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FMA Alliance "Good science can always be trumped by bad politics." Good Morning, On Monday morning I met with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Surgeon General, Dr. Ana Viamonte Ros in Tallahassee. Along with her senior staff, we discussed the Professionals Resource Network (PRN) program and the impact of projected budget cuts on state programs affecting our profession and patients. While grappling with the current fiscal realities, I am most impressed by the Secretary's willingness to address the access to care crisis. Dr. Viamonte Ros has assembled a team of outstanding professionals who are capably serving the health care needs of the people of our state and we are looking forward to working closely with them on a number of issues. When you have the opportunity, please thank Governor Crist for appointing her to this position. Later that afternoon, I was privileged to meet with the Dean of the FSU College of Medicine, Dr. Ocie Harris, to discuss the specifics of their University mandate, which requires all FSU students to carry health insurance. They are paving the way for other universities who, no doubt, will soon follow their lead. On Tuesday, I remained in Tallahassee and spent time with various FMA staff to review our progress and plans. I also met with the Chair of Florida AARP to discuss areas of mutual concern. While our views will not always be concordant, we agreed to maintain a dialogue and, wherever possible, work together to address the needs of the public--our patients. We will actively nurture coalitions that assist in advancing the agenda of our profession. Speaking of politics, I attended a fundraiser on Wednesday evening in Ft. Lauderdale for Sen. David Aronberg (S-27) and three individuals running for election to the State Senate in open, and securely Democrat, seats. Rep. Eleanor Sobel, who left the House after term limits in 2006, is running in 2008 for the State Senate Seat being vacated by Steve Geller (S-31). The wife of Dr. Stuart Sobel, a Dermatologist, Eleanor remains a passionate advocate of our profession and the health care needs of our patients. Her voice is much needed in the Senate. Dr. and Mrs. Dan Higgins, Presidents of the Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) and the Medical Society Alliance, hosted an evening reception at their home for Senate President-Designate, Jeff Atwater (S-25) in Palm Beach Gardens on Thursday and I joined the fun. This is the Senator's home precinct. It was a very well attended event and we were honored to have FMA Past President (1997-98), Dr. Cecil Wilson, in attendance. Dr. Wilson, a Winter Park internist who will be a candidate for President-Elect of the American Medical Association next year, also participated the following day in a health care forum sponsored by the PBCMS. The PBCMS Executive Director, Mrs. Tenna Wiles, will be collecting the information from this forum for wider distribution in the near future.
The difficult work of monitoring the activities of the Board of Medicine at this meeting was capably handled by FMA attorney, Mr. Jeff Scott. Surveillance by the FMA of the various regulatory Boards affecting the practice of medicine, especially the Board of Medicine, is one membership benefit too often overlooked by our colleagues. The decisions of these Boards significantly impact our licenses, our ability to practice in our specialty and profession, and the safety of the public. These are all too frequently threatened by the decrees of the various Boards. We'll do a better job of informing you of the interaction of your FMA with these Boards in the future. On Sunday evening, the FMA Board of Governors participated in a telephone conference. With the strong endorsement of the FMA's Council on Legislation Chair, Dr. Miguel Machado, your Board approved the hiring of the King and Spaulding firm to represent the interests of Florida's physicians in Washington, D.C. They will immediately begin their work of daily monitoring and lobbying on our behalf. We received reports on our state legislative agenda, from FMA Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tim Stapleton and FMA Director of Operations, Mrs. Kimberly Scott, and reviewed the progress being made initiating a number of recommendations that were contained in the administrative and legal audits. There is additional work to be done and your membership in the FMA makes all of this possible. Thank you. Until next week... |
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