|
FMA
Online | FLAMPAC |
EMR Florida |
FMA Alliance
September 17,
2007
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will
not; nothing is
more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not;
unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world
is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." -Anonymous
FMA Treasurer, Dr. Alan Harmon, and I spent last Monday morning in
Tallahassee meeting with our Interim Chief Operating Officer, Mrs.
Kimberly Scott. We reviewed an outline of the 2008 budget. Over the
next few weeks, with the able assistance of the Chair of the FMA
Finance Committee, Dr. Jim Dolan, we will finalize this budget and
prepare it for presentation to the Board of Governors at our October
2007 meeting in Tampa.
| Later that day, I
hosted lunch for the FMA staff. In addition to presenting three
staff members with recognition for ten years of faithful
service, this allowed me the opportunity to share the Board's
vision for the Association with them. A number of constructive
suggestions were offered. Mrs. Scott and Mr. Tim Stapleton have
instituted policies that will further encourage the expression
of such ideas. The staff's talent and energy are valuable
resources that will allow us to better serve our members. |
Drs. Altenburger and Harmon thank FMA employees for a job
well done. |
Early Tuesday morning, I met with
the Sarasota County Medical Society (SCMS) Delegation, led by their
President, Dr. Gene Erquiaga, and President-Elect, Dr. Michael
Patete. Also present were the SCMS Executive Director, Mrs. Beckett
Shady-King and Dr. Marguerite Barnett from our FMA AMA Delegation.
We flew to Washington, D.C. and met with the legislative aides of
Representatives Buchanan, Putnam, and Stearns (the Representatives
were called away to attend the funeral of a colleague.) We discussed
the crisis in Medicare that is SGR, its effect on access to care and
the (novel to most) concept of balance billing. We returned later
that evening after an educational and productive day. I would
encourage all of you to meet this year - at home or, if possible, in
Washington D.C. - with your members of Congress AND THEIR STAFF to
discuss access to care and other issues of concern. We will later
return to Washington, D.C. to make certain that the entire Florida
congressional delegation hears and understands our perspective.
Wednesday evening, the FMA Executive Committee met via phone
conference and voted to implement a new membership plan. You will be
learning more about this soon. They also approved the firm who will
be performing our administrative audit. This will help us to build
on our strengths and rapidly correct any deficiencies. Speaking of
membership, it is always appropriate for you to recruit your
colleagues to our collective cause. If you were at sea and a large
storm emerged, wouldn't you wish for a bigger boat? The boats that
are carrying all of us through these turbulent times are our
professional organizations - County Society, FMA, AMA, and state and
national specialty organizations. Thank you for helping us to help
you.
Although still in its infancy, the University of Central Florida
College of Medicine, approved unifying their faculty with membership
in the FMA. Please send a note of thanks to their Dean, Dr. Deborah
German. They were also encouraged to join and actively participate
in their county medical society.
I was pleased to learn from Mrs. Cynthia Nash, the Florida College
of Emergency Physicians' Executive Director, that after attending
the FMA annual meeting, a large group of emergency physicians in
Tampa decided to pay the county, FMA, and AMA dues, as well as the
dues for their state and national specialty societies for all their
physicians. They believed this could create a "snowball effect" and
we will do whatever we can to encourage this. Can you imagine what
we could accomplish in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. if all
physicians were so engaged?
Thursday, I met in Lake County with a large multi-specialty group.
The benefit of membership was the issue. We discussed ways that our
professional organizations can provide services with tangible value
to members. The request for affordable health insurance for
physicians and their employees has been heard and we are responding.
The February 2008 joint meeting of FMA Committees and Councils and
the FMA Board of Governors will be in Orlando at the recently
renovated Buena Vista Palace (www.buenavistapalace.com), February
15-17, 2008. Please mark your calendars. Additional details will be
sent to you soon. We are working on a location and date in South
Florida for our May 2008 meeting and as soon as these plans are
finalized, we will let you know.
I appreciate your persistence and determination. Keep those comments
and suggestions coming.
Until next week...
Sincerely,
Karl M. Altenburger, M.D.
President, Florida Medical Association
|
