and Chairman (1979-80),
Section on Dermatology, Judge, Scientific Exhibits (1975-76), Counselor for the
Fourth District (1984-89), Chairman, Task Reform Medical Liability Steering
Committee (1986), North Carolina Medical Society. She served on the Board of
Trustees (1973-76, 1977-81 and 1982-86), Building and Grounds Committee
Chairman (1976), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Medical
Center Board (1977-81), Vice Chairman (1979-80), Bowman Gray School of
Medicine.
Dr. Graham was elected Woman of the Year (1982), Women's Residence
Council, Wake Forest University; received the Award for Best Presentation of a
Scientific Subject of a Medical Nature through the Use of Audio-Visual Media
(1971), Gaston County Medical Society, North Carolina Medical Society Meeting;
received Third Place Award for Exhibit (Hereditary Acrokeratotic Poikiloderma
(1970), Southern Medical Association; Co-Founder (1967), Treasurer (1968-69),
Vice President (1969-86), President (1987-88), Board of Directors
(1969-present), Gloria F. Graham Oral History Collection (established 1989),
Country Doctor Museum, Bailey, North Carolina. Other honors include: Alpha
Omega Alpha, Bowman Gray School of Medicine (1961) and Phi Beta Kappa, Wake
Forest University (1957).
 Candidates Statement
I am honored to have been nominated for Vice President of the American
Academy of Dermatology. During my thirty years of practicing dermatology, I
have been active in the Academy. My involvement includes teaching and chairing
cryosurgical courses, and serving on the Guidelines, Interdisciplinary, Skin
Cancer, Ethics and Audit Committees, the Environmental Council, and the Board
of Directors. With such diverse Academy experience, I have developed a sound
knowledge of our organization and how it functions. There are many good
programs in place. However, we need to continue building on them to keep pace
with the changing environment of healthcare. During these next few years, the
Academy must focus on strengthening ties with our business, professional and
public communities - we can do this by "building bridges" with these various
entities, as we move into the 21st century.
Building Bridges to...
The Public
This is being accomplished through skin cancer screenings, Melanoma
Monday and, I suggest, a melanoma registry, as well as a newsletter for the
public and referring physicians.
Our Colleagues
A newsletter illustrating what we do and the advances that are
available in treating skin diseases could serve as a significant bridge builder
to our colleagues.
Our Members
Our educational programs are the heart of the Academy; our ethical
principles are our very soul. In these times of change, both need to remain
strong and focused on high quality care at a reasonable price.
Dermatologic
Societies
As president to the Women's Dermatologic Society, past president of the
American College of Cryosurgery, and a board member of the American Society for
Dermatologic Surgery and the North American Clinical Dermatologic Society, I
realize many of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the interaction
between allied societies. The AAD needs to remain a strong umbrella
organization. And whenever possible through DSI, both the board of directors
and the membership need to give support and encouragement to these other
groups.
Ancillary Health Foundations
Having this past year served on the board of FIRST, I realize we must
educate our members on the role these groups play. On a personal note, we need
to support these groups ourselves. In lieu of a letter in regard to my
candidacy, I plan to send support to some of these groups.
Industry and Government Programs
The officers and the board must seek grants to fund AAD programs. These
require careful monitoring by staff, officers and the audit committee.
Our Employees
The CPT Coding Committee and its newsletter is invaluable to our office
managers and insurance personnel, and the Dermatologic Nurses' Association is
helping our nurses to be more proficient on the healthcare team. Internet
training programs for receptionists and medical technicians would also be
helpful.
The Government
Through our Washington office and StateWatch, continued vigilance is
required to monitor the issues that continue to face us, such as CLIA Reform
and negotiations with HCFA. We need to be proactive in working with access
issues in the states, listening and learning from states who have been
successful in gaining access.
Insurance Companies, HMO's and Managed Care Entities
Whenever possible, the AAD needs to educate, work with, threaten or
whatever it takes to accomplish positive change. Face-to-face meetings with the
leadership of these organizations and the AAD is worth the effort!
Our Spouses, Families and Friends
Medicine is demanding and the AAD can help its members by focusing on
ways to teach us to be better spouses, parents and friends. A new book, The
Medical Marriage: A Couple's Survival Guide, by the Sotiles could help many
overcome problems that may detract from our ability to care for our patients.
Programs at the state level addressing these concerns could be extremely
helpful in making us healthier, happier and more whole individuals.
Building Bridges through Marketing and Communications
We have some excellent marketing programs in place. As I mentioned
earlier, the skin cancer screenings are very important. We have also produced
some very enlightening articles and thought-provoking posters to convey our
message about skin cancer. However, we can still do more. Increasing our
television advertising is one way to further the message. Finally, our
marketing campaign should also include a newsletter to our patients. A
reader-friendly publication providing information on skin cancer and other
dermatological concerns would greatly benefit the public. By expanding upon
these programs, we can more easily strengthen these invaluable relationships as
we move into the 21st century.
Response to the Nominating
Committee
There are several major forces currently affecting dermatology. For
one, the multiple changes regarding payment for our services is perhaps the
most notable. These changes extend beyond a "bottom-line" issue. In one way or
another, they affect what services we can provide.
Having just seen the 60th anniversary of The Lost Colony, I am reminded
of the hard-fought freedoms we have. Medicare, however, tries to interfere with
our right to provide our best medical care.
For many years I have advocated treatment of actinic keratosis with
chemo-therapeutic agents whenever practical. Being told I have to use them even
when I know cryosurgery is a better option is not acceptable. We must do
everything we can to stop such intrusion and be allowed to practice in the way
we have been trained.
Recently, I worked with my husband (James H. Graham, M.D.) to repeat
his earlier studies identifying the percentage of people with actinic keratosis
who later developed squamous cell carcinoma. Our findings should help prove to
health care payors the severity of this skin disease and the importance of
early treatment.
The AAD, under Dr. Sams' leadership, took on the problems regarding
reimbursement for the treatment of actinic keratosis. The excellent work of the
actinic keratosis committee must also be continued as we defend our position at
the state level. There needs to be an appropriate national consensus on
managing this problem and it needs to come from the medical community - the
AAD leaders must spearhead this fight!
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