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Carol Millwater - Executive Director, Lake Sumter Medical Society

First let me thank the Orlando Medical News for inviting the Lake Sumter Medical Society to become one of its contributors. We are grateful for this recognition and look forward to a long relationship.

During the FMA Annual Meeting in August, I was captivated by Dr. Steven West's speech, the newly appointed FMA president. He was reflecting on healthcare reform and future legislation. He stated that, "healthcare is not provided by a health system, a hospital, an insurance company or even a government. In battle, physicians lead the team that takes care of wounded soldiers. In natural disasters, medical teams led by skilled surgeons and emergency physicians are dispatched into disaster zones. Health insurance executives and hospital administrators are not sent. Why? They would get in the way.

Healthcare occurs and is provided between a physician and his or her patient – one doctor and one patient at a time."

And more recently Dr. West quoted Regina Herzlinger, who in her book "Who Killed Health Care?" wrote that, "Four armies are battling to gain control (of healthcare): the health insurers, hospitals, government, and doctors. Yet you and I, the people who use the health care systems and who pay for all of it, are not even combatants. And the doctors, the group whose interests are most closely aligned with our welfare, are losing the war."

Dr. West eloquently makes the point that physicians are on a slanted playing field. To even up that playing field, it is imperative that the voices of physicians and patients be heard at our state capitol. The FMA mantra could easily be ours…"we want to help you take care of patients." The FMA and the Lake Sumter Medical Society are fighting for you. As the grassroots county organization, LSMS supports the work of the FMA and takes political direction from them. So when we received word to get out and make those calls and send those emails for the Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331), we passed it along to you and you did it! The overwhelming number of physicians, patients and staff who contacted the Florida Congressional delegation made the difference. It worked! Membership in the Lake Sumter Medical Society has more value than you ever imagined. Encourage your colleagues to join and become informed and active in the efforts of the FMA and the Lake Sumter Medical Society.

LSMS Membership Meeting

The LSMS Membership Meeting will be held Thursday, September 18, 6:00 p.m. at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora. A hurricane churning in the gulf is too late to think about disaster preparation that should already have been in place. Join us as guest speaker, James Putz, Risk Management Consultant with First Professional Insurance Company (FPIC), gives us an important review of "Disaster and Recovery Planning for the Physician Office Practice." Along with handouts and CME credit, attending physicians will receive a handy emergency pack for their office or home. Contact the LSMS office (352-483-4748) for reservations.

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